People, Cultures and Societies: Exploring and Documenting Diversities – serie

This book explores how social discrimination in South Asia contributes to health disparities and impedes well-being. Specifically, it addresses how marginalization shapes health outcomes, both under normal circumstances and specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic. Coming from diverse backgrounds and representing different academic disciplines, the authors have contributed a range of chapters drawing from quantitative and ethnographic material across South Asia. Chapters address reservation politics, tribal lifeways, Dalit exclusions from governmental institutions, Muslim ghettoization, gendered domestic violence, social determinants of health among migrant workers, and the pandemic fallout across South Asian society, among other subjects. Scholars draw on decades of experience and firsthand ethnographic fieldwork among affected communities. The chapters provide an innovative analysis, often in real time, of the human toll of casteism, classism, patriarchy, and religious intolerance—many set against the spectre of COVID-19. Many authors not only present social critiques but also offer specific policy recommendations. The book is of great interest to social scientists, public health practitioners, and policy advocates interested in addressing systemic inequalities and ensuring that future pandemics are not disproportionately felt by the most vulnerable.

This book explores how social discrimination in South Asia contributes to health disparities and impedes well-being. Specifically, it addresses how marginalization shapes health outcomes, both under normal circumstances and specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic. Coming from diverse backgrounds and representing different academic disciplines, the authors have contributed a range of chapters drawing from quantitative and ethnographic material across South Asia. Chapters address reservation politics, tribal lifeways, Dalit exclusions from governmental institutions, Muslim ghettoization, gendered domestic violence, social determinants of health among migrant workers, and the pandemic fallout across South Asian society, among other subjects. Scholars draw on decades of experience and firsthand ethnographic fieldwork among affected communities. The chapters provide an innovative analysis, often in real time, of the human toll of casteism, classism, patriarchy, and religious intolerance—many set against the spectre of COVID-19. Many authors not only present social critiques but also offer specific policy recommendations. The book is of great interest to social scientists, public health practitioners, and policy advocates interested in addressing systemic inequalities and ensuring that future pandemics are not disproportionately felt by the most vulnerable.

This book examines various aspects of ethnomedicine and tribal healing practices, including its importance for inclusion and integration from a health systems perspective. Tribal healing practices is an under-studied component in healthcare system, health policy and health systems research. The book consists of original research papers based on empirical studies done by anthropologists, sociologists, public health practitioners and research scientists in various parts of India. It discusses issues of non-codified folk healing, with a focus on the therapeutic ideas and practices of tribal communities, located in anthropological theory and methods. It has a balance of empirical papers, review and theoretical papers,  not only explaining ‘what is inside the healing practices’ but also touching upon the question of ‘why’ and delving into ‘what should be’ looking into the possibility to apply it for a larger good i.e., health care for all. This book discusses several important issues related to legitimacy, evidence and efficacy, recognition, certification and integration, protection and preservation, bio-piracy and bioprospecting, benefit sharing and intellectual property rights, sustainable use of medicinal herbs and conservation of nature and natural resources, biodiversity and possibilities of mainstreaming tribal healing. It is of interest to students and researchers from medical anthropology, medical sociology, cultural geography, liberal studies, tribal studies, ecology, sustainability and development and public health.

This book examines various aspects of ethnomedicine and tribal healing practices, including its importance for inclusion and integration from a health systems perspective. Tribal healing practices is an under-studied component in healthcare system, health policy and health systems research. The book consists of original research papers based on empirical studies done by anthropologists, sociologists, public health practitioners and research scientists in various parts of India. It discusses issues of non-codified folk healing, with a focus on the therapeutic ideas and practices of tribal communities, located in anthropological theory and methods. It has a balance of empirical papers, review and theoretical papers,  not only explaining ‘what is inside the healing practices’ but also touching upon the question of ‘why’ and delving into ‘what should be’ looking into the possibility to apply it for a larger good i.e., health care for all. This book discusses several important issues related to legitimacy, evidence and efficacy, recognition, certification and integration, protection and preservation, bio-piracy and bioprospecting, benefit sharing and intellectual property rights, sustainable use of medicinal herbs and conservation of nature and natural resources, biodiversity and possibilities of mainstreaming tribal healing. It is of interest to students and researchers from medical anthropology, medical sociology, cultural geography, liberal studies, tribal studies, ecology, sustainability and development and public health.

