Vasundhra - Author at Anthroholic - Anthropologist

Vasundhra

Vasundhra began her journey as an anthropologist in India, drawn to people, their stories, traditions, and ancestry. Her work has taken her from tribal villages and nomadic landscapes to advanced laboratories studying the human past, where she witnessed how deeply culture, environment, and policy shape health outcomes. Her fieldwork with pastoral nomads in Leh-Ladakh revealed how climate change quietly erodes livelihoods and health security, while her research at BITS Pilani during the COVID-19 pandemic explored the psychosocial dimensions of resilience and well-being. These experiences shaped her conviction that health is inseparable from its social and cultural context. Transitioning into policy research, she worked on a project on affordable generic medicines in Karnataka, collaborating with doctors, entrepreneurs, and communities to evaluate India’s largest public health initiative. This experience underscored for her the systemic barriers to healthcare access and the need for policies informed by lived realities. Now pursuing a Master’s in Global Health at the University of Geneva, Switzerland and complementing it with courses in environmental economics and food sustainability at the Graduate Institute, Vasundhra continues to bridge anthropology and policy. Her work reflects a commitment to advancing health equity by addressing the social, cultural, and structural determinants that shape human well-being.
  • Articles: 282
Rural Cosmopolitanism is a convergence of cosmopolitan ideals with the rural social milieu. It identifies rural spaces not as cultural deserts, but as sites of rich, diverse cultural exchanges.

Rural Cosmopolitan

Rural Cosmopolitanism is a convergence of cosmopolitan ideals with the rural social milieu. It identifies rural spaces not as cultural deserts, but as sites of rich, diverse cultural exchanges.

Westernization refers to the adoption or imposition of Western culture and values in various societies around the world. In India, this phenomenon has been intensely studied, especially with respect to its impacts on traditional practices and social structures.

Westernization

Westernization refers to the adoption or imposition of Western culture and values in various societies around the world. In India, this phenomenon has been intensely studied, especially with respect to its impacts on traditional practices and social structures.

Tribes and forests have shared a complex and interdependent relationship throughout human history. Anthropologists explore the connections between tribal communities and forest ecosystems, examining how tribes rely on forests for sustenance and cultural practice, and how they manage and conserve these valuable resources.

Tribes and Forest

Tribes and forests have shared a complex and interdependent relationship throughout human history. Anthropologists explore the connections between tribal communities and forest ecosystems, examining how tribes rely on forests

Environmental possibilism represents a departure from environmental determinism by stressing the multifaceted interaction between environment and human agency. Unlike environmental determinism, which posits that the environment shapes human activity, possibilism posits that humans possess the capabilities to negotiate their environment to fulfill various needs and objectives

Environmental Possibilism

Environmental possibilism represents a departure from environmental determinism by stressing the multifaceted interaction between environment and human agency. Unlike environmental determinism, which posits that the environment shapes human activity,

The Culture-Environment Continuum concept constitutes an influential and challenging theoretical paradigm that has greatly impacted the field of cultural anthropology. It helps to clarify the relationship between cultures and their natural environments, asserting that both are inextricably connected and continuously impact each other.

Culture-Environment Continuum

The Culture-Environment Continuum concept constitutes an influential and challenging theoretical paradigm that has greatly impacted the field of cultural anthropology. It helps to clarify the relationship between cultures and their natural environments, asserting that both are inextricably connected and continuously impact each other.

Environmental Determinism is a theory that explains how the physical environment, including climate and geography, influences human culture, behavior, and societal development. This perspective has been heavily debated, with some proponents arguing that it offers a comprehensive framework for understanding cultural differences.

Environmental Determinism

Environmental Determinism is a theory that explains how the physical environment, including climate and geography, influences human culture, behavior, and societal development. This perspective has been heavily debated, with some proponents arguing that it offers a comprehensive framework for understanding cultural differences.

Ethno-Ecology examines the complex relationships between a community's culture and its surrounding ecological environment. It emphasizes understanding the traditional ecological knowledge, beliefs, and practices and how they influence human interaction with the environment.

Ethno-Ecology

Ethno-Ecology examines the complex relationships between a community's culture and its surrounding ecological environment. It emphasizes understanding the traditional ecological knowledge, beliefs, and practices and how they influence human interaction with the environment

Population ecology is the study of the dynamics of species populations and how these populations interact with their environment. It's traditionally a biological discipline, but recent advances have led anthropologists to examine population ecology in human societies.

Population Ecology

Population ecology is the study of the dynamics of species populations and how these populations interact with their environment. It's traditionally a biological discipline, but recent advances have led anthropologists to examine population ecology in human societies.

Cultural ecology is a multifaceted concept that resonates across various disciplines, weaving a rich tapestry of insights about the interplay between human cultures and their ecological surroundings. It embodies the complex relationships, adaptations, and feedback mechanisms that exist between societies and the environments they inhabit.

Cultural Ecology

Cultural ecology is a multifaceted concept that resonates across various disciplines, weaving a rich tapestry of insights about the interplay between human cultures and their ecological surroundings. It embodies the complex relationships, adaptations

Ethno Medicine explores how cultural beliefs and practices shape healthcare within different communities. This interdisciplinary study encompasses anthropology, ethnobotany, pharmacology, public health, and more.

Ethno Medicine

Ethno Medicine explores how cultural beliefs and practices shape healthcare within different communities. This interdisciplinary study encompasses anthropology, ethnobotany, pharmacology, public health, and more.

An archaeological site is a place where past human activity is identified, often by the discovery of artifacts, ecofacts, or architectural remains. These sites hold an abundant source of information about the societies that once existed and their activities.

Features of an Archaeological Site

An archaeological site is a place where past human activity is identified, often by the discovery of artifacts, ecofacts, or architectural remains. These sites hold an abundant source of information about the societies that once existed and their activities.

Applied Linguistics is a field of study that investigates practical issues involving language use in the real world. In other words, it addresses language-related problems in various contexts, including second language acquisition (L2), language teaching, syllabus design, and language testing and evaluation.

Applied Linguistics

Applied Linguistics is a field of study that investigates practical issues involving language use in the real world. In other words, it addresses language-related problems in various contexts, including second language acquisition (L2), language teaching, syllabus design, and language testing and evaluation.