SHS is an exploratory, interdisciplinary space of thinking and reflecting on the myriad meanings of being human. Its academic programmes focus on the promise and potential of the human along with the actual historical exclusions and marginalisations.
School has brought together feminist scholars, psychologists, psychotherapists, political scientists, social anthropologists, sociologists, philosophers and cultural theorists. Out of its seven interdisciplinary programmes, the two at the Master’s level are MA in Gender Studies and MA in Psychology (Psychosocial Clinical Studies) both drawing strongly from intellectual sources as well as engaging with the real life ‘situatedness’ of a variety of subjectivities around us. The MA programmes are unique in their attempt to bring the world of practice/work with the world of theory . The programmes have provisions within the course structure for an internship engagement through which the students familiarize themselves with the practices, initiatives and challenges in the world of work This is accompanied by the requirement to write a research dissertation, that provides an opportunity to the students to generate knowledge from their unique locations.
The school offers three MPhil programmes in Women's and Gender Studies ( WGS), Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy and Development Practice. Of these, two are run as collaborative programmes- WGS is run in partnership with the Centre for Women's Development Studies and Development Practice is run in collaboration with Pradan. The attempt is to bring learning from the field into the classroom and create new kinds of knowledge, while bridging the gap between theory and practice. The school also offers two PhD programmes in WGS and in Psychology. Our doctoral and Mphil programmes are characterized by innovative and creative research practices and the attempt is to bring in new perspectives and new ways of knowing. Over the last decade the school has produced 123 MPhil degree holders and 03 PhD degree holders.
SHS in addition to the above mentioned courses is soon going to offer a rigoruous MPhil programme in Disability Studies. This would be a one of its kind programme that shifts the focus away from the medical and rehabilitation model towards locating Disability within the matrix of social relations of power and privilege.