The present book examines cultural diversities of Northeast India. The sixteen essays included in the volume cover various aspects of cultural forms and their practices among the communities of Northeast. The present volume is expected to serve as a bridge between vanishing cultural forms and their commodification, on the one hand, and their cultural ritual origins, evolution and significance in identity formation, on the other. The book analyses continuity of cultural forms, their representations and often their reinventions under globalisation. Further, the book underlines historical forces such as colonialism and religious conversion that have transformed communities and their cultural practices. Yet some of the pre-colonial, ritual-performative traditions hold on. Through insightful analyses, this book offers an informed view of the region’s historical, ethnic and cultural practices. It is expected that the volume will be useful for scholars and students interested in Northeast studies.

The present book examines cultural diversities of Northeast India. The sixteen essays included in the volume cover various aspects of cultural forms and their practices among the communities of Northeast. The present volume is expected to serve as a bridge between vanishing cultural forms and their commodification, on the one hand, and their cultural ritual origins, evolution and significance in identity formation, on the other. The book analyses continuity of cultural forms, their representations and often their reinventions under globalisation. Further, the book underlines historical forces such as colonialism and religious conversion that have transformed communities and their cultural practices. Yet some of the pre-colonial, ritual-performative traditions hold on. Through insightful analyses, this book offers an informed view of the region’s historical, ethnic and cultural practices. It is expected that the volume will be useful for scholars and students interested in Northeast studies.

The volume explores the vital role of indigenous knowledge systems in addressing today's most pressing environmental and resource management challenges. Its chapters present a compelling case for integrating traditional ecological knowledge into modern development frameworks. Drawing on real-world case studies from diverse ecological zones across India—from tribal forest stewardship in the Northeast to organic farming in the Western Ghats—it highlights how community-led practices foster ecological resilience, economic sustainability, and local empowerment.The book critically examines the impact of state policies, conservation models, and development interventions on traditional systems. It also explores participatory approaches, knowledge co-creation, and community-driven innovation as pathways to inclusive and sustainable resource governance.Rich in field narratives, policy analysis, and interdisciplinary insights, this book is an essential resource for environmentalists, development practitioners, sustainability researchers, civil society actors, and students of indigenous knowledge and ecological justice.

This book investigates the widespread and persistent human rights violations against Dalits in India, with a focus on the erstwhile central Bihar from 1977 to the present day. Drawing on historical data, field interviews, judicial records, and human rights reports, the book presents a searing account of caste carnages, institutional failures, and the lived realities of marginalization and resistance. Key themes include the role of radical groups and civil society in raising awareness, the complicity and neglect of state institutions, and the urgent need for constitutional accountability and social reform. By weaving together theory, field research, and international human rights frameworks, this book uniquely situates Dalit rights within both Indian and global contexts.This book is a valuable resource on Dalit human rights, ideal for researchers, students, and general readers. It serves as a reference for courses in human rights, social exclusion, anthropology, political science, sociology, and South Asian studies and is suitable for both undergraduate and postgraduate reading lists.

This book goes beyond the conventional understanding of social stratification in India. It provides a comprehensive overview of the problem of caste and subcaste discrimination, including different forms, and its impact on Dalits. It challenges the status quo and offers a vision for a more just and equitable India. It describes disparities in the economic status by discussing the empirical evidence from the field. The chapters discuss sociocultural, economic and healthcare access to marginalized social groups. It also illustrates through lived experiences and narratives how a hierarchical grouping of sub-castes is based on their perceived occupational purity. The book offers ways to address the stated challenges to achieve the goal of an inclusive society. It reflects the policy reforms that may play a role in bridging the gap within Dalits while also bridging the gap between Dalits and other sections of society. The book interests scholars and activists in understanding the complexities of social stratification, social exclusion and inclusion, vulnerability and subjectivity, marginalized sections of society and their impact on people's lives.

This book presents the intersectionality between ethnicity and disability in the peripheral region of Northeast India. It familiarises the readers with micro issues, local cultural imagination, and social navigation of disability. It explores the region's social imaginary associated with disability through literary, cultural, folk, and historical narratives. It also reveals the material realities of disability with empirical investigation. It includes chapters on the literary representation of disability, the portrayal of disability through cinema, disability jurisprudence, disability rights, and the role of institutions in addressing the issue of disability in the region. The chapters present empirical, ontological as well as qualitative research. It widens the scope of understanding the limitation of disability-related provisions in India by locating the issue in the cultural landscape of Northeast India. The book dwells upon the experiential terrain of disability. It is a valuable resource for social science scholars, particularly researchers of disability studies, social work, literature, social science disciplines, North East studies, NGO activists, disability activists, and policymakers.

