Author Description

"This book is an exploration on indigenous epistemology. It attempts to unearth the significance of indigenous knowing/being, enquiring into its very nature, construction, and acquisition, through the case of the Santhal built-form/dwelling. Contexted against the biospheric crises and influenced by post-development thoughts, the discourse links sustainability with indigenous knowledge systems utilizing the systemic approach based on the principles of entropy and nonlinear dynamics. The conclusions drawn over here are likely to render a perceptual construct that can help the civilized milieu break out of existing notions of "primitivity" or "exoticism" and better understand, appreciate, and conserve indigenous cultures and knowledge systems. The author argues that contrary to the conventional civilizing attempts going on for centuries, there should be a reversal in knowledge flow from the sustainable indigenous communities to the crisis-ridden mainstream society and it has to be bold and overwhelming." -- dust jacket flyleaf.