Sona Kaur, Media and the Romanticizing of Emotional Abuse in Intimate Relationships

SUMMARY OF RESEARCH
Sona examines how psychological/emotional abuse becomes romanticized in intimate relationships and the media’s role in this process. She is currently working on her dissertation study, in which she will interview women about their perceptions of abusive behaviors and unhealthy relationship dynamics (e.g., stalking, jealousy, possessiveness). Sona is interested in where women draw the line—when are these behaviors and dynamics romantic and considered a part of normal courtship practices and when do they become problematic? In another project, Sona is examining this topic through an analysis of the Netflix Original Show You. She will be exploring how romantic beliefs and gender stereotypes work together to romanticize abuse. Through this research, Sona hopes to differentiate between the process of normalizing abuse vs. romanticizing it.

BIO
Sona is currently a Ph.D. Candidate in Social Psychology at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC). She is interested in the relationship between gender, power, and various forms of violence against women, and studies how the media socializes viewers about these issues. Sona examines this line of research in both the Western and South Asian context. For instance, she has explored how Indian values (e.g., shame, honor), traditional cultural practices (e.g., arranged marriages), and exposure to sexualized media (i.e., Bollywood) may be implicated in violence against South Asian women. Sona has been involved in several outreach efforts around sexual violence and sexual harassment (SVSH), including interning at the Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network (RAINN) and working with UCSC’s Title IX Office.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SONA
UC Santa Cruz – Current P2R Mentors