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Dr. Beena S. Nair

Asst. Professor, English, School of Arts and Sciences, Amritapuri

Qualification: MA, Ph.D
beenasnair@am.amrita.edu
Research Interest: American & Indian Regional Literature, Eco-criticism, Gender Studies, Landscape and Literature

Bio

Dr. Beena S. Nair, Assistant Professor (Sr. Grade) & Vice-Chairperson, Department of English, in Amrita School of Arts & Sciences, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham Deemed to be University, Amritapuri Campus, Kollam, Kerala; ranked 9th by NIRF, Ministry of Human Resources Development, India.

She has over 9 years of teaching experience in India & West Asia; and 5 years of research experience as Junior Research Fellow and Senior Research Fellow of UGC. She was awarded PhD from the University of Calicut and the topic of research was Eco- feminism in the 20th century ,American Southern Women writers

Currently she is Member, Board of Studies (Languages), in Amrita, and is active in research as Thesis Advisor, Doctoral Committee Member of PhD candidates in English and Social Work. She has designed syllabus for various core courses & Elective courses for B Tech, PhD & Int. MA (English).

Her area of research explores Eco-Criticism, Culture Studies, Gender Studies & Landscape as Narrative in American, Indian and other regional literature. Her academic & creative contributions include Magazine Editorship, Arts Club & Debate Club Co-ordination; in addition to11 publications as book chapters, creative writing and international journal articles. She has presented papers and chaired sessions in National & International Conferences. Currently she is Co-ordinator, Kerala( Southern Region), Foundation for the Study of Literature & Environment.

Her other areas of interest, focuses on travelling to historical sites, learning languages, Yoga and Indian classical Music.

EXPERIENCE

2011
  • Currently working as Assistant Professor(Sr.Grade)& Vice-Chairperson in the Department of English, Amrita School of Arts & Sciences, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham Deemed to be University, Amritapuri , Kollam, Kerala (since 1st July, 2011).
  • June 2011-Worked as Guest Lecturer in All-Saints’ College for Women, Trivandrum, Kerala.
2009
  • June – Selected as Part -Time English Lecturer in the College of Banking and Financial Studies, Bousher, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman .
2008
  • Worked as Guest Lecturer in English in the Govt. Law College, Kerala University from July, 2008 to October, 2008.
2007
  • Senior Teacher in English in Our Own English High School, Sharjah, U.A.E
2006
  • Selected as Proof-Reader in Gulf News, Dubai .
2004 -2005
  • Government Law College, Kerala University, Trivandrum, Kerala – Guest Lecturer in English
  • Kerala University Centre for Adult Continuing Education & Extension Centre, Trivandrum, Kerala – Guest Lecturer in English
  • Kerala University Technology Institute, Trivandrum, Kerala – Resource Person in English
1998
  • Selected as Lecturer in English in the Ministry of Health, Sultanate of Oman – Dept. of English, University of Calicut, Kerala.
1990 -1995 Dept. of English, University of Calicut, Kerala

  • Worked as UGC Junior and Senior Research Fellow under the guidance of Dr. N. Rama Chandran Nair, Professor of English, University of Calicut on the project “Region as Narrative Artifice in the works of Eudora Welty and Katherine Anne Porter”. The project examined landscape as a narrative device in the fiction of American, Southern women writers. It also focused on home-bound women characters who found solace in the garden, in contrast to the wandering, father figures.
  • This project was undertaken with Junior Research Fellowship and Senior Research Fellowship of University Grants Commission.

Educational Qualification

1997
  • Awarded Ph.D in English Language & Literature, University of Calicut, Kerala
1996
  • Certificate course in French, Alliance Francaise, Trivandrum, Kerala.
1991
  • Certificate Course in Russian, University of Calicut, Kerala.
1990
  • Selected as Junior Research Fellow in English by the University Grants Commission of India in the National Education Test conducted by UGC.
  • Completed a Pre-Doctoral Course in American Civilization conducted by American Studies Research Centre, Hyderabad, India.
1988
  • M.A (English Language & Literature), Institute of English, Department of English,Kerala University. (Optionals: Teaching of English & American Literature) Grade: First Class.
1986
  • B.A (English Language & Literature), Kerala University. (Subsidiaries: British History & Politics) Grade: First Class.
Publications

