Varnica Arora

Biography

Assistant Professor of Psychology Varnica Arora’s research broadly lies at the intersection of culture, inequality and suicide. Trained in critical and social psychology, Arora's dissertation takes an intersectional and cultural approach to understanding youth experiences following suicidal behaviors in rural India, with a focus on the culturally specific concept of "fear of social death."

Prior to joining Stonehill, Varnica taught courses in Social Psychology and Psychology and Social Media at City College of New York and Macalester College. She also previously served as a fellow at the Teaching and Learning Center at City University of New York's Graduate Center, leading the Pedagogy-in-Practice program, which supports graduate students transitioning into their roles as instructors.

Varnica’s work has been recognized by prestigious grants from the American Association of University Women, J.N. Tata Endowment Grant, International Inequalities Institute at the London School of Economics. Before beginning her doctoral research, Varnica worked as a community organizer with women’s collectives in central India, an experience that informs her commitment to community-engaged research and culturally responsive suicide prevention practices.

Education

• Ph.D., Psychology, The Graduate Center at City University of New York (CUNY)
• M.A., Psychology, The Graduate Center at City University of New York (CUNY)
• M.A., Psychology, The University of Delhi
• B.A., Psychology, The University of Delhi

Courses Taught

• Introduction to Social Psychology
• Multicultural Psychology