Dr Simona Vittorini
PhD (SOAS)
Overview
Department of Politics and International Studies
Senior Teaching Fellow
Centre of South Asian Studies
Member, Centre of South Asian Studies
- Name:
- Dr Simona Vittorini
- Email address:
- sv4@soas.ac.uk
- Telephone:
- 020 7898 4757
- Address:
- SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG - Building:
- Russell Square: College Buildings
- Office No:
- 221
- Office Hours:
- Thursdays 4-5pm
Biography
Dr Simona Vittorini is a Senior Teaching Fellow in the Department of Politics and International Studies where she lectures undergraduate and postgraduate courses on the comparative politics of Asia and Africa. Previously she also lectured at Birkbeck College, London Metropolitan University and at the University of Milan-Bicocca.
Areas of interest include comparative politics of South Asia; India foreign policy, soft power and its engagements with the developing world (particularly Africa); emerging powers; theories of nationalism and democracy; and Hindu nationalism.
Teaching
Courses Taught
- Comparative political sociology of Asia and Africa
- Extended essay in Politics
- Extended essay in Politics b
- Politics of development
- State and development in Asia and Africa
- States, people, and power in Asia and Africa
Tutorial Teaching only:
Research
Her research is focused on South Asian politics with special reference to India. Dr Vittorini is currently working on a collaborative research project on Indian engagements in West Africa with Dr David Harris, titled ‘Slow but Steady like the Elephant’. She is the author with Dr David Harris of ‘African governmental responses to Indian ventures on the continent: a changing arena of African politics?’ published in Dietz T. et al (eds.), New Topographies of Power? Africa Negotiating an Emerging Multi-polar World. Leiden, Brill (2011) and ‘India Goes Over to the Other Side: Indo-West African Relations in the 21st Century’, in Mawdsley E & McCann G (Eds), India in Africa: Changing Geographies of Power. Oxford: Fahamu Books (2011), as well as other book chapters. Dr. Vittorini’s book, Rituals, Symbols and Politics of Indian Nationalism was published in 2009.
Her areas of research: comparative politics of South Asia; India foreign policy, soft power and its engagements with the developing world (particularly Africa); emerging powers; theories of nationalism and democracy; and Hindu nationalism.
Dr Vittorini is a frequent commentator in the media and regularly works as a consultant. Clients included: UKTI, Zurich Insurance, CMS Cameron McKenna, the Swedish current Ambassador to India and the Swedish Special Envoy to Afghanistan, UNICEF Country Representative to India, the NATO Parliamentary Subcommittee South Asia.
She received her PhD from the School of Oriental and African Studies
Expertise
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Available for
- TV
- Radio
- Press
- Briefings
- Special Study Programmes
- Short Term Consultancy
- Long Term Consultancy
Regional Expertise
- South Asia
Country Expertise
- India
Languages
Publications
Authored Books
Vittorini, Simona (2009) Rituals, Symbols and Politics of Indian Nationalism. Torino: Trauben . (Pubblicazioni del CREAM, 5a)
Book Chapters
Vittorini, Simona and Harris, David (2011) 'African governmental responses to Indian ventures on the continent: a changing arena of African politics?' In: New Topographies of Power? Africa Negotiating an Emerging Multi-polar World. Leiden: Brill. (In Press)
Vittorini, Simona and Harris, Dave (2011) 'India Goes Over to the Other Side: Indo-West African Relations in the 21st Century.' In: Emma , Mawdsley and Gerard, McCann, (eds.), India in Africa: changing geographies in power. Oxdord: Fahamu Books.
Vittorini, Simona (2010) 'Post-colonial South Asia: Religion and Society.' In: Johnson, W. J. and Hegarty, J., (eds.), Oxford Handbok of Hindu Literature. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (Forthcoming)
Vittorini, Simona (2009) 'La locomotiva asiatica per una nuova cooperazione Sud-Sud [Asian Drivers - South-South Cooperation in the 21st Century].' In: Calchi Novati, Gian Paolo, (ed.), Asia. Una transazione sostenibile. Roma: Carocci. (Asia Major)
Vittorini, Simona (2009) ''This is our India'. I documentari della Films Division e la costruzione della nazione indiana.' In: Casci, Simonetta, (ed.), L'India nel cinema : democrazia e cinema nell'India di Nehru. Turin, Italy: UTET, pp. 134-152. (Studi Sociali)
Vittorini, Simona (2008) 'India’s States: Differences and Similarities in a Developing Country.' In: Asia Major. Carocci.
Vittorini, Simona (2004) 'Travels and Collections as Metaphors of Colonial Domination.' In: Bresciani, Edda and Betrò, Marilina, (eds.), Egypt in India. Egyptian Antiquities in Indian Museums. Pisa University Press, pp. 21-33. (Progetti; 2)
Vittorini, Simona (2001) 'India’s XIII Lok Sabha Electoral Campaign.' In: Cultural and Political Identities in India. Pavia: Facoltà di scienze politiche dell'Università di Pavia; Milano: A. Giuffrè. (Quaderni della rivista "Il Politico"; n. 47)
Vittorini, Simona 'Media, Democracy and Development in India. An Analysis of the Documentaries of the Film Division of the Ministry of the Information and Broadcasting.' In: Casci, Simonetta, (ed.), Nehru's India. UTET. (Forthcoming)
Articles
Vittorini, Simona (2002) 'Party Symbolism and Elections in India.' Quaderni di Scienza Politica, 2 (3). pp. 555-611.
Simona, Vittorini 'The Two Yoked Bullocks, The Ladder And The Lamp. India’s Electoral Symbols As Vehicles Of National Identity.' Nations and Nationalism . (Submitted)
Book Reviews
Vittorini, Simona (2008) 'Review of Srirupa Roy, 'Beyond Belief: India and the Politics of Post-colonial Nationalism'.' Studies in Ethnicity and Nationalism, 8 (2). pp. 369-371.
