Research

Three studies on how systems reshape society — and how they can be made more equitable.

Riya’s research explores what happens when systems designed to drive progress reshape human lives in unexpected ways. Her work examines how public policy influences autonomy and well-being, how algorithmic platforms redefine opportunity and inclusion, and how digital economies reshape power, identity, and relationships within families and communities. Drawing on sociology, public policy, economics, and technology, she moves beyond asking whether systems work to asking deeper questions: Who benefits? Who is unintentionally left behind? And how can these systems be reimagined to create more equitable outcomes?

Public Health • Bioethics • Social Policy

Published · Indian Journal of Clinical Practice · May 2026

Governing Longevity: Ethical and Social Trade-offs in Singapore's State-Led Health

Mentor: Priyanka Sethy, PhD Scholar, Harvard University

doi.org/10.59793/ijcp.v36i2.1363

This paper examines Singapore's emergence as the world's first engineered “Blue Zone 2.0,” where public policy, rather than culture alone, deliberately shapes health outcomes through housing, transportation, healthcare, and urban design. Drawing on public health ethics and political philosophy, Riya explores how state-led efforts to promote longevity can blur the boundaries between public good and personal autonomy, raising fundamental questions about who should define what it means to live well.

“What are the ethical implications of engineering health outcomes through top-down mandates?”

II.

Algorithmic Bias · Creator Economy · Digital Inclusion

Accepted — not yet published · SAGE Business Publishing · January 2027 issue

Algorithmic Inclusion or Revenue Optimization? Strategic Trade-offs in India's Creator Economy

Co-authored with Professor Justin O'Brien

DOI: 10.4135/9798348870638

This business case examines Animeta, an AI-powered creator-tech company navigating a fundamental strategic dilemma: whether to optimize for short-term profitability through established influencers or invest in building a more inclusive creator ecosystem. Drawing on her learnings in platform economics, strategic management, and technology studies, Riya examines how algorithmic design and business incentives shape visibility, opportunity, and market participation and whether long-term inclusion can become a competitive advantage rather than a commercial trade-off.

“When algorithms shape opportunity, whose success do they optimize for—and whose potential do they overlook?”

III.

Women's Economic Agency · Digital Entrepreneurship · Gender Norms

Accepted — not yet published · American Journal of Sociology · Expected October 2027

From Homemaker to Creator: An Investigative Sociological Study of Digital Identities and the Negotiation of Domestic Boundaries

Mentor: Priyanka Sethy, PhD Scholar, Harvard University

This study examines nearly 900 homemakers using Slurrp, a recipe-sharing platform where more than 750,000 women build audiences, earn income, and establish digital identities. Drawing on sociology, feminist political economy, and household bargaining theory, Riya investigates how digital entrepreneurship reshapes decision-making, economic agency, and household relationships, asking whether earning an income is enough to shift power within the home or whether deeply rooted patriarchal norms continue to determine who ultimately holds it.

“To what extent does women's success on digital platforms transform gender roles—and to what extent do existing patriarchal norms simply adapt to preserve the status quo?”