Yasmin Saikia's work focuses on memory, identity, nationalism and gendered violence. She explores peace and ethics in the South Asia borderlands, Muslim communities in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

She is a professor of history in the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies. As the Hardt-Nickachos Endowed Chair in Peace Studies, she advances the study of peace with a more humanities-oriented approach by paying attention to culture and history, ethical values and individual and groups humanistic expressions.

Saikia takes the approach of studying of history as a “crossroads” discipline enabling connections with other disciplines, including religion, anthropology, women and gender studies, and philosophy.