MAHENDERGARH, 17.11.25-The Department of Sociology at Central university of Haryana (CUH), Mahendergarh held a distinguished lecture titled "Wandering the Field: Adventures of Doing Ethnography" featuring noted sociologist Dr. Nilika Mehrotra, Professor at the Centre for the Study of Social Systems, Jawaharlal Nehru University

. Having over three decades of research experience in gender, disability, mental health, and marginal communities, Dr. Mehrotra shared her insights into the evolving practice and challenges of ethnographic research in India.

The event commenced with welcoming remarks from Head of the Department Dr. T. Longkoi Khiamniungan. Kiran, in a formal introduction, spotlighted Dr. Mehrotra’s academic milestones and the impact of her pioneering studies on marginalities. The session delved into the personal academic journey, highlighting her early engagement with gender studies at a time when the discipline faced widespread skepticism. She traced the shifting contours of ethnography, from its broad 19th-century definitions to its modern focus on immersive community study.

Dr. Mehrotra underscored the importance of understanding individuals as members of social groups and drew on classic works by Durkheim, Malinowski, and Boas to illustrate the evolution of the field. Through vivid anecdotes, Dr. Mehrotra described the rigorous demands and unique ethical quandaries of ethnographic fieldwork: enduring long-term immersion, navigating language barriers, and negotiating access amid social and physical challenges. She recounted her own experiences in Northeast India, braving adverse terrains and sociopolitical complexities, as well as fieldwork in Haryana, where gender norms restricted interaction with women community members. Her reflections emphasized that ethnography reveals vital layers of sociability and meaning that conventional survey methods often overlook. The lecture also tackled urgent issues of decolonizing research, advocating for participatory methods that empower studied communities to tell their own stories. Dr. Mehrotra highlighted the transition from colonial approaches, once dominated by outsiders, to current dynamics where insiders are increasingly engaged in research.

The interactive Q&A session saw students inquire about bridging the gap between stated policy objectives and lived realities, avoiding misinterpretation, handling criticism, and managing fieldwork without institutional sponsorship. Dr. Mehrotra advised on building trust, sharing drafts with communities, and the limitations of digital ethnography, which she views as a supplement rather than a replacement for traditional sensory engagement in the field. She further discussed the need for cross-verifying interpretations and ethical responsibility in representing marginalized voices. A warm vote of thanks from Dr. Kashmira concluded the event, acknowledging Dr. Mehrotra’s enriching perspective on the intellectual and emotional rigor of meaningful ethnographic inquiry. The session provided students with a nuanced, layered understanding of both the scholarly and human dimensions of field research in contemporary India. The lecture was attended by Shweta, faculties, research scholars, MA students of Sociology and Political Science.