Delwar Hussain

Dr Delwar Hussain is a Lecturer in Social Anthropology at the School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh. His work focuses on ethnographic studies of gender, sexuality, and urban life in South Asia, particularly Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan, while also examining intersections with colonialism, modernization, and decolonization.

• Education: PhD in Anthropology, University of Cambridge (2011)
• Key Research Themes: Queer Inheritance, Borderlands, Urban Anthropology, Gender & Sexuality, Postcolonial Geopolitics
• Grants: Wellcome Trust grant (2025) for queer inheritance ethnography

Delwar’s research spans ethnographic fieldwork on the Bangladesh-India border, urban transformations in Dhaka, and critical analysis of legal systems and freedom of speech in Bangladesh. He has contributed extensively to public scholarship through media outlets like The Guardian and Open Democracy, blending academic rigor with narrative storytelling in works such as Boundaries Undermined and the forthcoming An Anthropology of Drowning.

His publications highlight tensions between state institutions, religious extremism, and human rights, particularly through case studies of bloggers and secular activists in Bangladesh. Delwar supervises doctoral and postdoctoral students in Social Anthropology and South Asian Studies, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches.