Dr Amya Agarwal (she/her)

BA, MA, MPhil, PhD

Department of Politics and International Relations

Lecturer in International Relations

Lead, Department for Lifelong Learning (DLL).

Deputy Director of PGR (Departmental, Semester 2)

Dr Amya Agarwal
Profile picture of Dr Amya Agarwal
a.agarwal@sheffield.ac.uk
Thursdays 11:30 am – 1:30 pm (in-person/online). Pod 4, Modular Teaching Village.

Full contact details

Dr Amya Agarwal
Department of Politics and International Relations
A09
Modular Teaching Village
Northumberland Road
Sheffield
S10 1AJ
Profile

Amya holds a PhD (2017) in Political Science from the University of Delhi. After completing her PhD, she taught at two universities in India (2017-2019) - University of Delhi and South Asian University.

She moved to Germany in 2019, where she held two postdoctoral posts at the Centre for Global Cooperation Research, Duisburg (post doctoral fellow, 2019-2021) and Arnold Bergstraesser institute, Freiburg (senior researcher, 2021-2023). During her time in Freiburg, she also taught at the University of Freiburg and University College Freiburg (UCF).

In February 2024, she joined the department as Lecturer in International Relations. Amya's research explores gender in armed conflict, security and resistance, particularly in South Asia; while paying close attention to masculinities, motherhood and art. She has published on women's agency, gender's influence on men and masculinities; and effects of academic precarity on early career women researchers. 

Research interests

My research draws inspiration from feminist perspectives in international relations and critical scholarship on men and masculinities. Currently, I am a part of a research project on 'sexual violence along the war and peace continuum' funded by the Swedish Research Council.

Along with teaching and parenting, I am also writing about intersections between motherhood and art in violence-affected contexts; and about narratives of belonging in academia.

Publications

Show: Featured publications All publications

Books

  • Agarwal A (2023) (Indian edition) Contesting Masculinities and Women's Agency in Kashmir. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Agarwal A (2022) Contesting Masculinities and Women’s Agency in Kashmir. Rowman & Littlefield. RIS download Bibtex download

Journal articles

Chapters

  • Agarwal A (2022) Entangled Imaginaries and Bonds of Shared Pain: The Case of Kashmiri and Palestinian Resistance In Freistein K, Unrau C, Quack S & Mahlert B (Ed.), Imagining Pathways for Global Cooperation Edward Elgar Publishing RIS download Bibtex download
  • Agarwal A () Civilian and Caring Masculinities and the Questions of Justice in Kashmir In Schulz P, Hamber B, Touquet H & Messmer G (Ed.), Masculinities and Queer Perspectives in Transitional Justice Routledge RIS download Bibtex download

Book reviews

  • Agarwal A (2023) Changing the Subject: Feminist and Queer Politics in Neoliberal India. Doing Sociology. RIS download Bibtex download

All publications

Books

  • Agarwal A (2023) (Indian edition) Contesting Masculinities and Women's Agency in Kashmir. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Agarwal A (2022) Contesting Masculinities and Women’s Agency in Kashmir. Rowman & Littlefield. RIS download Bibtex download

Journal articles

Chapters

  • Agarwal A (2022) Entangled Imaginaries and Bonds of Shared Pain: The Case of Kashmiri and Palestinian Resistance In Freistein K, Unrau C, Quack S & Mahlert B (Ed.), Imagining Pathways for Global Cooperation Edward Elgar Publishing RIS download Bibtex download
  • Agarwal A () Civilian and Caring Masculinities and the Questions of Justice in Kashmir In Schulz P, Hamber B, Touquet H & Messmer G (Ed.), Masculinities and Queer Perspectives in Transitional Justice Routledge RIS download Bibtex download

Book reviews

  • Agarwal A (2023) Changing the Subject: Feminist and Queer Politics in Neoliberal India. Doing Sociology. RIS download Bibtex download
Research group

International Relations Research Group

Teaching activities

I am currently co-convening the following module:  GEO125 Analysing Global Challenges.

Previously, I co-convened POL122 Gender and the World and POL3034 Politics of Security.

Professional activities and memberships

Incoming section program co-chair 2025-26, Feminist Theory and Gender Section (FTGS), International Studies Association (ISA); Research Associate, Arnold Bergstraesser Institute (ABI), Freiburg, Germany.

Supervision Expertise

I would love to supervise PhD students working on the following areas:

  1. Feminist and Critical International Relations;
  2. Gender, Conflict and Security in South Asia;
  3. Masculinities in War and Conflict (Militarized, Civilian and Caring);
  4. Motherhood in Global Politics;
  5. Visuals and Aesthetics in War and Resistance;
  6. Sexual and Gender Based Violence along the War and Peace Continuum.