Churnjeet Mahn MA MSc PhD is a Professor of English and Deputy Associate Principal for Research and Knowledge Exchange at the University of Strathclyde. Her research investigates the history and practice of travel with reference to race, sexuality, and theories of cultural value, especially in heritage.

Her early work investigated the competing discourses of Orientalism, Hellenism and Philhellenism in Greece in the wake of its independence from the Ottoman Empire. After this, she worked on a transnational project which took a comparative approach to post-Partition heritage in Ireland, Israel/Palestine and India in the context of memory and reconciliation.

Her current research considers cultural belonging and heritage amongst queer South Asians in Britain. Through her work in the heritage sector, she’s been part of award-winning research in India (2023 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation – Award of Excellence) and Scotland (2023 Best in Heritage for Curating Discomfort).

She also served on the Steering Group for Empire, Slavery and Scotland’s Museums and is currently a trustee of the organisation creating Scotland’s first dedicated museum to the legacy of empire, slavery and colonisation.

She has collaborated with Society of Antiquaries of Scotland across several initiatives, including two funded projects from the AHRC that have involved developing new engagements, methods, and practices to enhance the reach of the Society’s work.