Laya Meriyanda

Laya is an interdisciplinary legal scholar whose research critically interrogates the intersection of digitisation, discrimination, and digital development in India. Her journey began during her undergraduate studies, where she developed a keen interest in technology, law, and human rights. This combination led her to delve deeper into the socio-legal aspects of digitisation, with a particular emphasis on its implications in India. During her master’s degree at SOAS, her interests gravitated towards the study of socio-legal studies and technology, with a particular focus on the Indian context. 

During this time, Laya focused her research on the intersection of artificial intelligence and caste-based discrimination in India. This experience allowed her to explore intersectional study of technology alongside social justice, and it provided a strong foundation for her current academic pursuits. Currently, Laya's research focuses on how the historical evolution of technological processes, particularly the creation, recording, and deployment of digital technologies affect marginalised communities and perpetuate entrenched inequalities rooted in caste, religion, and socio-economic background. 

Laya enjoys conducting research that explores the interplay between technology, law, and social justice. Her work situates contemporary digital advancements within the broader context of colonial legacies, socio-economic disparities, and uneven knowledge production. Laya’s interdisciplinary approach foregrounds the intersection of digital innovation and discrimination, critically examining how systems can perpetuate structural inequalities. Her work interrogates the socio-legal implications of emerging technologies, advocating for inclusive frameworks that prioritize marginalised voices in digital policy, governance, and implementation.

 Laya’s research also scrutinises regulatory measures in technological development and advocates for equitable data practices to overcome exclusion A significant strand of Laya's research involves contextualising digitisation within both colonial and post-independence frameworks, highlighting how reinforced caste hierarchies and religious marginalisation persist in new technological forms. Laya’s work contributes to the growing discourse that attempts to bridge the gap between technological advancements and social equity by illuminating the complex interplay between law, technology, and social justice.

Laya's research interests lie at the intersection of technology and the law, digitisation, social change, social justice, human rights and socio-legal studies.