Journal Article

Year : 2017

Ravanayana: Negotiating the Political and Cultural Discourse of the Vanquished in Anand Neelakantan’s Asura Tale of the Vanquished : The Story of Vanquished : TheStory of Ravana and his People(2012)

Cite this Research Publication : Beena S. Nair, “Ravanayana: Negotiating the Political and Cultural Discourse of the Vanquished in Anand Neelakantan's Asura Tale of the Vanquished : The Story of Vanquished : TheStory of Ravana and his People(2012)”, IJELLH (International Journal of English Language, Literature in Humanities), vol. 5, p. 15, 2017

Publisher : IJELLH (International Journal of English Language, Literature in Humanities)

Year : 2017

The Rise of New Generation Rhapsody: Journey from Music to Muse in the Selected Poems of Bob Dylan

Cite this Research Publication : Beena S. Nair, “The Rise of New Generation Rhapsody: Journey from Music to Muse in the Selected Poems of Bob Dylan”, Research Journal of English Language and Literature, vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 433-439, 2017.

Publisher : Research Journal of English Language and Literature

Year : 2016

Purple,Blue-Black and Blues:Womanist Discourses as Resistance Narrative in Alice Walker’s The Color Purple

Cite this Research Publication : Beena S. Nair, “Purple,Blue-Black and Blues:Womanist Discourses as Resistance Narrative in Alice Walker’s The Color Purple”, International Journal of English Language, Literature and Humanities, vol. 3, no. 6, pp. 64-70., 2016

Publisher : International Journal of English Language, Literature and Humanities .

Conference Paper

Year : 2017

Sustaining Landscapes as Sacred Groves:Preserving the Sub Culture of Woman as Priestess and Oracle of Ecosystems’

Cite this Research Publication : Beena S. Nair, “Sustaining Landscapes as Sacred Groves:Preserving the Sub Culture of Woman as Priestess and Oracle of Ecosystems’”, in International Conference on “Why Eco-Criticism”?, Government College, Sikkim; in association with ASLE,India., 2017.

Publisher : International Conference on “Why Eco-Criticism”?, Government College, Sikkim; in association with ASLE,India

Year : 2017

Sustaining Landscapes as Sacred Groves:Preserving the Sub Culture of Woman as Priestess and Oracle of Ecosystems’

Cite this Research Publication : Beena S. Nair, “Sustaining Landscapes as Sacred Groves:Preserving the Sub Culture of Woman as Priestess and Oracle of Ecosystems’”, in International Conference on “Why Eco-Criticism”?, Government College, Sikkim; in association with ASLE,India., 2017

Publisher : International Conference on “Why Eco-Criticism”?

Year : 2016

“Neo – Narrative of ‘Doves and Hawks’: The Rise of the Counterculture of the ‘Indian Spring’ Intellectuals

Cite this Research Publication : Beena S. Nair, ““Neo - Narrative of 'Doves and Hawks': The Rise of the Counterculture of the 'Indian Spring' Intellectuals"”, in International Conference on "In Between: Critical Humanities in Context" (22 October 2016),, Amrita School of Arts &Sciences, Kochi., 2016.

Publisher : International Conference on "In Between: Critical Humanities in Context" (22 October 2016),, Amrita School of Arts &Sciences, Kochi.

Year : 2016

Buddha’s Gaze: Re-creating Cultural Identities in Kim-Ki-Duk’s Spring,Summer,Fall and Winter and Spring

Cite this Research Publication : Beena S. Nair, “Buddha’s Gaze: Re-creating Cultural Identities in Kim-Ki-Duk’s Spring,Summer,Fall and Winter and Spring”, in National Seminar on Cinema and the Formation of Cultural Identities, Amrita School of Arts &Sciences,Kochi., 2016.

Publisher : National Seminar on Cinema and the Formation of Cultural Identities, Amrita School of Arts &Sciences,Kochi.

Year : 2015

Discourse of Nation in Exile, and Resistance to Erasure of Civilization: Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Diaspora”

Cite this Research Publication : Beena S. Nair, “Discourse of Nation in Exile, and Resistance to Erasure of Civilization: Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Diaspora””, in UGC National Seminar on ”Travails of Uprootment: A Tribute to Refugees, Exiles and Diasporic Communities”, MSM College,Kayamkulam., 2015.

