Dr. Pirzada Athar Hussain

Academic Biography

Dr. Pirzada Athar Hussain is Assistant Professor of sociology in the Department of Sociology, Kargil Campus, University of Ladakh, India, a position he has held since March 2022. He holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from Barkatullah University, Bhopal (2015), with a doctoral thesis investigating "Causes and Consequences of Divorce Among the Muslims of Kashmir, with Special Reference to District Baramulla." He subsequently held the prestigious ICSSR National Postdoctoral Fellowship (2016–2018) at the Department of Sociology, University of Jammu, where he undertook comparative research on "Challenges of Divorce and the Process of Re-Adjustment in North-West India: A Longitudinal Study." His academic foundation also includes a master's in sociology and M.S.W. Dr. Pirzada Athar Hussain brings over eight years of progressive experience spanning higher education, sociological research, curriculum design, and project management across national and international institutions. Prior to joining the University of Ladakh, he served as Assistant Professor of Sociology and Social Work at the Eritrean Institute of Technology, Eritrea, Africa (2019–2021), where he taught across graduate and undergraduate programs, supervised fifteen Master's-level dissertations, and spearheaded community outreach initiatives. His research trajectory further includes appointments as a research associate at the Madras Institute of Development Studies, Chennai, alongside roles with PSSCIVE (NCERT) and the Institute of Social Research and Development, Bhopal, as well as ethnographic fieldwork among the Abhuj Maria and Baiga tribes of Chhattisgarh—conducted in collaboration with Prayog Ashram, Tilda, Chhattisgarh—directed toward developing new theoretical perspectives on India's indigenous tribal communities. This sustained, cross-institutional engagement reflects his enduring commitment to advancing sociological inquiry. At the University of Ladakh, Dr. Hussain leads teaching, research, and curriculum development for undergraduate and postgraduate sociology programs. He has supervised eleven master's-level dissertations and contributes to institutional governance through membership on the Board of Studies, Campus Academic Committee, and Ranging Committee. His scholarly standing is reflected in frequent invitations as a resource person, notably for an ICSSR-sponsored National Research Methodology Workshop. In this capacity, he has delivered invited lectures on themes including sociological research, "Women's Day Celebration: A Feminist Perspective," and the significance of the relationship between human rights and social harmony. His research expertise spans a rich and interdisciplinary range of themes, including the sociology of family life, divorce studies, gender studies, urban sociology, drug addiction, Sufism and spirituality, social movements, minority studies, society and Islam, ethnography, and social policy. His scholarly output includes eight publications in SCOPUS and peer-reviewed journals nationally and internationally. Among his notable professional distinctions, Dr. Hussain holds life membership of the Indian Sociological Society and served as co-convener of the society's Research Committee on Conflict and Violence Studies (CR-22). He has actively contributed to the scholarly community through participation in more than fifteen national and international conferences and workshops, including the All-India Sociological Conferences.