Carla Bellamy

Professor

Weissman School of Arts and Sciences

Department: Sociology and Anthropology

Areas of expertise: South Asian Religion

Email Address: carla.bellamy@baruch.cuny.edu

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Biography
Teaching
Research and Creative Activity
Grants
Honors and Awards
Service

Carla Bellamy is a Professor of Anthropology and Religious Studies at Baruch College, City University of New York and chair of the Columbia University Seminar on South Asia. Her ethnographically-based research focuses on the lived realities behind the increasingly politicized terrain of religious identity in contemporary India and the effects of economic liberalization on caste identity and everyday religious practices and lives. She has authored articles and book chapters on these topics as well as The Powerful Ephemeral: Everyday Healing in an Ambiguously Islamic Place (University of California Press, 2011). Her latest book, As We Love and Fear a Father: Shani, Devotional Religion, and Neoliberalism in Urban Northern India will be published in 2025 by Oxford University Press as part of the American Academy of Religion's Religion and Culture series.

Trained in the field of Religious Studies, Professor Bellamy holds a PhD and MPhil in South Asian Religion from Columbia University and an MTS in World Religion from Harvard Divinity School. At Baruch, Professor Bellamy has served as Chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology and has held leadership roles on the Executive Committee of Baruch’s Faculty Senate.