Publisher : UGC National Seminar on ”Travails of Uprootment: A Tribute to Refugees, Exiles and Diasporic Communities”

Year : 2014

Purple,Blue-Black and Blues: Womanist Discourses as Resistance Narrative in Alice Walker’s The Color Purple

Cite this Research Publication : Beena S. Nair, “Purple,Blue-Black and Blues: Womanist Discourses as Resistance Narrative in Alice Walker’s The Color Purple”, in UGC National Seminar on “Moving the Centre: Black and Dalit Literatures”, TKM College of Arts & Sciences, Kollam., 2014.

Publisher : UGC National Seminar on “Moving the Centre: Black and Dalit Literatures”

Year : 2014

Ozhimuri: A Reading on the Matrix of the Interior Landscape of Kanyakumari”

Cite this Research Publication : Beena S. Nair, “Ozhimuri: A Reading on the Matrix of the Interior Landscape of Kanyakumari””, in National Seminar on “Down to Earth:Ecological Orientations in Literature and Arts”, Amrita School of Arts &Sciences,Kochi., 2014.

Publisher : National Seminar on “Down to Earth:Ecological Orientations in Literature and Arts”

Year : 2014

Landscape as Cultural Texts in Regional fiction with special reference to O. V. Vijayan’s The Legend of Khasak, Patrick White’s Voss and Eudora Welty’s The Robber Bridegroom

Cite this Research Publication : Beena S. Nair, “Landscape as Cultural Texts in Regional fiction with special reference to O. V. Vijayan’s The Legend of Khasak, Patrick White’s Voss and Eudora Welty’s The Robber Bridegroom”, in International Conference on, “Multiculturalism and Social Fabric in Australia,America and India”, Queen’s Mary College, Chennai. , 2014.

Publisher : International Conference on, “Multiculturalism and Social Fabric in Australia,America and India

Year : 2013

Popular Culture: Revival of Ethnic Culture

Cite this Research Publication :
Beena S. Nair, “Popular Culture: Revival of Ethnic Culture”, in UGC National Seminar on “The Pleasure Principles : Theorizing PopularTexts”, Bharath Matha College, Kochi, organized in association with Bhasha, Pune & MAACTA, Kerala by the Post-Graduate Department of English., 2013.

Publisher : UGC National Seminar on “The Pleasure Principles : Theorizing PopularTexts”

Conference Proceedings

Year : 2015

Discourse of Nation in Exile, and Resistance to Erasure of Civilization: Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Diaspora

Cite this Research Publication :
Beena S. Nair, “Discourse of Nation in Exile, and Resistance to Erasure of Civilization: Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Diaspora”, UGC National Seminar on ”Travails of Uprootment: A Tribute to Refugees, Exiles and Diasporic Communities” . MSM College, Kayamkulam., pp. 261-265, 2015.

Publisher : UGC National Seminar on ”Travails of Uprootment: A Tribute to Refugees, Exiles and Diasporic Communities”

Year : 2014

Ozhimuri: A Reading on the Matrix of the Interior Landscape of Kanyakumari

Cite this Research Publication : Beena S. Nair, “Ozhimuri: A Reading on the Matrix of the Interior Landscape of Kanyakumari”, National Seminar on”Down to Earth: Ecological Orientations in Literature and Arts”. ASAS, Kochi, pp. 71-75 , 2014.

Publisher : National Seminar on”Down to Earth: Ecological Orientations in Literature and Arts”

Year : 2013

Popular Culture: Revival and Renaissance of Ethnic Culture

Cite this Research Publication :
Beena S. Nair, “Popular Culture: Revival and Renaissance of Ethnic Culture”, UGC National Seminar on “The Pleasure Principles : Theorizing Popular Texts”, in association with Bhaasha ,Pune & MAACTA, Kerala . Bharath Mata College, Thrikkakara ,Kochi, pp. 158-165 , 2013.

Publisher : UGC National Seminar on “The Pleasure Principles : Theorizing Popular Texts”, in association with Bhaasha ,Pune MAACTA, Kerala

Book Chapter

Year : 2017

Neo – Narrative of ‘Doves and Hawks’: The Rise of the Counterculture of the ‘Indian Spring’ Intellectuals

Cite this Research Publication : Beena S. Nair, K, S. Muraleedha, and K, D. E. V. I., “Neo - Narrative of 'Doves and Hawks': The Rise of the Counterculture of the 'Indian Spring' Intellectuals”, in Explorations in Critical Humanities, A Collection of Essays., New Delhi: Viva Books Private Limited , 2017, pp. 126-132 .

