Publications (Book Chapters, Journal Articles, and Online Articles and Reports)
1. Nayak, S., & Matin, A. (2026). Extracting the State: caste networks, crony capitalism, and the legal architecture of elite capture. In Elite Capture in Asia Governance and Public Policy (1st ed., p. 248). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-22745-4
2. Nayak, S., & Ray, A. (2026, June 25). Annapurna Bhandar and its politics of discontents. শুদ্ধস্বর. https://shuddhashar.com/annapurna-bhandar-and-its-politics-of-discontents/
3. Nayak, S. (2026, April 29). When democracy erases its own citizens. Links. https://links.org.au/india-when-democracy-erases-its-own-citizens
4. Nayak, S., & Matin, A. (2025). The Manufactured Outsider: Structural Erasure of Indian Muslims. In Eyasin Khan (Eds.), Minority Politics in India: Identity and Discourses (1st ed., pp. 22–32). Book Chapter, Kunal Books, New Delhi, India
5. Nayak, S. (2025, March 31). India: West Bengal’s education minister attacks student protest. Green Left. https://www.greenleft.org.au/2025/1426/world/india-west-bengals-education-minister-attacks-student-protest
PRESENTATIONS, WORSHOPS, CONFERENCES, AND TALKS
2026
1. Presented paper on “Electoral servitude: Citizenship, precarity and the politics of SIR in West Bengal” in the National Conference on “Embodied Justice: memory, Violence and Resilience in India” organized by GITAM (Deemed to be University).
2. Attended a three-day workshop on “Understanding History through the Lens of Archive” conducted by Dr. Mou Banerjee (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Dr. Swati Moitra (University of Calcutta), and Dr. Deepa Khakha (Presidency University), organized by the Department of International Relations, Jadavpur University.
2025
3. Presented a paper on “The Genealogy of Digital Power: AI, Computational Propaganda and cyber-security through the lens of India’s 2014 Lok Sabha Elections” in the one-day International Seminar titled “Rethinking International Affairs in the Age of AI: A Policy Dialogue” organized by Freie University of Berlin, Hertie School, and Jadavpur University, Kolkata.
4. Attended a three-day workshop on “Decoding Power Through Ethnography” conducted by Dr. Suman Nath, (A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Govt. College), Snigdhendu Bhattacharya (Journalist), organized by Jadavpur University.
2024
5. Talk on “Bangladesh: What's behind the uprising” for Green Left Magazine, Australia.
6. Participated in the Seminar at UPF Barcelona School of Management Co- Sponsored by NATO on “Disinformation Effects on Minority and Minoritized Languages: Diagnosing the Problem, Identifying Solutions, Creating Knowledge Networks” and presented a paper on “Including Santhali Language in the Fight Against Misinformation and Disinformation”.
7. Talk on “Rise of Hate Speech Pre and Post Lok Sabha Election 2024” organized by Nexus Horizon and Perspectives. (Webinar)
2023
8. “The Entangled World: Revisiting Human Ecological Realities in the Subcontinent,” organized by The School of Media Communications and Culture, Jadavpur University.
9. Presented a paper on “Impact of Social media on Political Conversations” at the three-day national seminar entitled “Rethinking Multidisciplinary”. Jadavpur University.
2022
10. “Songs of Resistance and Slogans during CAA-NRC Movement: An alternative cultural form,” Jadavpur University.
11. Talk on “The Rise of Digital News Portals and the Decline of Local Newspapers: A Case Study of Kolkata”, Jadavpur University.
MANUSCRIPTS IN PROGRESS
1. Inscribing Politics: Graffiti, Identity, and Electoral Narratives in Bengal '26.
2. Social History of Mazars in West Bengal. [with Dr. Abdul Matin, Department of International Relations, Jadavpur University, and Dept. MA&ME, Govt. of West Bengal]
3. Sufism and Soft Power: Strengthening India-Tajikistan Relations through Cultural Connectivity. [with Dr. Abdul Matin, Department of International Relations]
RESEARCH EXPERIENCES
1. Department of International Relations, Jadavpur University, India (Feb 2025 to Present)
Research Fellow
Project (1) name: Devotional Islam: Exploring Sufi Silsilas (Orders) of Bengal
Project (2) name: Mapping Social History of Mazars in Bengal.
● Studying the Sufi Landscapes of Bengal.
● Mixed-method research study.
● Conducting fieldwork across historical Sufi sites to document architectural, cultural, and oral histories.
● Analyzing archival records and local narratives, and tracing the evolution of Sufi networks in Bengal.
2. India Hate Lab, Centre for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH), Washington D.C., USA
Research Analyst (Vol) (April 2023 – December 2024)
●Identifying hate speech and conspiracy theories with a special focus on India- Speech Analysis.
●Searching hate speech content in social media platforms- Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube using OSINT tools and techniques.
●Writing up detailed draft reports, translation and analytical articles, including quotes from recorded videos. ●Conducting in-depth social media research on regional hate, extremism, violence, and disinformation trends.
3. Jawaharlal Nehru University, School of Arts and Aesthetics, India. (April 2022 - June 2022)
Research Assistant to Dhananjay Kumar
Project name "ऑर्केस्ट्रा का नाच: बिहार में ऑर्केस्ट्रा के इतिहास, संगीत, नृत्य और कामुकता का अध्ययन"
"(Trans: Orchestra Dance: A study of the history, music, dance, and sensuality of orchestra in Bihar)."
●Assist with piloting video interviews and logistic preparation tasks.
●District visits to Bihar to oversee the qualitative follow-up interviews with selected respondents.
●Writing up detailed qualitative interviews, transcripts, and reports, including the quotes from recorded interviews.