HRAF Global Scholar: Dr. Abdul Razaque Channa
Title: Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Department of Anthropology and Archaeology
University Affiliation: University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Pakistan
Research Topic: Gender, Education, Subaltern Societies and Indigenous Communities
HRAF Global Scholar Dr. Abdul Razaque Channa is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology in the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology at the University of Sindh in Jamshoro, Pakistan. He holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from the Australian National University, where his dissertation titled “Schooling Gender in Rural Pakistan: An Ethnographic study of the Primary School and its Role in Gender Construction” critically examined the intersections of education, gender, and state policy in rural Sindh. This research offers a nuanced analysis of teaching pedagogies, curriculum development, and state education policies while highlighting their implications for gender dynamics and identity formation. Additionally, his earlier research conducted during his M.Sc. and M.Phil. at Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad explored gender representation among Indigenous communities of Sindh and the implications of post-disaster rehabilitation policies following the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan. Dr. Channa was a 2019-2020 postdoctoral fellow at the South Asia Institute at Harvard University.
Dr. Channa teaches and supervises undergraduate students at the University of Sindh. Beyond academia, he has worked extensively with governmental and non-governmental organizations on projects related to education, gender empowerment, peace and development, special education, humanitarian aid, and disaster management. He also has a strong interest in visual anthropology, ethnographic filmmaking, and photography. His work has been exhibited in Australia, New Zealand, and Pakistan.
According to Dr. Channa:
“Access to the eHRAF databases – eHRAF World Cultures and eHRAF World Archaeology – is significantly enhancing my capacity as both a researcher and an instructor in anthropology at the University of Sindh, Jamshoro. As our university is located in a middle-income country, with limited access to comprehensive academic databases, has been an invaluable resource for both faculty and students. The eHRAF collections provides access to extensive, cross-cultural ethnographic and archaeological data that would support my research and teaching efforts.”
Dr. Channa guides students through their final semester which focuses on research methodologies such as proposal writing, fieldwork, and thesis preparation. Students are exposed to various anthropological readings to broaden their understanding of global cultures and scholarship within the field. Having access to eHRAF databases offers them exposure to a broader array of ethnographic data and cross-cultural studies enriching their academic development and critical thinking.
HRAF is honored to feature Dr. Abdul Razaque Channa as one of our HRAF Global Scholars for 2025. We wish him continued success with his research.
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