Anamika Asthana

@siu.edu.in

Assistant Professor, School of International Studies
Symbiosis International University

Anamika Asthana


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https://researchid.co/anamika
Qualified UGC NET-JRF in International and Area Studies in 2011.
Qualified UGC NET in Political Science in 2012.

Teaching Experience:
• Assistant Professor in School of International Studies, Symbiosos International University, Pune from December 19, 2022 to till now.
• Assistant Professor in the School of Liberal Arts, Dr. Vishwanath Karad, MIT World Peace University from August 2, 2022 to December 7, 2022..
• Assistant Professor (adhoc) in the Department of Political Science, Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi from September 6, 2018 to July 19, 2021.
• Assistant Professor (adhoc) in the Department of Political Science, Gargi College, University of Delhi from January 2, 2017 to May 20, 2017.
• Guest Lecturer in the Department of Political Science, Gargi College, University of Delhi from July 20, 2016 to November 11, 2016
• Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science, Gargi College, University of Delhi from August 21, 2015 to May 20, 2016.

EDUCATION

Graduation: 2006-09- in Political Science (Hons.) at Miranda House, Delhi University. Was awarded merit certificate for securing the third rank at the University level in BA (Hons) Political Science, batch 2006-09.

Masters: 2009-11- in International Relations at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi.

Master of Philosophy (M. Phil)- School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. Submitted dissertation on the topic, “Force and Diplomacy in Balancing Strategies: A Study of India’s China Policy since 1991” in December 2013.

Doctor of Philosophy ( School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. Submitted the thesis on the topic, “The Evolution of Civilian Nuclear Regulation in India: International Nuclear Regulation in India: International Nuclear Regulatory Framework, Crisis Learning and Strategic Imperatives

RESEARCH INTERESTS

I am interested in International relations and particularly Nuclear Politics, Strategy, International Relations, Political theory and Foreign Policy.
2

Scopus Publications

32

Scholar Citations

2

Scholar h-index

1

Scholar i10-index

Scopus Publications

  • Representing Nuclear: the bomb, the Nation and responsibility in popular Indian Cinema
    Anamika Asthana
    Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 2025
    Situated at the intersection of popular cinematic culture, nuclear politics and state identity, this article explores the pattern of nuclear representation in Indian Cinema through comparative analysis of all five nuclear-themed films produced after India’s 1998 nuclear tests: 16 December (2002), Hero: Love Story of a Spy (2003), Fanaa (2006), Parmanu (2018) and Mission Majnu (2023) . Using a thematic analysis of visual and narrative elements, the study addresses two central questions: First, how do these Bollywood films represent the cultural meanings and emotions associated with nuclear weapons as techno-political objects, and second, what patterns of continuity and rupture characterize cinematic portrayals of nuclear responsibility, particularly when comparing films released before and after the Bharatiya Janata party’s return to power in 2014? The analysis reveals that after 2014, nuclear films shifted focus from nuclear terrorism and threat prevention to portraying nuclear capability as a major national achievement, paralleling broader changes in India’s political discourse toward assertive nationalism. Nevertheless, significant continuities persist, particularly the privileging of human agency over technological determinism and the intertwining of personal sacrifice with national security. Crucially, the study identifies a paradox: while Indian nuclear cinema challenges Western ‘nuclear orientalism’ by asserting Indian competence and civilizational values, it simultaneously reproduces similar orientalist logic toward Pakistan, depicting it as institutionally fragmented and religiously extremist. Overall, the nuclear representation emerged as a nuanced, evolving discourse negotiated through cultural productions, transforming nuclear weapons from distant policy abstractions into components of collective imagination and national identity.
  • The growing power of states in India's foreign policy
    Anamika Asthana, Happymon Jacob
    International Negotiation, 2017
    This study examines the role of sub-national diplomacy in India with respect to four neighboring countries – Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan and China – and assesses the nature and consequences of such interactions for immediate policy shifts and in wider institutional terms. Except for five states – Haryana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarh and Telengana – all other states in India have international land or maritime borders which make a study of this nature very pertinent. This study focuses on those states that have been more inclined to engage in India’s foreign and security policy making.

RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS

  • Representing Nuclear: the bomb, the Nation and responsibility in popular Indian Cinema
    A Asthana
    Humanities and Social Sciences Communications 12, 1-9 , 2025
    2025.0
  • Book review: Christopher Clary, The Difficult Politics of Peace: Rivalry in Modern South Asia
    A Asthana
    https://doi.org/10.1177/23210230241289453 , 2024
    2024.0
  • Unit-9 Parliamentary Supremacy and Rule of Law in UK
    A Asthana
    Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi , 2021
    2021.0
  • Federalism and foreign affairs in India
    A Asthana, H Jacob
    2019.0
    Citations: 8
  • The growing power of states in India’s foreign policy
    A Asthana, H Jacob
    International Negotiation 22 (2), 317-343 , 2017
    2017.0
    Citations: 24
  • CONTEMPORARY DEBATES ON THE NATURE OF STATE
    A Asthana
    DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC CORE COURSE, 49 , 0

MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS

  • The growing power of states in India’s foreign policy
    A Asthana, H Jacob
    International Negotiation 22 (2), 317-343 , 2017
    2017.0
    Citations: 24
  • Federalism and foreign affairs in India
    A Asthana, H Jacob
    2019.0
    Citations: 8
  • Representing Nuclear: the bomb, the Nation and responsibility in popular Indian Cinema
    A Asthana
    Humanities and Social Sciences Communications 12, 1-9 , 2025
    2025.0
  • Book review: Christopher Clary, The Difficult Politics of Peace: Rivalry in Modern South Asia
    A Asthana
    https://doi.org/10.1177/23210230241289453 , 2024
    2024.0
  • Unit-9 Parliamentary Supremacy and Rule of Law in UK
    A Asthana
    Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi , 2021
    2021.0
  • CONTEMPORARY DEBATES ON THE NATURE OF STATE
    A Asthana
    DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC CORE COURSE, 49 , 0