Russia, Ukraine

Ramesh’s research lies at the intersection of Citizenship Studies, Statehood Studies, and IR.  His research (on citizenship) has explored how citizenship functions as both a tool of state- and nation-building and as a weapon used to achieve (geo)political goals. In particular, Ramesh’s PhD examined the relationships among contested statehood, sovereignty, state recognition, citizenship regimes, and the politics of belonging. Drawing on the concepts of multiplicity and human and state security, his research examined how citizenship has been constructed in three post-Soviet contested states. This research culminated in the book Constructing Citizenship in Post-Soviet Contested States: Evidence from Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Transnistria (2026, Routledge).

Ramesh is a lecturer at the Institute of Security and Global Affairs, Leiden University. He has over eight years of experience in designing, teaching, and coordinating courses at the BSc and MSc levels. Since 2021, he has specialised in delivering courses on qualitative and quantitative research methods.  He holds an MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy (Leiden University), prior to which he graduated with a Bachelor of Social Science majoring in Culture Studies and Languages (Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University).