Changing Perspectives on Tribe in South Asia

The sociological relevance of categories such as ‘tribe’ and ‘indigeneity’ is increasingly being contested, and that certainly holds for its applicability in South Asia. It seems almost unavoidable that in South Asia a notion such as tribe (and the related adivasi) invokes a hierarchical perspective on culture. What is the political and cultural relevance of ‘tribe’ in India today, and how does it have a bearing on everyday life? Erik de Maaker will address these questions, drawing on his long-time ethnographic involvement with the Garo community of North East India.

The speaker
Dr Erik de Maaker, Assistant Professor, Institute of Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology, Leiden University