This book presents the intersectionality between ethnicity and disability in the peripheral region of Northeast India. It familiarises the readers with micro issues, local cultural imagination, and social navigation of disability. It explores the region's social imaginary associated with disability through literary, cultural, folk, and historical narratives. It also reveals the material realities of disability with empirical investigation. It includes chapters on the literary representation of disability, the portrayal of disability through cinema, disability jurisprudence, disability rights, and the role of institutions in addressing the issue of disability in the region. The chapters present empirical, ontological as well as qualitative research. It widens the scope of understanding the limitation of disability-related provisions in India by locating the issue in the cultural landscape of Northeast India. The book dwells upon the experiential terrain of disability. It is a valuable resource for social science scholars, particularly researchers of disability studies, social work, literature, social science disciplines, North East studies, NGO activists, disability activists, and policymakers.

The book sheds light on the worldwide movement of indigenous people in India. It discusses the origin of indigeneity, the applicability of the indigenous identity in the international context, the growing awareness of the indigenous citizens about their rights and the UNO Declarations and ILO initiatives to incorporate the indigenous voices into the global affairs. It focuses on the process of the decolonization of research methodology and paves the way for an indigenous research methodology. The book thoroughly discusses the indigenous literary initiatives, their struggle against exclusion and rejection and their aspirations. The chapters present the institutionalization of indigeneity in India through various means since the inception of colonial rule. It analyses the institutionalized indigeneity either by being inclusive or eliminative through the creation of a tribal state like Jharkhand, indigenous subsistence economic patterns like shifting cultivation and its recent legislation, indigenous film making, literature, education systems, research institutions and funding in its various chapters. The volume focuses on documenting the process of institutionalizing indigeneity in the Indian context with references taken from all the corners of the indigenous peoples’ world. It is a valuable resource for policymakers, law practitioners, development analysts, historians, social science scholars, environmentalists, political scientists, sociologists, and administrators. It is also helpful for those who are researching on tribes and indigenous peoples.

The book sheds light on the worldwide movement of indigenous people in India. It discusses the origin of indigeneity, the applicability of the indigenous identity in the international context, the growing awareness of the indigenous citizens about their rights and the UNO Declarations and ILO initiatives to incorporate the indigenous voices into the global affairs. It focuses on the process of the decolonization of research methodology and paves the way for an indigenous research methodology. The book thoroughly discusses the indigenous literary initiatives, their struggle against exclusion and rejection and their aspirations. The chapters present the institutionalization of indigeneity in India through various means since the inception of colonial rule. It analyses the institutionalized indigeneity either by being inclusive or eliminative through the creation of a tribal state like Jharkhand, indigenous subsistence economic patterns like shifting cultivation and its recent legislation, indigenous film making, literature, education systems, research institutions and funding in its various chapters. The volume focuses on documenting the process of institutionalizing indigeneity in the Indian context with references taken from all the corners of the indigenous peoples’ world. It is a valuable resource for policymakers, law practitioners, development analysts, historians, social science scholars, environmentalists, political scientists, sociologists, and administrators. It is also helpful for those who are researching on tribes and indigenous peoples.

This book examines the status of public health care services to marginalised and disadvantaged populations in India, sociological perspectives on illness and health, and manifest perceptions of illness and health. It emphasizes the need to address the longstanding issue of discriminatory practices towards specific caste-based occupational communities, such as the Hadis. It provides in-depth insights into the various stages of health-seeking behavior, the significance of healers within the social fabric of the Hadi caste, and the complex interplay of agencies and institutions that shape the perceptions of conservancy and menial workers regarding illness and health. The chapters unravel layers and sites of agencies and institutions shaping the perceptions of conservancy and menial workers about illness and health. It offers an avenue of research to readers and scholars interested in understanding perceptions of illness and health among caste-based occupational groups in India with the help of intensive fieldwork data. This book is intended for a diverse audience, including policymakers, urban development practitioners, ethnographers, public health academics, anthropologists and sociologists.

This book reveals the history of the Vatican’s ethnographic collections by exploring the imperial, scientific, technological, and religious agendas behind its collecting and curating practices in the early twentieth century. It focuses on two principal contributors: the academic, priest, and ‘Pope’s Curator’, Father Wilhelm Schmidt, SVD, and the missionary and linguist, Father Franz Kirschbaum, SVD. Their narratives are embedded in a unique set of comparisons between the ‘liberal humanist ideals’ that underpinned the 1851 Great Exhibition, mid-nineteenth-century German museology, and the 1925 Pontifical Missionary Exhibition. It relates to the period of high colonialism and rampant missionary activity worldwide. It unravels the complicated political and ideological stance taken by the Catholic Church and its place within the science/religion debates of its time. Establishing an essential link between the secular and catholic practices of collecting and curating ethnographic objectsfrom non-Western traditions, the author proposes a broader framework for post-colonial approaches to scholarly studies of ethnographic collections, including those of the Catholic Church. This book appeals to students and scholars of anthropology, museum studies, history, art history, religion, politics, and cultural studies.