Ritesh Kumar Jaiswal

Ritesh Kumar Jaiswal is an Assistant Professor in the Department of History at the University of Delhi, with a concurrent postdoctoral fellowship at the Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies, University of Bonn, under the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (2025–2027). His academic journey includes fellowships at Harvard University, Göttingen University, and the University of Zürich, reflecting a strong international research profile.

Education:

• PhD in History, University of Delhi (2014–2020)
• MPhil in History, University of Delhi (2011–2014)
• MA in History, University of Delhi (2009–2011)

Ritesh's research centers on migration, labour systems, and nationalism in colonial South and Southeast Asia, particularly around the Bay of Bengal. His work critically examines how anti-colonial movements intersected with xenophobic politics during the interwar period, shaping the experiences of Indian migrant laborers in Ceylon, Burma, and Malaya. He investigates the Kangany and Maistry systems of labour intermediation, the impact of the Great Depression, and the agency of migrant communities in resisting exclusion.

His recent publications reveal a consistent focus on the political economy of migration, colonial labour regimes, and the rise of ethnocentric nationalism. These works span themes such as mediated mobility, depression-era politics, and the social consequences of decolonization. He frequently engages with interdisciplinary frameworks from dependency studies, human rights, and global history.

Scientific Awards and Fellowships:

• Alexander von Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellowship
• Swiss National Postdoctoral Visiting Fellowship
• Fulbright-Nehru Fellowship
• Volkswagenstiftung Global Fellowship
• ICSSR Junior Research Fellowship

Ritesh Kumar Jaiswal has not advised any students mentioned in the text and has not been associated with any grants beyond his fellowships. His research is primarily individual and publication-focused, with strong theoretical engagement. He is affiliated with the Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies during his current fellowship, contributing to a larger interdisciplinary research environment focused on historical and contemporary forms of dependency.