Semontee Mitra

Semontee Mitra is an Assistant Professor at Pennsylvania State University's Department of English. She holds a Ph.D. in American Studies from Penn State University. Her research centers on transnational ethnography of Hindu festivals in the United States, with focus areas including cultural adaptation patterns, religious commodification in immigrant communities, and intergenerational transmission of ritual practices.

Mitra's work examines how diasporic communities maintain cultural identity through religious celebrations, with specific emphasis on sociocultural dynamics of Saraswati Puja. Her interdisciplinary approach combines anthropology, religious studies, and cultural economics to analyze the intersection of tradition and modernity.

Her publications demonstrate consistent focus on ethnographic methodologies applied to Hindu festivals. Articles consistently explore themes of cultural preservation, religious adaptation in transnational contexts, and socioeconomic dimensions of ritual practices. Four recent publications span 2015-2018, showing progression from community-specific studies to broader analyses of religious commodification.