Education

Ph.D., Religion, Columbia University

MPhil, Religion, Columbia University

M.T.S., Religion, Harvard University

B.A., Religion and English, St. Olaf College

Semester	Course Prefix	Course Number	Course Name
Spring 2023	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Spring 2023	SOC	5000	Independent Study Sociology I
Fall 2022	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Fall 2022	ANT	3540	The Tradition of Islam
Fall 2022	AAS	3540	The Tradition of Islam
Fall 2022	SOC	3540	The Tradition of Islam
Fall 2022	REL	3540	The Tradition of Islam
Spring 2022	ANT	3085	Sel Topics Ant/Soc
Spring 2022	REL	3085	Spec Topics: Religion & Cult
Spring 2022	SOC	3085	Sel Topics Ant/Soc
Fall 2021	ANT	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Fall 2021	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Fall 2021	AAS	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Fall 2021	REL	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Fall 2021	SOC	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Summer 2021	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Summer 2021	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Spring 2021	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Spring 2021	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Fall 2020	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Fall 2020	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Spring 2020	AAS	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Spring 2020	SOC	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Spring 2020	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Spring 2020	ANT	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Spring 2020	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Spring 2020	REL	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Spring 2020	REL	5000	Independent Study REL I
Fall 2019	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Fall 2019	IDC	4050H	Hon Feit Hum Sem I
Spring 2019	REL	3540	The Tradition of Islam
Spring 2019	SOC	3540	The Tradition of Islam
Spring 2019	ANT	3540	The Tradition of Islam
Spring 2019	AAS	3540	The Tradition of Islam
Fall 2018	AAS	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Fall 2018	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Fall 2018	ANT	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Fall 2018	SOC	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Fall 2018	REL	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Spring 2018	SOC	5000	Independent Study Sociology I
Fall 2017	AAS	3821	South Asian Religion
Fall 2017	REL	3821	South Asian Religion
Fall 2017	ANT	3821	South Asian Religion
Fall 2017	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Spring 2017	REL	3540	The Tradition of Islam
Spring 2017	ANT	3540	The Tradition of Islam
Spring 2017	AAS	3540	The Tradition of Islam
Spring 2017	SOC	3540	The Tradition of Islam
Spring 2017	IDC	4050H	Hon Feit Hum Sem I
Fall 2016	SOC	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Fall 2016	AAS	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Fall 2016	REL	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Fall 2016	ANT	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Fall 2015	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Fall 2015	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Spring 2015	REL	3540	The Tradition of Islam
Spring 2015	AAS	3540	The Tradition of Islam
Spring 2015	ANT	3540	The Tradition of Islam
Spring 2015	IDC	3001H	Honors - People of New York
Spring 2015	SOC	3540	The Tradition of Islam
Fall 2014	REL	3821	South Asian Religion
Fall 2014	REL	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Fall 2014	SOC	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Fall 2014	AAS	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Fall 2014	ANT	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Fall 2014	ANT	3821	South Asian Religion
Fall 2014	AAS	3821	South Asian Religion
Spring 2014	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Spring 2014	AAS	3821	South Asian Religion
Spring 2014	REL	3821	South Asian Religion
Spring 2014	ANT	3821	South Asian Religion
Spring 2014	ANT	6002H	Honors II
Spring 2014	IDC	4050H	Hon Feit Hum Sem I
Fall 2013	ANT	6001H	Honors - Anthropology I
Spring 2013	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Spring 2013	IDC	1002H	Honors Chase Interdisciplinary
Spring 2013	ANT	1001H	Honors-Intro to Cul Anthro
Spring 2013	REL	3540	The Tradition of Islam
Fall 2012	ANT	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Fall 2012	AAS	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Fall 2012	SOC	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Fall 2012	SOC	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Fall 2012	REL	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Fall 2012	REL	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Fall 2012	AAS	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Fall 2012	ANT	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Fall 2012	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Spring 2012	REL	3821	South Asian Religion
Spring 2012	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Spring 2012	AAS	3821	South Asian Religion
Spring 2012	REL	3821	South Asian Religion
Spring 2012	ANT	3821	South Asian Religion
Spring 2012	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Fall 2011	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Fall 2011	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Fall 2011	IDC	4050H	Hon Feit Hum Sem I
Spring 2011	AAS	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Spring 2011	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Spring 2011	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Spring 2011	ANT	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Spring 2011	REL	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Spring 2011	REL	3540	The Tradition of Islam
Spring 2011	SOC	3175	The Lives of Hinduism
Spring 2010	REL	3540	The Tradition of Islam
Spring 2009	SOC	3085	Sel Topics Ant/Soc
Spring 2009	ANT	5000	Independent Study ANT I
Spring 2009	ANT	3085	Sel Topics Ant/Soc
Spring 2009	ANT	3085	Sel Topics Ant/Soc
Spring 2009	SOC	3085	Sel Topics Ant/Soc
Fall 2008	ANT	3085	Sel Topics Ant/Soc
Fall 2008	SOC	3085	Sel Topics Ant/Soc
Fall 2008	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Fall 2008	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Spring 2008	REL	3540	The Tradition of Islam
Spring 2008	ANT	3085	Sel Topics Ant/Soc
Spring 2008	SOC	3085	Sel Topics Ant/Soc
Fall 2007	SOC	3085	Sel Topics Ant/Soc
Fall 2007	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Fall 2007	ANT	1001	Intro to Cultural Anthropology
Fall 2007	ANT	3085	Sel Topics Ant/Soc
Summer 2007	REL	5000	Independent Study REL I
Spring 2007	REL	3540	The Tradition of Islam
Spring 2007	SOC	3085	Sel Topics Ant/Soc
Spring 2007	SOC	3085	Sel Topics Ant/Soc
Spring 2007	ANT	3085	Sel Topics Ant/Soc
Spring 2007	ANT	3085	Sel Topics Ant/Soc
Fall 2006	SOC	3085	Sel Topics Ant/Soc
Fall 2006	REL	3540	The Tradition of Islam
Fall 2006	ANT	3085	Sel Topics Ant/Soc

Books

Bellamy, C. (2011). The Powerful Ephemeral: Everyday Healing in an Ambiguously Islamic Place. University of California Press.

Journal Articles

Bellamy, C. (2021). Being Muslim the Chippa Way: Caste Identity as Islamic Identity in a Low-Caste Indian Muslim Community. Contributions to Indian Sociology, 55(2). 224-253.

Bellamy, C. G. (2020). Alternative Kingdoms. Comparative Studies of Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East, 40(3). 444-453.

Bellamy, C. (2014). The Age of Shani in Modern Delhi. Nidan: An International Journal for the Study of Hinduism , 22-41.

