Dr Krishna Adhikari

Krishna Adhikari

Research Affiliate

Until 2023, Dr Adhikari was a researcher at the Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology (ISCA), and the Co-Investigator on the ‘The Dalit Search for Dignity: State, Society, and Mobilization from Below in Far West Nepal’ funded by the British Academy (BA) through its Heritage, Dignity and Violence Programme (GCRF) (2019-22). The project follows on from and is built on the lesson of the ESRC-funded research project (2013-2017), 'Caste, Class, and Culture: Changing Bahun and Dalit Identities in Nepal', of which he was a co-investigator. As part of the current research, and with the support from the ESRC IAA Stages 2, 3 and 4: Kick-starting, Impact Acceleration and Top-up Awards he is also leading a study on ‘Deepening Awareness of Dalit issues in the School Curriculum in Nepal’.

From 2011 to 2013 he was a post-doctoral researcher working on the John Fell-funded project 'Mobility, Cultural Capital, and Hidden Ethnicity: The Case of Rural Brahmans in Nepal'. For three years from October 2009 he was a team member, research associate, and visiting scholar at ISCA on the AHRC-ESRC-funded research project on 'Vernacular Religion: Varieties of Religiosity in the Nepali Diaspora'. In 2007 he joined the Centre for Nepal Studies UK (CNSUK) as a researcher, and between 2010 and 2011 he was its Executive Director. At CNSUK he was mainly involved in a large-scale survey of Nepalis in the UK, popularly viewed as a ‘census’. During this period he also did freelance consultancies in the field of international development, especially on land and forest tenure reforms in Asia. In 2005 he led a national-level survey on the state of community/social mobilisation in Nepal. He advised for Nepali Media Survey 2014, a project of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists, UK. He also advised for the CNSUK's Big-Lottery-funded project Ethnic Minority and Social Mobility Project (2015-2016). He is coordinating a Master's dissertation scholarship, and supervising a PhD student from Lumbini Buddhist University and a Master's student from Tribhuvan University (TU), Nepal. He is currently serving as the General Secretary of the Britain-Nepal Academic Council (2014-2018).

Krishna obtained his doctorate from the International and Rural Development Department of the University of Reading, on the dynamics of social capital and community-based institutions, for which he carried out fieldwork in southern Nepal. He also has a social science Master's Degree from the University of Goteborg, Sweden and an MBA degree from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. Previously he worked for 12 years in Nepal, first as a civil servant in local government units and then as a community development worker, manager, and researcher in various non-governmental projects. These included working in Nepal as a Professional Advisor in the Self-reliance Development of the Poor by the Poor Project (SRDPPP), supported through DFID’s Enabling the State Programme (ESP) and acting as coordinator of a community development project funded by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF). He also has teaching experience of over one and a half years. 

More details here.

Contact details: krishna.adhikari@anthro.ox.ac.uk

Research interests

Caste and ethnic relations and identity politics; Dalits and social transformation in South Asia; education, employment, and social mobility; migration and diaspora communities; poverty and exclusion; social capital and community-based institutions; international and rural development; collective action and the governance of natural resource management; mixed-methods.

Teaching

I am interested in teaching methods modules, particularly mixed methods aimed at students from qualitative backgrounds, showing them how to integrate quantitative methods into their field of studies. I led a module for postgraduate students on ‘Critical Methods in Numerical Assessments’ in 2019-20 and again in 2020-21. 

I have also been working with and supporting universities in Nepal by delivering occasional lectures, supervising and examining PhD and Master’s students, and collaborating on research projects.

Selected publications

2016  Adhikari, K.P. (with  Laksamba, C.K., and Dhakal, L.P.). Fairly Dynamic: A Case Study of Nepali Migration in Fairfax Road, Farnborough. NRN Voice, (December 2016), pp. 86-90.

2016  Adhikari, K.P. (with Gellner, D.N., Hausner. S.L, and Laksamba, C.K.)  “Shrines and Identities in Britain’s Nepali Diaspora,” Diaspora: A Journal of Transanational Studies, 19 (1 (2010)), pp. 116–146.  

2016 Adhikari, K.P. Blog. A Nepali in Victorian England- Motilal Singh: Soldier, Crossing Sweeper, Chronicler. http://migrationmuseum.org/a-nepali-in-victorian-england/ (16/11/2016).

2016 Adhikari, K.P. (With Laksamba, C.L.) Defeating the UndefeatedThe Kathmandu Post. (24 Oct 2016)

2016 Adhikari, K.P. (with Gellner D.N.). Ancestor Worship and Sacrifice: Debates over Bahun-Chhetri kul puja in Nepal. In D. N. Gellner, S.N. Hausner, and C. Letizia, eds.  Religion, Secularism, and Ethnicity in Contemporary Nepal. Delhi: Oxford University Press, pp. 226-261.

