Ethnicity in North-East India
ASSIGNMENT | Emergence of Ethnicity in North-East | PAPER: STATE POLITICS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO NORTH-EAST INDIA. | | TEACHER: PROF. A.K BARUAH. | SUBMITTED BY:SHEMDORLANG KSHIAR.ROLL. NO- 29.Ist SEMESTER, 2010. |
Emergence of Ethnicity in North-East
Introduction
Under the present bourgeoise, state of India following of capitalist mode of development, numerous conflict and tension exists in every part of the country and it has been a menace threatening the stability of the state itself. North East India which can be conveniently described as a many replica of greater India in terms of diversities of nationalities, ethnic groups, etc. is no exception to the problem. In such a diversified social set up, ethnicity play a fundamental role both in the political, social and cultural realm of the society.
Etymologically, the word ethnicity is a conglomeration of two Greek words ‘ethnos’ and ‘ethnikos’ which implies the common ‘racial set up’ and cultural identity of the populations. Thus, the essence of ethnicity consists in the psychological make- up of a group of people possessing (or deem to possess) of belonging to a particular distinct race. In other words, members of the same ethnic group identify themselves with common culture, racial consciousness, cultural identity, and a belief in a common origin (often mythical) example, the folk traditions of the Garos, Khasis, the Jaintias, etc. It was David Reisman in 1953 who first used the term ‘ethnicity’ as a concept in social sciences. However, while attempting a discourse on ethnicity, it should be remember that it was no new a phenomena but it only changes its label and dimension. Also, ethnicity is not a ‘given’ but are social and political constructions of the elites to safeguard their own interests- both political and economic.
While analyzing the concept of ethnicity in the post world war era, David Brown content that ethnicity is an ideology which individuals employ to resolve the
Emergence of Ethnicity in North-East
Introduction
Under the present bourgeoise, state of India following of capitalist mode of development, numerous conflict and tension exists in every part of the country and it has been a menace threatening the stability of the state itself. North East India which can be conveniently described as a many replica of greater India in terms of diversities of nationalities, ethnic groups, etc. is no exception to the problem. In such a diversified social set up, ethnicity play a fundamental role both in the political, social and cultural realm of the society.
Etymologically, the word ethnicity is a conglomeration of two Greek words ‘ethnos’ and ‘ethnikos’ which implies the common ‘racial set up’ and cultural identity of the populations. Thus, the essence of ethnicity consists in the psychological make- up of a group of people possessing (or deem to possess) of belonging to a particular distinct race. In other words, members of the same ethnic group identify themselves with common culture, racial consciousness, cultural identity, and a belief in a common origin (often mythical) example, the folk traditions of the Garos, Khasis, the Jaintias, etc. It was David Reisman in 1953 who first used the term ‘ethnicity’ as a concept in social sciences. However, while attempting a discourse on ethnicity, it should be remember that it was no new a phenomena but it only changes its label and dimension. Also, ethnicity is not a ‘given’ but are social and political constructions of the elites to safeguard their own interests- both political and economic.
While analyzing the concept of ethnicity in the post world war era, David Brown content that ethnicity is an ideology which individuals employ to resolve the
Bibliography: Baruah, Sanjib, India Against Itself: Assam and the Politics of Nationality, New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2008. Brass, Paul R., The Politics of India since Independence, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992. Guido Bolaf, et al (ed.), Dictionary of Race, Ethnicity and Culture, London: Sage Publications, 2003. Sollors, Werner (ed.), The Invention of Ethnicity, New York: Oxford University Press, 1991. Verghese, B. G. (ed.), India’s North-East Resurgent: Ethnicity, Insurgency, Governance, Development, New Delhi: Konark Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 2004. Barbora, Sanjay, “Ethnic Politics and Land Use: Genesis of Conflicts in India 's North-East”, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 37, No. 13, Mar. 30 - Apr. 5, 2002, pp. 1285-1292. Gohain, Hiren, “Ethnic Unrest in the North-East”, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 32, No. 8 Feb. 22-28, 1997, pp. 389-391. Gohain, Hiren, “Once More on Ethnicity and the North-east”, Economic & Political Weekly, Vol. 31 No. 3, May 24, 2008. Hussain, Monirul, “State, Identity Movements and Internal Displacement in the North-East”, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 35, No. 51, Dec. 16-22, 2000, pp. 4519-4523. Manor, James, “ 'Ethnicity ' and Politics in India”, International Affairs (Royal Institute of International Affairs 1944-), Vol. 72, No. 3, July, 1996, pp. 459-475. Shimray, U. A., “Socio-Political Unrest in the Region Called North-East India”, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 39, No. 42, Oct. 16-22, 2004, pp. 4637-4643.