Publisher : Explorations in Critical Humanities, A Collection of Essays.

Year : 2017

Configuring the Common Man: Trends and Perspectives in Contemporary Literature.

Cite this Research Publication : Beena S. Nair, Jayaraman, H., and Akhil V. P., “Configuring the Common Man: Trends and Perspectives in Contemporary Literature.”, in Hinterland as 'Exotic other': Reconstituting Native Culture in O.V Vijayan's The Legends of Khasak, New Delhi: Authors Press, 2017.

Publisher : Hinterland as 'Exotic other': Reconstituting Native Culture in O.V Vijayan's The Legends of Khasak

Year : 2016

Budha’s Gaze: Re-Creating Cultural Identities in Kim-Ki-Duk’s Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring

Cite this Research Publication : Beena S. Nair, “Budha’s Gaze: Re-Creating Cultural Identities in Kim-Ki-Duk’s Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring”, in Literature and Technology: An Interface, Collection of Edited Articles, Kochi: Sterling print House, 2016, pp. 48-51.

Publisher : Literature and Technology: An Interface, Collection of Edited Articles, Sterling print House, Kochi.

Achievement & Responsibilities

Academic Achievement

    • Nominated as Co-ordinator-Kerala(-Southern region), of Foundation for the Study of Literature& Environment, India.

Responsibilities

  • Currently serving as Vice-Chairperson, Department of English, Amrita School of Arts & Sciences
  • Teaching various core courses & Elective courses in English for B.Tech , B.Com, M.C.A, Integrated M.A ( English Language & Literature) ,MA (English Language & Literature) Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri , Kollam, Kerala.
  • Teaching Communicative English, Technical English, English for Professional Communication , Elective courses -Business Communication, Insights into Life through Literature, Core courses- American Literature, Canadian Literature, British Literature, European Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Indian Writing in English, Literary Criticism in Amrita School of Engineering and Amrita School of Arts & Sciences, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham.
  • Member of Question Paper Analysis Committee, ASAS
  • Member, Languages, Board of Studies,Amrita Deemed to be University,Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham.
  • Library Committee Member, Central Library, Amritapuri
  • Campus Mentor & Chief Mentor for various courses of English Language& Literature Served as Advisor for the Int.MA(English Language& Literature)(2011-14) Arts Club Convenor, ASAS (2013)
  • Assistant Editor , College Magazine, Amritakshari (2011-12)
  • Co-ordinator – Debate Club as part of Literary Club , Dept. of English- Prayaana (2016)
  • Co-ordinator – Compering-Sadgamaya (FDP)-2013
  • Department Co-ordinator-Anti-Ragging Committee,2015
  • Designed Curriculum for Integrated M.A (English Language & Literature)-American Literature & English Prose(2012)& PhD course work.
  • Proposed Science Fiction as an Elective for B.Tech Elective course. Question Paper setting for Amrita PhD Entrance Examinations (English Language & Literature) – September, 2015 & January, 2016.
Areas of interest

Other Areas of interest

  • Music (participated & won the Departmental Level Competition in Music).
  • Travelling to Historical Sites
  • Learning Languages
  • Yoga and Indian classical Music

Social Work

2004 – 2005

  • Worked in a woman’s organization (Abhaya) under the Kerala Govt., devoted to the upliftment of exploited, destitute women.
  • Taught Functional English to the inmates.

Creative Writing

  • Poem, “Pause” (2012) in “Amritakshari”, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham College Magazine.

Interview

  • An interview with noted Malayalam filmmaker and Director, Shyamaprasad -published in Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham College Magazine, Amritakshari,2012.

Faculty Development Programme

August-November, 2017

  • Completed two Faculty development Programmes( FDP 101x & FDP 201x ),conducted by IIT,Mumbai on the use of ICT in teaching, as part of the Government of India project, Pandit Madan Mohan Malavya Mission for training teachers in India.
Contact

beenasnair@am.amrita.edu
ASB Contact 0476-2801605
ASB Contact 8547722521

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