In 2015 a group of students from the University of Toronto traveled to Kerala, India, to conduct ethnographic research. For more information, follow the links in the menu.
By Sydney Lang Before I left for Kerala, I was very aware of my own privilege within a Canadian context, and was curious to see what challenges I would face while navigating this understanding in a new cultural setting, especially due to the nature of our role as white, Western anthropologists and interns. I reflected … Continue reading
By Shannon McKechnie When I think about this past summer, most of the time I can’t believe I was in India for two months. The entire experience was so incredible, but seemed to go by so fast! There are so many things I discovered during the 8 weeks we spent in Kerala. Ethnographic field work … Continue reading
By Sara Christensen Doing research in Kerala was a process of going farther outside my comfort zone than I ever thought possible. It involved a significant amount of culture shock; I was challenged physically, intellectually, and emotionally. My mind was broadened, my cultural understanding was deepened, and I realized that any process that involves learning … Continue reading
By Arathi A. After completing my MSc at Central University of Pondicherry, I came back to my home in Calicut. I applied for many jobs and began attending interviews but I was unable to move forward. Fed up with being rejected from all of my interviews, I decided to join CREST. Before joining, I thought … Continue reading
By Biljith PB After my graduation, I was seeking a job. At that time, I saw an advertisement in a newspaper for CREST (Centre for Research and Education for Social Transformation). The advertisement described a five-month diploma course aimed at graduates. I applied and was invited for an interview. Fortunately, I was selected, despite not … Continue reading
By Sreeraj Elamana I come from Pantheerankave, a small village in Kerala. My journey started at a primary school in Calicut which, despite a basic setup, stoked a passion for engineering in me. I pursued a B.Tech in Mechanical engineering from a reputed engineering college. It was after my graduation that I came to … Continue reading
By Rithik Sidharth I was born and bought up in a small village in Kerala. After completing my matriculation it was my decision to choose science as my higher secondary stream in order to get a good career, because I came from a family that lacked a strong financial base. After the successful completion of … Continue reading
By Anjana I vaguely remember that very fine day that changed my life from “depressed” to “happy.” It was a normal day in my boring life, but specifically a Wednesday, the day the newspaper brings advertisement on education and jobs. I saw the notification for CREST’s 23rd batch PGCCPD programme. The main draw for me … Continue reading
By Sydney Lang During my first week at CREST, I was shocked by the visible intimacy between students; they would hold hands, play games with each other, and hug each other often. This was in direct contrast to the interactions I had experienced in the public sphere, particularly on the bus, where women sit at … Continue reading
By Shannon McKechnie The students I met at CREST were forthcoming about the transitions they felt they went through during the program. They described being scared or nervous to participate and speak with each other or the program interns when they first arrived in Calicut, but by the end of the five month … Continue reading
Ethnography Lab 