About
Zara Martin is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Portsmouth, affiliated with the School of Area Studies within the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences. She specializes in qualitative research on Asia, with a focus on South Asia (India, Nepal, Myanmar, Pakistan). Her work intersects gender studies and religious culture, examining topics such as violence against women, policy implementation, and the interplay of religion with political systems. She employs mixed-method approaches, including collaborations with organizations like DfID.
Her research has explored themes like the impact of natural disasters on gender-based violence in Nepal, self-sacrifice narratives in Tibetan political movements, and the role of religion in development contexts. She is a member of the Centre for Blue Governance and Centre for European & International Studies Research. She holds a PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of Portsmouth, as evidenced by her doctoral thesis on Tibet's freedom movement.
Zara has led or co-investigated projects such as ‘The Role of Women-led Organisations in Strengthening Resilience in Myanmar’ (2024–2025) and ‘Tackling VAWG in Times of Conflict: South Sudan’ (2020–2023). Her work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals related to gender equality, peace, justice, and sustainable cities.
