Hema Preya Selvanathan

I was born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I completed my PhD in social psychology (with a concentration in the psychology of peace and violence) at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (2019). I then moved to the University of Queensland for a postdoctoral research fellowship (2019-2021) and now I am a Lecturer (teaching & research academic) in social psychology. I am part of the Social Identity and Groups Network (SIGN).

A central theme guiding my work is that both social change and the maintenance of the status quo is often achieved through sustained group-based efforts. To this end, I conduct research around ongoing social and political issues using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods in laboratory, online, and field settings across different regions of the world. This research is only possible through close collaboration with my mentors, colleagues, and students. My research interests are: social change and intergroup relations; social movements and collective action; intergroup solidarity; intergroup conflict and reconciliation.