Jonathan Parry

Professor Jonathan Parry is a leading anthropologist at the London School of Economics (LSE), specializing in South Asian studies, sociology of Hinduism, caste systems, industrialization, and labor anthropology. He holds a full-time position in the Department of Anthropology, focusing on fieldwork in India, including studies on rural caste dynamics, rituals surrounding death in Banaras, and industrial labor in Bhilai. His research bridges ethnography with theoretical inquiries into inequality, industrialization, and exchange systems.

Parry's work spans decades, with early studies in Kangra (1979), followed by seminal works like Death in Banaras (1994) and analyses of industrial labor in Chhattisgarh. Recent contributions address ethics of humanitarian intervention, just war theory, and the moral implications of military and police actions. His interdisciplinary approach integrates anthropological fieldwork with philosophical debates on authority, harm, and legitimacy in conflict scenarios.

His publications on war ethics, including analyses of lethal force, private interests in research, and the morality of intervention, reflect a shift toward contemporary global challenges. Despite no listed awards, his academic stature is evident through his influence on anthropological and ethical discourses. Parry’s advising and grants are not detailed here, but his fieldwork in labor colonies and industrial zones underscores his commitment to socio-economic anthropology.