Various disciplines of Humanities, including literature, cultural studies, philosophy, religious studies, and film studies have been some of the pillars of FLAME's Liberal Education since its inception. The interdisciplinary nature of the Humanities today derives from the range of complex questions we face in contemporary times. Just as liberal education encourages an inquiry into the human condition, the doctoral programme in the Humanities seeks to prepare the next generation of pioneering and innovative thought leaders in all areas of Humanities.
In addition to the solid theoretical foundations in the areas named above, the doctoral programme extends a challenge to advance scholarship in the newer fields of environmental humanities, digital humanities, food studies, and Indian knowledge systems among others. The explanatory power of the Humanities can greatly aid in generating a new understanding of our pasts and presents. The doctoral program in the Humanities at FLAME University strives to incorporate global theories and methods of research and pedagogy. Under the supervision of internationally well-known academics, it prepares students for academic and non-academic careers. Relevant skills developed throughout the program include research writing, editing, interdisciplinary collaboration, qualitative analysis, digital ethnography, close reading, communication skills, and teaching in the humanities. The department of Humanities and Languages comprises faculty with strengths in world literature, cultural studies, digital humanities, environmental humanities, gender studies, film studies, and philosophy, especially applied ethics.
Ph.D. guides and Research Interests
Prof. Maya Dodd
Ph.D. - Modern Thought & Literature | Stanford University - USA
Digital Humanities, Digital Archives, Digital Cultures, Food Studies
Not accepting PhD applications in 2025.
Prof. Pankaj Jain
Ph.D. in Religious Studies | The University of Iowa - USA
Environmental Studies, India Studies, Religious Studies, Film Studies, Jain Studies, Hindu Studies
Prof. Ashutosh Potdar
PhD - English Literature | Shivaji University - Kolhapur
Research Interests: Drama Studies, Theatre and Performance Studies, Indian Literature, Narratology, Science Fiction
Prof. Michael Hatcher
PhD - Philosophy | University of Southern - California, USA
Research Interests: Epistemology, Philosophical Theology
Prof. Mochish KS
PhD - Media and Cultural Studies | Tata Institute of Social Sciences - Mumbai
Research Interests: Political Communication, Press Freedom, Media and Development, Media Histories, Culture and Communication
Prof. Ramna Walia
PhD - Media Studies | University of Texas at Austin
Research Interests: Film Studies, Media Studies, Cultural Studies, Film Remakes, Bombay cinema, Bollywood, Film Technology, Media Networks, Digital technology and Cinema
Prof. Kunal Ray
PhD - Literature | Savitribai Phule Pune University
Research Interests: Modern Indian Literature, Translation Studies, Film Studies, Music Studies, Contemporary Art & Criticism
Prof. Viraj Shah
PhD - Archeology | Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute (Deemed University) - Pune
Research Interests: Ancient Indian History, Medieval Indian History, Indian Archaeology, Religious Studies, Myths, Ancient Indian Art, Architecture & Iconography, Medieval Indian Epigraphic Studies, Pilgrimage Studies, Landscape Archaeology
Prof. Rajitha Venugopal
PhD - English Literature | Jamia Millia Islamia - New Delhi
Research Interests: Environmental Literature, Post-Colonial Literature, Indian Writing in English, Cultural Studies
Prof. Kedar Kulkarni
PhD - Literature | University of California - USA
Research Interests: Colonial and Postcolonial Studies, Comparative Literature, Theatre and Performance Studies, Slavery, Caste, and Gender in South Asia, Aspects of Intellectual History and Theory, Book History, Historical Poetics, and Genre
Prof. Sasikiran R M
PhD - Communication | University of Hyderabad - Hyderabad
Research Interests: Media Studies, Cultural Studies, Media History