Priscilla (Pris) Corbett

At the broadest level, I am interested in how people work together: how institutions of both society and state function, how they interact, and what the outcomes are for the dynamics of power and (in)equality. In previous research, I have explored what happens when women in India take ownership of self-help groups, a form of community institution organized by and ultimately intended to serve the interests of the state. In my Masters research, I explored the role and ability of centrally-conceived development policy to adequately respond to local conditions through a case study of India’s National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and the role that human-wildlife conflict played in shaping and constraining policy outcomes.

 

My Doctoral research explores the gender dynamics of mobilizations for forest rights among Indigenous and other forest-dwelling populations in central India. I am particularly interested in how communities use gendered norms and expectations strategically in pursuit of their aims, how campaigns for forest rights intersect with broader economic transitions and how this impacts upon youth, and how claims to and contestations over ethnic identity shape perceptions of legitimacy. I am invested in deepening my understanding of and engagement with feminist and postcolonial theories and methodologies in my research.

 

I hold a Master of Philosophy degree in Geography and the Environment from the University of Oxford and a Bachelor of Science (Honors) degree in Environmental Sciences from the University of Southampton. Over the years, I've held various positions in the non-profit sector, academia, and academic publishing. Prior to joining CU, I worked for several years as a freelance academic editor, supporting non-native English speakers to publish their work in high-ranking scientific journals. In my non-academic life, I play the cello and piano, love to paint, travel, hike, and learn languages.
 

Zavaleta Cheek, J. and Corbett, P.E. (2024) Public decision making by women’s self-help groups and its contributions to women’s empowerment: Evidence from West Bengal, India. World Development Perspectives 33, 100549.