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Sayati Das

Doctoral Research Fellow - IMV stab
Image of Sayati Das
Username
Visiting address Sem Sælands vei 2 ZEB-bygningen 0371 Oslo
Postal address Postboks 1017 Blindern 0315 Oslo
Other affiliations Faculty of Humanities (Student)

Academic interests

I am deeply interested in the fields of Music Sociology, Sound Studies, Media Studies, and Critical Theory. With an academic background in Sociology, I am particularly invested in studying the intersections of identity-formation processes and the various ways of music-doing, specifically in the Indian context. 

As part of my doctoral thesis, I am currently looking at music-practices, or musicking, in correctional homes across various Indian megacities. It asks questions around cultural agency, individual musical histories, and the several levels of power imbalances that mire culture-based reform initiatives.

As part of my broader musical research interests, I also look at the life and works of Bengali polymath Rabindranath Tagore - with a special focus on his musical genre, Rabindrasangeet. 

Fields of Interest: Music Sociology, Critical Theory, Sound Studies

Region: Urban India / West Bengal 

Background

  • Masters of Arts in Sociology - Presidency University, Kolkata (2020)
  • Bachelors of Arts (Honours) in Sociology - Presidency University, Kolkata (2018)

Awards

  • Ryoichi Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship (Spring 2026)
  • Faculty of Humanities Funding Grant for Travel & Research (2025)
  • Ideosync UNESCO Information Fellow (2022)

 

Tags: Cultural Studies, Sound Studies, Music and Society, Music Sociology, Identity politics, India, Popular Music Studies

Publications

  • Das, Sayati (2025). The choosing of art or the art of choosing. In Frödén, Lucy Cathcart; Herrity, Kate & Mangaoang, Áine Ryan (Ed.), Sound and Detention: Towards Critical Listening, Sonic Citizenship and Social Justice. Bloomsbury Academic. ISSN 9798765113998. p. 143–146. doi: 10.5040/9798765114018.ch-010. Full text in Research Archive

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Published Sep. 18, 2024 12:45 PM - Last modified Feb. 20, 2026 4:56 PM