Research Opportunities

Join our research initiatives through internships, fieldwork opportunities, and collaborative projects. We welcome students, researchers, and scholars interested in Buddhist literature and cultural studies.

Based in Bangalore, with field research opportunities across India's Buddhist sites including Dharamshala, Sarnath, Sikkim, and Tibetan settlements.

Translation & Textual Studies
Lost Voices: Translating 20th Century Tibetan Women Poets
Research and translate works of lesser-known Tibetan women poets (1950-2000). Create annotated translations with cultural commentary and biographical notes.
Duration: 4-6 months
Location: Remote + 2 weeks Dharamshala

Deliverables:

Digital anthology with 15-20 translated poems + critical introduction

Skills Needed:

Basic Tibetan, translation theory, literary analysis

Impact:

Recovers marginalized voices, contributes to feminist literary archive

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Literary Geography & Cultural Studies
Mapping Dharamshala's Literary Cafés: A Spatial Ethnography
Document writing spaces in McLeod Ganj through field research. Interview writers, readers, café owners. Create interactive literary map showing where books are written, read, discussed.
Duration: 3 months
Location: Field-based (Dharamshala)

Deliverables:

Interactive digital map + photo-essay + ethnographic report

Skills Needed:

Ethnography, photography, spatial analysis

Impact:

First comprehensive documentation of Dharamshala's literary ecology

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Postcolonial & Cultural Studies
Dalit-Buddhist Literature: Mapping Ambedkar's Literary Legacy
Map the emergence of Dalit-Buddhist poetry and prose post-1956 conversion. Study Marathi, Hindi, and English writers. Interview contemporary Dalit-Buddhist authors.
Duration: 4 months
Location: Library-based + field interviews

Deliverables:

Annotated bibliography + critical essay + author interviews

Skills Needed:

Postcolonial theory, social justice frameworks

Impact:

Fills major gap in postcolonial literary studies

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Digital Humanities & Lexical Studies
The Untranslatable: Mapping Buddhist Terms in English Literature
Study how terms like "dharma," "karma," "sunyata" evolve in English novels. Create database tracking usage across 50+ literary works from Tagore to contemporary writers.
Duration: 3-4 months
Location: Remote

Deliverables:

Interactive glossary/database + research paper

Skills Needed:

Database management, close reading, digital tools

Impact:

First systematic study of Buddhist vocabulary in English literature

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Contemporary Cultural Studies
Buddhism and Hip Hop: Dharma in Indian Underground Music
Document Buddhist references in Indian rap/hip-hop lyrics. Study how youth engage with Buddhist philosophy through music. Interview artists, analyze lyrics, examine cultural transmission.
Duration: 3 months
Location: Remote + field

Deliverables:

Annotated playlist + cultural analysis paper + artist interviews

Skills Needed:

Cultural studies, music analysis, youth culture research

Impact:

Bridges ancient philosophy with contemporary urban culture

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Narrative Theory & Comparative Literature
The Sutra as Novel: Long-form Buddhist Narrative and Modernist Fiction
Study how modernist novelists (Hermann Hesse, Yukio Mishima, Amitav Ghosh, Pankaj Mishra) adapted Buddhist sutra narrative structures into novelistic form.
Duration: 3 months
Location: Library-based + remote

Deliverables:

Comparative analysis + annotated bibliography of 25+ novels + research paper

Skills Needed:

Narrative theory, comparative literature, close reading, literary theory

Impact:

First systematic study of sutra-to-novel narrative transmission, contributes to narratology and comparative literature

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Propose Your Own Research

Have a research idea that aligns with our mission? We welcome proposals for collaborative research projects, independent studies, and fieldwork initiatives. Whether you're a student, independent researcher, or academic, we're interested in supporting innovative work in Buddhist literary and cultural studies.

Submit Research Proposal
Fill out the form below to propose your research project. We'll review your proposal and get back to you within 2-3 weeks.

What to Include in Your Proposal:

  • Full Name and Contact Information
  • Institution/Affiliation and Position/Status
  • Research Type (Internship, Fieldwork, Collaborative, etc.)
  • Research Title and Description
  • Methodology and Research Methods
  • Proposed Duration and Location
  • Expected Deliverables
  • Proposed Timeline (optional)
Submit Research Proposal via Google Form

You'll be redirected to our Google Form to complete your submission. Alternatively, email your proposal directly to dharmaletterscontact@gmail.com

Internship Benefits

  • • Mentorship from experienced researchers
  • • Access to our network of scholars and institutions
  • • Opportunity to publish research findings
  • • Field research support and guidance
  • • Academic credit arrangements available

Application Process

  • • Review available opportunities above
  • • Submit a research proposal or application
  • • Initial screening and interview
  • • Project planning and timeline discussion
  • • Begin research with ongoing support