Abhishek describes himself as a social researcher specializing in performative praxis. His interest lies in areas like popular and folk culture, literary criticism, subject formation and governmentality.

His research topic at M.A. level was Performance in Flux: The Train Singers in which he tried to study the inter-constitutive nature of tradition and modernity, and the place of the singers in the present societal and economic situation. The dissertation paper is being examined for publication by a journal.

Abhishek has also directed a documentary film with the singers.
He has been awarded the JU-SYLFF Ph.D. fellowship (2006- 09) to research on Performing the Political: Left Culture in West Bengal. Studying the modes of communication in representational politics as popular performance, he wants to analyse public political culture, specificities of election and democracy in India and different roles of the state, people and political parties.

A student of Comparative Literature at BA and MA levels; he is a translator and critic. He is also involved in theatre and film. He writes and directs for the theatre group Noutonki, based in Kolkata.

Abhishek was instrumental in establishing Fellows (the JU-SYLLF newsletter) with his co-fellows Madhuchanda and Ritajyoti. He and Ritajyoti participated in the SYLFF Asia Pacific Regional Forum in Indonesia in 2005.

E-mail: abhishekbasu.ju@gmail.com