Bellamy, C. (2008). Person in Place: Possession and Power at an Indian Islamic Saint Shrine. Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion, 24(no. 1). 31-43.

(2006). Smoking is Good for you: Absence, Presence and the Ecumencial Appeal of Indian Islamic Healing Centers. International Journal of Hindu Studies, 10(no.1). 207-224.

Book Chapters

Bellamy, C. (2020). Is All Politics Local? Neighborhood Shrines and Religious Healing in Contemporary India. In Pratt Ewing, K., & Corbett, R. R. (Eds.), Modern Sufis and the State: The Politics of Islam in South Asia and Beyond (pp. 187-199). New York NY,USA. Columbia University Press.

Bellamy, C. (2018). Making Sacred Islamic Space in Contemporary India. In Pinkney, A., & Whalen-Bridge, J. (Eds.), Religious Journeys in India (pp. 11-36). Albany. SUNY Albany Press.

Bellamy, C. (2015). Shrines, Religious Healing, and Pilgrimage in South Asia. In Turner, B., & Salemink, O. (Eds.), Routledge Handbook of Religions in Asia (pp. 262-275). Routledge.

Bellamy, C. (2013). Another's World: Healing at Husain Tekri Sharif. In Kent, E., & Kassam, T. (Eds.), Lines in Water: Religious Boundaries in South Asia (pp. 57-77). Syracuse University Press.

Media Contributions

(2014). Real Money with Ali Velshi - Al Jazeera America.

(2013). Iridescent Films.

(2013). The New York Times.

Presentations

Bellamy, C. (2023, March 3). Saturn in Puranic and Contemporary Contexts (tentative title). Heavenly Bodies Over Asia. New Haven, CT: Yale University. In Progress.

Bellamy, C. (2021, February 28). Snake Oil or Healing Balm? Misfortune and its discontents in Modern Indian Temple Ritual. University of Heidelberg Medical Anthropology Forum. : University of Heidelberg.

Bellamy, C. (2021, March 31). In Our Stars or In Ourselves? Misfortune and its Discontents in Modern Indian Temple Ritual. Columbia University Seminar on South Asia.

Bellamy, C. (2019, October 17). App-otheosis: Texts and Contexts. Annual Confernce on South Asia, University of Wisconsin Madison. Madison, WI

Bellamy, C. (2018, October 23). Ephemeral Ephemerality: Missing Bodies and Omnipresent Smartphones in Contemporary Sufi Saint Shrine Culture. Annual Conference on South Asia. Madison, WI: University of Madison.

Bellamy, C. (2016, May 31). Alternative Kingdoms: Articulations of Autonomy and Authority at Husain Tekri Sharif. Stanford University. : Stanford University.

Bellamy, C. (2015, October 31). Aspects of Religious Diversity in Contemporary India. Indian Institute for Advanced Study. Simla, India

Bellamy, C. (2015, September 30). What a difference difference makes: religious diversity and the culture of Indian Islamic places of pilgrimage. Columbia University, Institute for Religion, Culture, and Public Life. : Columbia University, Institute for Religion, Culture, and Public Life.

Bellamy, C. (2015, March 31). Neoliberalism, Political Hinduism, and a New God in a New India. Committee for the Study of Religion. : Committee for the Study of Religion.

Bellamy, C. (2014, November 23). Religion or Tradition in the study of South Asian Religion. American Academy of Religion. San Diego, California: American Academy of Religion.

Bellamy, C. (2014, March 31). Islamic Places? Locating dargahs in the religious landscape of Modern India. Journeys of Practice hosted by Michigan State University.

Bellamy, C. (2013, February 28). Muslim Saint Shrines in Contemporary India. The Year of India at Queens College. New York, New York, USA: Queens College.

Bellamy, C. (2012, November 1). What We Talk About When We Talk About Dargahs. Providence, RI: Brown University.

