Sheena Malhotra is Associate Professor of Gender & Women's Studies at California State University, Northridge.
She received her Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico (1999) in Communication Studies with an emphasis on gender, media, and intercultural communication. Her academic research and articles focus on the intersections of gender, sexuality, media, technology and global culture, with a postcolonial analysis of media in India and the diaspora. Her research interests range from Hindi films and call centers in India to racialized implications of silences and bridgework..
Dr. Malhotra has experience in the Indian film and television industries. Prior to earning her Ph.D. degree, she worked as an Executive Producer and Commissioning Editor of Programs at a progressive television network in India. She has also worked in the Indian film industry as an Assistant Director to Shekhar Kapur (director of Bandit Queen and Elizabeth). Dr. Malhotra began teaching in the Women's Studies department at CSUN in Fall, 2000. She teaches courses on women and popular culture as well as general WS classes. Dr. Malhotra often teaches online courses for the department.
In 2004, she produced and co-directed the video project, CSUN Struggles for Peace & Justice about activism at CSUN. She worked as an Associate Producer on the 2006 documentary, The Shape of Water. Directed by Kum-Kum Bhavnani and narrated by Susan Sarandon, The Shape of Water offers a close look at the far reaching and vibrant alternatives crafted by women in response to environmental degradation, archaic traditions, lack of economic independence and war. She has also worked as a consultant on the 2008 documentary Bollywood Crossings, directed by Tavishi Alagh.
Dr. Malhotra is serving as the Coordinator and Advisor for the Queer Studies Program in 2008-09. Her class, Sex, Lies and Media is one of the electives for the QS minor.
As Dr. Malhotra serves as the Advisor for the Gender and Women's Studies Department, and the Queer Studies Program, please click here to link to her hours for both programs.