2016 Adhikari, K.P.  Vidhyalayama Bhasanbaji: Anutpadak Sanskritiko Punarutpadan [Reproduction of unproductive culture through excessive lecturing at formal functions in schools]Shikshak (Centenary Issue, Srawan 2073 VS). www.teacher.org.np

2016 Adhikari, K.P (with Gellner, D.N). New Identity Politics and the 2012 Collapse of Nepal's Constituent Assembly: When the dominant becomes ‘other’Modern Asian Studies, CJO2016. doi:10.1017/S0026749X15000438. 

2015 Adhikari, K.P. (2015). Rural Development Policies, CBOs and their Sustainability In Nepal. In A. Adhikari and G.P. Dahal, (with K. Subedi, I. Mahat, and B. Regmi) eds. Sustainable Livelihood Systems in Nepal: Policies, Practices and Prospects. Kathmandu: IUCN and CFFN. pp: 237-263

2015 Adhikari, K.P. (2015). 2072 Saalko Bhuinchalo, Bhogai ra Anubhuti: Paradesh ra swodesh. Nirupan [In Nepali] Special Issue 1 (Nov 2015). pp 134-144. (The 2015 Earthquake, experience and perception: abroad and Nepal.). 

2015  Adhikari, K.P. (2015). A Non-Gurkha’s Account of Gurkha Campaigns for Equal Rights. Yuva Awahan. 5(5) pp 16-26.

2015  Adhikari, K.P. (23-29 June 2015). CNSUK’s School Support Mission to Nuwakot: A Day’s Note. Europeko Nepali Patra 9(47).

2014 Adhikari, K.P. (with Laksamba, C.K.) CNSUK`s Report and Gurkha Pension Issues. Article. 

2013  Adhikari, K.P.  Genealogy of Adhikari Families Originating from Serachaur, Kaski, with Family Directory (in Process). Dhikurpokhari: Adhikari Kul Service Foundation [In Nepali]

2013  Adhikari K.P. The Multi-dimensional Religious Practices of Nepalis: A Brief Analysis. Diaspora Journalism. 1(1). [In Nepali]

2013  Adhikari K.P. (with Laksamba, C.K,  Dhakal, L.P. and Gellner, D.N.)  British Gurkha Pension Policies and Ex-Gurkha Campaigns: A ReviewReading: Centre for Nepal Studies UK

2013  Adhikari, K.P. Exaggerations and Politics of Nepali Population in the UK.  In Adhikari, T. and C. Kanel (eds) Our Services Souvenir. London: Gulmi Jilla Society UK. [in Nepali]

2013  Adhikari, K.P. The Mysterious Life of Motilal Singh as the First Nepali in England, and his Historical Publications (with Translation). Reading: Centre for Nepal Studies UK. [in Nepali]

2012. Adhikari, K. P. Nepalis in the United Kingdom: An OverviewCentre for Nepal Studies UK.

2012 Adhikari, K.P. (Dahal, G.R.). South Asia Forest Tenure AssessmentEnvironment and Climate Series 2011/3. HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation Nepal. (eBook)

2010 Adhikari, K. P. (with Goldey, P.A). Social Capital and its 'Downside': The Impact on Sustainability of Induced Community Based Organizations in NepalWorld Development, Vol. 38(2) pp 184-194.

2010 Adhikari, K. PState of Integration of Nepalis is in the UK: Looking from the Prisms of Social CapitalDiaspora, Vol 3(1). NDFUK [Nepali].

2008 Adhikari, K.P. (with Dahal, G.R.). Social Capital and Collective Action: The Case of Kalahan Forest Reserve in the PhilippinesCollective Action and Property Rights (CAPRi) Working Paper 79. Washington, DC: IFPRI.

2008 Adhikari, K.P. (with Dahal, G.R.). Trends and Impact of Forest Tenure Reforms in Asia: Cases from India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Nepal and the PhilippinesForest and Livelihood Journal Vol. 7 (1)

2007 Adhikari, K.P. (with Risal, R.). Securing the Future? An Exploration of Prevalence and Sustainability of Community Based Institutions in NepalISTR Conference Volume V. California: ISTR.

2007 Adhikari, K.P. (with Basnet, S.R.). Do Development Interventions Empower Rural Women? Women Empowerment through Income Generating Programmes in Nepal. Journal of Global Management Research, December 2007.

Publications