Author Description

The general understanding about tribes in India is somewhat hazy, confusing and, at times, biased. Tribes are almost invariably equated with marginalized, deprived, or disadvantaged groups. With the rapid change of the so-called 'development' scenario, it is imperative to re-examine and re-assess tribes in the Indian context with an emphasis on tribal formation in the context of: geographical location, historical perspective, ethnicity-linked development and displacement, fallacy of administrative categorization, identity politics, economic priorities, and growing political consciousness. Tribes in India do not form a unified category and not all of them could be described in a unilateral manner. There is a need to rethink the one-sided view of tribes in terms of social exclusion and inclusion propagated by those who are primarily engaged in academic theorizing and by those who, in the name of governance, use it rather mechanically as a set pattern. This volume presents realities, issues, and challenges confronting tribes in various contexts in contemporary India. Besides tribal activists and policy makers, this book will be of interest to a broad spectrum of readers, including researchers and students of anthropology, sociology, political science, economics, tribal studies, and social work. It is a substantial contribution to tribal studies in India, looking beyond a mere inclusion and exclusion perspective. [Subject: South Asian Studies, Sociology, Tribal Studies, Anthropology]