Disha Ray

Disha Ray is a first year Masters student in the Department of History at University of Cincinnati.  She is also pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies. Before coming to UC, she completed her Bachelors in History from St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi in 2022. Her research interests lie in modern South Asian history, gender history and history of medicine.

For her Master’s thesis, she is working on the history of pregnancy, childbirth and abortion practices in colonial South Asia with a focus on the issues of reproduction and sexuality, intersecting with caste, community, class, and race politics. She wants to explore reproductive politics in the context of communalism, nationalism and colonialism and analyse how imperial legal and moral legacies impacted post-colonial policies and shaped people's reproductive destinies.

B.A. Hons. History: St. Stephen's College, University of Delhi, 2022

M.A. History : University of Cincinnati Ohio, USA, 2024

2022 - Graduate Assistant for the Undergraduate course (HIST 1003) World History I with Prof. Sigrun Haude (Fall 2022), University of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

2023 - Graduate Assistant for the Undergraduate Course (HIST 3009) Women, Sex, and Conquest in Latin America with Prof. Brianna Leavitt-Alcantara (Spring 2023), University of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

2023 - Graduate Assistant for the Undergraduate course (HIST 2067) Drugs in the Americas and in Global Perspective with Prof. Isaac Campos (Fall 2023), University of Cincinnati,

Peer Reviewed Publications

“Gender, Identity and the Historian’s Dilemma: Women in the Santal Rebellion (1855-56)” in National Conference on Dynamics of Women’s Movement in India: Historical Legacy and Contemporary Challenges, ed. Yogita Mandole and Jitendra Aherkar, Delhi: Taran Publications, 2021, pp. 178-183.

With Pinaki Chandra. “Able-ing Disability- How Cinema Pushes Disability Sensitization” in National Seminar on Disability Representation in Films and Literature. (Forthcoming)

Electronic Journal

“Beyond Bahus and Betis: Social Imagination and OTT”. Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 56, Issue No. 37, September 11, 2021.

“The Rise of the Literary Periodical.” The History Magazine, Historic UK, July 14, 2021.

Encyclopedia Article

“Social, Political & Economic Landscapes in Kautilya's Arthashastra.” World History Encyclopedia (Previously Ancient History Encyclopedia), June 4, 2020.

Paper Presentations

“Powder, Poison and the Pillory: Abortion in Early Modern England” at International Conference on ‘Theatrum Libri: Press, Reading and Dissemination in Early Modern Europe’ organized by Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania, Vilnius (1st - 3 rd December,2021).

“In the Name of Education: Pandemic and the Digital Divide in Indian Education System” at the International Conference on ‘Asian Lives/Asian Studies in the Post Pandemic Era’ organized by New York Conference on Asian Studies (NYCAS) in association with State University of New York (SUNY) Brockport, United States (1st - 2 nd October, 2021).

"Gender, Identity and the Historian’s Dilemma: Women in the Santal Rebellion (1855-56)” at the National Conference on ‘Dynamics of Women’s Movement in India: Historical Legacy and Contemporary Challenges’ sponsored by Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR), organized by M.R. Nathwani College of Arts, University of Mumbai, Mumbai (24 May, 2021)

“Able-ing Disability - How Cinema Pushes Disability Sensitization” (with co-author Pinaki Chandra) at National Seminar on ‘Disability Representation in Films and Literature’, organized by Maharaja Agrasen College, University of Delhi, Delhi (15th - 20th June, 2020)

2022 Graduate Assistant Scholarship covering one hundred percent tuition, general and campus life fees for studies in pursuit of a Master’s in History at University of Cincinnati.

2022 Graduate Assistant Scholarship covering one hundred percent tuition, general and campus life fees for studies in pursuit of a Master’s in History at University of Cincinnati

2019 -2022 Asha Chatterjee Prize for students who while distinguishing themselves in academic work, have strength of character and leadership qualities at St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi (2022).

2019 -2022 Prem Nath Bhalla Memorial Merit Award for History Honors students who obtained a first division in I and II Year Examinations and have shown interest in extra-curricular activities at St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi (2022).

2023 -2024 GSG Research Fellowship for Interdisciplinary Research Type:Fellowship

2023 Grant from the Von Rosenstiel Fund, Department of History at the University of Cincinnati to conduct research at the Wellcome Collection and the British Library in London. Type:Grant

History Graduate Student Government (HGSA) President Type:Departmental Service Level:Department 2023 -2024

Academic - 358, History Department
Arts & Sciences Hall
Cincinnati  Ohio, 45221
raydh@uc.mail.edu