The PhD in English Language and Literature, offered by K J Somaiya School of Languages and Literature, under the Faculty of Languages and Literature, at Somaiya Vidyavihar University, is a research-intensive doctoral programme designed to foster advanced, original, and interdisciplinary scholarship in English studies. The programme offers a rigorous academic framework for the critical exploration of the English language, literatures in English, literary theory, cultural studies, and language pedagogy.
Considering the University’s commitment to academic excellence and social relevance, the programme encourages research that engages with canonical texts, marginalized voices, alternative aesthetics, and contemporary theoretical debates. It aims to nurture scholars capable of contributing meaningfully to teaching, research, knowledge-production, and intellectual leadership in higher education and related fields.
English, as a global language and a vital medium of literary and cultural exchange, has significantly shaped intellectual discourses across nations, histories, and identities. This doctoral programme provides scholars with an advanced platform to critically engage with English language and literature, fostering excellence in specialized research within both Indian and global contexts.
The study of English Language and Literature has expanded far beyond traditional canonical boundaries to include postcolonial writing, subaltern narratives, feminist and Dalit literature, African American studies, cultural studies, and alternative critical frameworks. In the Indian context, English serves as a crucial medium for literary expression, translation, education, and social critique.
This PhD programme responds to the rapidly evolving nature of English studies by promoting comparative, interdisciplinary, and socially engaged research, with a strong emphasis on the applied use of English across the various domains. It also attempts to consider the role of English in AI-driven media, digital communication, technology, and allied professional fields, while also engaging critically with literature and culture as sites of colonial experience, resistance, caste, gender, race, identity, and cultural negotiation. The programme integrates advanced inquiry into English language teaching, technical communication, applied linguistics, and emerging modes of discourse shaped by technological innovation.
Research scholars may pursue doctoral work in (but not limited to) the following areas:
English Language and Literature
Indian English, British, American, and World Literatures
African American Literature
Postcolonial and Comparative Literature
Indian Regional Literatures in English Translation
Feminist Literature, Gender Studies, and Dalit Writing
Literature of Resistance, Progressive and Subaltern Literature
Modern and Contemporary Literary Theories
Alternative and Indigenous Aesthetic Frameworks
Cultural, Communication, and Media Studies
English Language Teaching (ELT), Applied Linguistics, and Technical Communication
The PhD programme aims to:
Enable scholars to produce advanced, original, and impactful research in the English language, literatures in English, and interdisciplinary literary and cultural studies.
Promote critical engagement with canonical and non-canonical texts, including marginalized, translated, and resistance literatures.
Encourage research grounded in modern literary theories, alternative aesthetics, and cultural criticism.
Foster scholarly inquiry into language pedagogy, ELT practices, discourse studies, and technical communication.
Support comparative and translation-based research connecting Indian and global literary traditions.
Research supervision by experienced faculty with expertise across literature, theory, language studies, and cultural studies.
Emphasis on interdisciplinary and socially responsive research.
Opportunities to participate in seminars, workshops, conferences, and doctoral colloquia.
Encouragement for publication in peer-reviewed journals, edited volumes, and academic forums.
Access to institutional libraries, digital resources, and research networks.
Academic mentoring aligned with UGC, NEP, and national research standards.
The PhD in English Language and Literature envisions the creation of a community of scholars who are critically informed, socially sensitive, and globally engaged. The programme seeks to develop educators, researchers, translators, and intellectuals who will contribute to the advancement of English studies through innovative research, inclusive perspectives, and ethical academic practice.
By integrating literary scholarship, language studies, and cultural critique, the programme aims to shape research that not only interprets texts but also intervenes in contemporary cultural and social discourses.
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