Dr Nawang Choden

Personal statement:

I am a sociologist with a research background in citizenship, migration, and marginalisation, and a growing professional interest in biodiversity and conservation.

My academic work draws on qualitative methods, including interviews, ethnographic fieldwork, and policy analysis, to understand the lived experiences of marginalised communities.

Alongside this, I have worked in applied, policy-oriented settings at the University of Cambridge, supporting interdisciplinary sustainability and conservation initiatives through programme coordination and stakeholder engagement.

Building on my community-centred work, I am keen to deepen my knowledge of the biodiversity and conservation space through collaborative work that connects social science, community perspectives, and inclusive approaches.

Key topic areas of research or interest:

• Citizenship, statelessness, and belonging
• Forced migration and displacement
• Social dimensions of biodiversity and conservation
• People–nature relationships and local knowledge
• Community-centred and participatory approaches

Publications:

• Choden, N. (2024). Citizenship and denizenship: The Chakma community’s dilemma in Arunachal Pradesh. In Marginalised groups in India (pp. 48–64). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003536611-5
• Choden, N. (2022) Forced Migration and the plight of Chakma refugees in Arunachal Pradesh: Citizenship as a Bone of Contention. Journal of Migration History, 8 (2022),483-612 https://doi.org/10.1163/23519924-08030007