Bellamy, C. (2012, November 19). Desperately Seeking Shani. American Academy of Religion. Chicago, IL, USA

Bellamy, C. (2012, February 18). Dargah Culture: Being Elsewhere in Contemporary India. : University of Pennsylvania.

Bellamy, C. (2012, February 9). Muslim Saint Shrines: Cosmopolitanism and Anonymity in Modern India. : McGill University.

Bellamy, C. (2011, November 17). I Spy a New Evil Eye. Textuality, Religious Difference, Embodied Practices, and a bit of Bhakti: A Symposium. : University of California, Santa Barbara.

Bellamy, C. (2011, October 14). . Carnegie Symposium on Sufism in South Asia. : Connecticut College.

Bellamy, C. (2009, April 23). Women in Contemporary Islam. After School Professional Development Course: Southern Asian Institute, Columbia University.

Bellamy, C. (2008, November 30). Exclusion, Incorporation, and Liberation: Prophethood and Martyrdom. American Academy of Religion.

Bellamy, C. (2008, November 30). Defending and defining Islam in Urdu and Hindi pamphlet literature. American Anthropological Association.

Bellamy, C. (2007, November 30). "Narratives of Pilgrimage to the Tombs of Muslim Saints in Jaora". San Diego, California: American Academy of Religion.

Bellamy, C. (2007, November 30). "The Hidden and the Other: Illness and Healing at Indian Muslim Saint Shrines". San Diego, California: American Academy of Religion.

Bellamy, C. (2007, May 22). South Asian Religion. Religious Diversity in America. Union Theological Seminary: Pennsylvania University School of Education.

Bellamy, C. (2007, June 22). Invited Guest Speaker, "South Asian Religions". New York: Union Theological Seminary.

Bellamy, C. (2007, November 1). South Asian Islam. Teacher Training Initiative at Southern Asian Institute, Columbia University.

Bellamy, C. (2006, November 30). Got Loban? Effacement, Abundance and the Cross-Tradition Appeal of Indian Islamic Healing Centers. American Academy of Religion. Washington, DC

Bellamy, C. (2004, April 30). Invited Presenter. "Praying Well With Others: the Paradox of Diversity and the Unanimity of Unity Among the Pilgrims of Husain Tekri". : Syracuse University/Cornell joint conference on South Asian Religion.

Bellamy, C. (2004, November 30). "Who Died and Left You in Charge? Or: Possession, Power and Religious Power and Religious Identity in Contemporary Northwestern India. : American Academy of Religion.

Bellamy, C. (2001, October 31). Husain Tekri Kya Hai. University of Wisconsin Annual Conference on South Asia.

Other Scholarly Works

Bellamy, C. (2007). "Diversity At Baruch. Winter 2007

Reviews

Bellamy, C. (2012,August 1). Review of Karen Ruffle's Gender, Sainthood, and Everyday Practice in South Asian Shi'ism. International Journal of Middle Eastern Studies.

Bellamy, C. (2012,June 1). Review of Teaching Religion and Healing in Medical Anthropology, Linda L Barnes and Ines M Talamantez, eds.. Medical Anthropology Quarterly.

Bellamy, C. (2011,January 1). Review of God of Justice: Ritual Healing and Social Justice in the Central Himalayas by William Sax. The Journal of Asian Studies: Journal of South Asian Studies.

Bellamy, C. (2009,April 1). Review of The Self Possessed by Fred Smith. International Journal of Hindu Studies.

Title	Funding Agency Sponsor	Start Date	End Date	Awarded Date	Total Funding	Status
Jaora and its Nawab: Religion, Authority, and Freedom in an Indian Muslim Princely State	PSC-CUNY 48	07/01/2017	06/30/2018	04/14/2017	2320	Completed
Misfortune and modernity	PSC-CUNY 43	07/01/2012	06/30/2013	04/17/2012	3485	Completed

