My research examines snow leopard ecotourism in Ladakh, India, focusing on how media portrayals shape tourist expectations and impact local communities who rely on this industry in winter. I explore the symbolic construction and commodification of snow leopards, the influence of global conservation narratives, and the need to balance ecological preservation with rural livelihoods in a rapidly changing region.
I am interested in being a part of CIRCLE as I want to be a part of a network of like-minded researchers with strong connections to the sub-continent. CIRCLE’s Masters Fund Program has been vital to allow me to conduct my field research in the winter of 2024/2025. I hope to be able to share my research with CIRCLE in the future to both expand the reach of my work and contribute to CIRCLE’s goals of advancing interconnected research between Canada and India.