Babitha Marina Justin
| Babitha Marina Justin | |
|---|---|
| File:Cultural-event-Kerala-April-2026.jpgCultural-event-Kerala-April-2026.jpg Babitha Marina in Event | |
| Born | |
| 🏫 Education | MA English, University of Kerala,
M.Phil Art History & Gender Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, PhD Travel & Gender Studies, University of Hyderabad (2007) |
| 💼 Occupation | Academic, Poet, Writer, Visual Artist |
| 👔 Employer | Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology |
| Known for | Poetry, Literary Criticism, Cultural Studies, Gender Studies |
Babitha Marina Justin is an academic poet, writer, and a visual artist, is currently positioned as an Associate Professor of English at the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST)[1], Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. Her academic and scholarly work covers literary studies, cultural studies, gender studies, and visual culture.
She has written ten books including poetry and literary criticism and has collaborated with peer-reviewed academic journals published by Taylor & Francis and Sage Publications. She was also a Pushcart Prize nominee[2] (2018) and has contributed critical writing to Scroll.in, a leading independent publication in India. Besides her academic career, Justin practises visual art and has had her own solo and group exhibitions[3] collaborating with other artists.
Early life and education
Babitha Marina Justin received her Master of Arts in English from the University of Kerala[1], Trivandrum.
Thereafter, she completed an M.Phil. in Art History and Gender Studies from the Jawaharlal Nehru University[1], New Delhi.
She also obtained her Doctorate (PhD) in Travel and Gender Studies from the University of Hyderabad[1] in 2007. Her thesis research paper outlined the representations of India in the writings of British women travellers during the post-independence period.
Academic career
Justin's academic career journey spans over two decades of experience in English Literature Studies, communication skills, and cultural studies. From 2002 to 2007, she began her academic career as a Lecturer in the Department of English Literature[1] at the North Eastern Hill University[1], Meghalaya. Simultaneously, she also served as a counsellor for the Master of Arts in English course in Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Meghalaya Tura region from 2004 to 2007.
Subsequently in 2007, she began working for the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram, where she has held numerous successive positions: Lecturer (2007–2011), Reader (2011–2016), Assistant Professor (2016–2020), and Associate Professor of English[3] (2020–present). Her teaching areas include different professional fields such as communication and soft skills, cultural studies, and visual culture.
She has been supervisor and the facilitator of many doctoral research[1] in areas including film studies, gender studies, and cultural analysis, and has actively taken part in curriculum development and interdisciplinary academic initiatives at IIST. She has also delivered research at international conferences such as the 46th Comparative Drama Conference in Orlando[1], Florida (2024) and has taken part in the European Society for the Study of English conference at the University of Aarhus, Denmark (2008).
Research and funded projects
Justin has participated in several funded research and educational projects that includes:
Hauni – Developing Communicative English Software for IIST students, supported by the Department of Space, Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, Government of India.
Women of Kodungallur – A cultural and heritage research project conducted under the Muziris Heritage Project, which has culminated in a anticipated book deal with Routledge titled Then and Now: The Women of Muziris.
Books
Justin has authored and edited several books across genres, including poetry, literary criticism, and essays. Some of her published works include:
- Of Fireflies, Guns and the Hills (2015), Writers Workshop ISBN: 978-9350451106
- From Canon to Trauma: Essays in Literature (2016), Bodhi Tree Books ISBN: 8193258789
- Cook My Own Feast (2019), Red River Publications ISBN: 8193940369
- Salt, Pepper and Silver Linings (co-edited, 2019), Readme Books ISBN: 8193915828
- Forty Five Shades of Brown. (2023) Poetrywala, ISBN:9788196059279
- The Way Madmen Smell. (2026) Redriver. ISBN:978-93-48111-90-6
Poetry
Justin has published several poetry collections published under her name. She debuted with her collection, Of Fireflies, Guns and the Hills, was issued by Writers Workshop, Kolkata, in 2015.
I Cook My Own Feast (Red River Publications, 2019) and Forty Five Shades of Brown (Paperwall Publishing/Poetrywala, 2023) are amidst her catalogue of publications. She is a Pushcart Prize nominee (2018). Her poetry has surfaced in National and International journals and anthologies including the About Place Journal (Black Earth Institute, USA), Indian Literature (Sahitya Akademi[4]), the Yearbook of Indian Poetry, and Singing in the Dark (Penguin)[4].
Her short fiction has appeared in The Punch Magazine[5], Tusculum Review, Marshall Cavendish anthologies, and other publications.
Essays and literary criticism
From Canon to Trauma: Essays in Literature (Bodhi Tree Books, 2016) assemble her critical essays on literary and cultural themes. A further volume, Theorising Space (Bodhi Tree Books, 2020), addresses cultural and spatial theory.
Her contributions in critical reviews and literary essays are available in Scroll.in[2], one of India's leading independent publications. Writing for Scroll.in, she has been described as "a poet, artist, and academic whose body of work spans ten books[2], numerous poems, scholarly writings, and curated exhibitions." She has also provided articles on literature and culture to The AIDEM[2], an independent multilingual media platform.
Editorial work
Salt, Pepper and Silver Linings[6] (Readme Books, 2019), was co-edited by Justin, is an anthology featuring narratives of grandmothers from around the world. The book was covered by The Hindu[6] and The News Minute upon its release[6].
Furthermore to her literary career, Justin is an ardent visual artist. She has carried out two solo art exhibitions[3] and has also engaged in various group exhibitions. She has been involved in interdisciplinary projects combining a\rt, literature, and cultural studies.
She contributed to the conceptualisation of an art museum initiative at IIST, which seeks to integrate visual art with science and technology education.
Justin has also contributed illustrations and translations to publications of the National Book Trust of India, including Kichangani: An Indo-African Story (2023–24).
Media presence
Justin has offered critical reviews and literary essays to Scroll.in[2], a leading independent digital publication in India. She has also had articles in The Times of India[7].
Her literary work and public engagement have been covered in The Hindu[8] and The Week.
She has also written for The AIDEM, an independent multilingual media platform covering literature, culture, and politics.
She has participated in many literary festivals, academic conferences, and public lectures in India and internationally, and she was also a featured guest lecturer at the Kerala Literature Festival and as a presenter at conferences in the United States and Denmark.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 "Babitha Justin | Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology". stageweb.iist.ac.in. Retrieved 2026-05-20.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Justin, Babitha Marina (2026-03-01). "'Field Notes on Kindness': Ankush Banerjee's poems probe how men relearn the languages of empathy". Scroll.in. Retrieved 2026-05-20.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "KLF 2027 KLF | Kerala Lit Fest | Literature Festival | Literary Festival 2027". keralaliteraturefestival.com. Retrieved 2026-05-20.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Babitha Marina Justin – Roots + Resistance". About Place Journal. Retrieved 2026-05-20.
- ↑ Justin, Babitha Marina. "Tengchi". https://thepunchmagazine.com/. Retrieved 2026-05-20. External link in
|website=(help) - ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Nagarajan, Saraswathy (2019-07-19). "'salt & pepper & silver linings' has tales of grandmothers from around the world". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2026-05-20.
- ↑ "Gospels: Exploring the fluidity of womanhood". The Times of India. 2024-01-22. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2026-05-20.
- ↑ Reporter, Staff (2017-02-25). "Liveliness of everyday life". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2026-05-20.
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