- Doctoral Student, Department of Sociology
- Students & Staff
- lakshma9@msu.edu
About
Praveena Lakshmanan is currently a third year doctoral student in the Department of Sociology at Michigan State University. She received her bachelors’ degree in Political Science followed by a master’s in Sociology from University of Houston (UH). During her time at UH, she assisted in coordinating the colloquia on gender-based violence in the South Asian community (2014). At UH, she was awarded the “Distinguished Service to Women Award” for her work in advancing gender equality through research, volunteer work, advocacy and leadership – on and off campus. Praveena has been involved in social justice work within Houston as well as transnationally for close to 10 years now, with focus on gender-based violence and other issues related to women and children. Her research lies at the intersection of gender, migration and development. Specifically, her scholarship pays close attention to topics related to South Asian immigrant women’s transition from working life in their home country to being unemployed in the US. Her current research focuses on South Asian immigrant men’s constructions of masculinity and emotional well-being. Broadly, her other research interests include transnational constructions of gender-based violence as perceived by individuals and institutions, and the intersections of migration, skin color, and caste. At Michigan State University, Praveena is also pursuing a graduate specialization in Women’s and Gender Studies.