Honor / Award	Organization Sponsor	Date Received	Description
Visiting Professor, L’École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales	L’École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales	2018	I was invited to deliver four lectures on my current research.
Mid-Career Faculty Fellowship	CUNY Grad Center	2014	Mid-Career Faculty Fellows are invited to participate in weekly seminars at the Graduate Center and they are also granted teaching release time at their home institutions.
Baruch College Rubin Fellow	Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art	2011	Rubin Fellows at Baruch College are charged with integrating the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art's resources with their own teaching, research, and the educational mission of Baruch College. Fellows serve a semester and may apply for support to continue work over the summer
Whiting Research Award	Baruch College	2010	Awarded for outstanding teaching. Award amount: 5,000 to be used for research purposes and/or buying out classes.
Whiting Research Award	Baruch College	2009	Awarded for outstanding teaching. Award amount: 8,000 to be used for research purposes and/or buying out classes.
2007 New Scholar of the Year Award	Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion, Divinity School, Harvard University	2008
Mellon Fellowship		2006
Mellon Fellowship		2006	Award also received: 1998-2001, 2002, 2004
Columbia University Department of Religion Summer Research Fellowship		2004
American Institute of Indian Studies Junior Research Fellowship (December 2002-2003)		2003	Dec. 2002 - Dec. 2003
Kevorkian Center Summer Fellowship for Intermediate Persian		2002
Mellon Fellowship (1998-2002)		2002
AIIS Academic Year Advanced Hindi Language Fellowship (2000-2001)		2001
Foreign Language and Area Studies Summer Fellowship for study of Hindi in India		1999
Departmental Distinction	St. Olaf College Department of Religion	1993	Wrote original senior thesis that earned departmental distinction and was first runner-up for the Junia Prize, a senior thesis award at St. Olaf College.

College

Committee Name	Position Role	End Date
Executive Committee, Faculty Senate	Committee Chair	Present
Executive Committee, Faculty Senate	Committee Member	Present
Department Executive Committee	Committee Member	Present
Department Chairman		7/31/2019
Faculty Senate	Committee Member	6/30/2019
Committee on Departmental events	Committee Member	7/31/2017
Committee on Human Subject Research	Committee Member	7/31/2017
Baruch Honors College	Committee Member	5/31/2015
Department Executive Committee	Committee Member	1/31/2015
Undergraduate Honors Committee	Committee Member	8/31/2014
Asian and Asian American Studies Committee	Committee Chair	5/31/2014
Undergraduate Honors Committee	Committee Member	5/31/2014
Departmental Meetings	Rapporteur for all department meetings	1/31/2013
Search Committee for new tenure-track hire	Committee Member	4/30/2012
Solutions Across Borders	Faculty discussion moderator	4/14/2011
Undergraduate Honors Committee	Committee Member	5/31/2010
Committee on the Library	Committee Member	5/31/2010
Asian American History Month at Baruch	Planned Special Events, including a film series and guest speakers	5/31/2009
Committee on Curriculum	Committee Member	5/31/2008
Learning Community Participant		12/31/2007
Committee on Departmental Events	Committee Member	9/30/2007
Committee on Human Subject Research	Committee Member	9/30/2007
Self-study Committee on Students Courses and Programs	Committee Member	9/30/2007

University

Committee Name	Position Role	Start Date	End Date
Seminar in the Humanities: Transculturations	Co-Chair	9/1/2012	10/31/2013

Professional

Organization	Position Role	Organization State	Organization Country	Start Date	End Date	Audience
Columbia University Seminar on South Asia	Chairperson			8/1/2016	Present
National Security Education Program	Grant Proposal Reviewer, External	District of Columbia	United States		Present	National
American Academy of Religion, Religion in South Asia Section	Chairperson	Georgia	United States		Present	National
Columbia University Seminar on South Asia	Chairperson	New York	United States		Present	International
Religion in South Asia Section, American Academy of Religion	Committee Chair			12/1/2013	12/1/2016
National Security Education Program	Reviewer, Grant Proposal			3/1/2013	3/31/2013
National Security Education Program	Reviewer, Grant Proposal			3/1/2012	3/31/2012
National Security Education Program	Reviewer, Grant Proposal			3/1/2011	3/31/2011