Dr. Ishfaq Ahmad Wani

Dr. Ishfaq Ahmad Wani is a political scientist and researcher specializing in tribal studies, gender issues, and marginalized communities in Jammu and Kashmir. He holds a PhD in Political Science from Central University of Kashmir, where he also completed his M.Phil. His doctoral research focused on the identity politics and marginalization of Gujjar and Bakarwal tribes. Through his rigorous research, Dr. Wani has delved into the complex interplay of forest rights, climate change, and neo-liberal policies, while simultaneously examining the multifaceted challenges of economic inequality, social exclusion, and inadequate health and education faced by Muslim tribals in Jammu and Kashmir. Dr. Wani has extensive fieldwork experience, including studies on conflict-affected women, transgender communities, and nomadic tribes in Kashmir. He is a senior research analyst at the Centre for New Economic Studies and has contributed to visual storyboards. His recent work includes ethnographic studies on Kashmiri artisans and fishing communities. Currently, Dr. Wani is working on a manuscript series focusing on subaltern communities in Kashmir. Dr. Wani is a member of the Indian Council of Social Science Research and the British Association for South Asian Studies, reflecting his commitment to advancing scholarship on South Asian society and politics. In an exciting new venture, Dr. Wani is exploring the intersections of Applied Spirituality and Public Policy in Kashmir, investigating how the rich traditions of Sufi spirituality can inform and transform contemporary policy challenges.