EXCLUSION, DISCRIMINATION AND STRATIFICATION : Tribes in Contemporary India

Discourses on social exclusion, discrimination and inequality have emerged as defining characteristics of the 21st century social sciences. Tribes of India are subjected to various forms of exclusion and discrimination. Tribes living in the midst of castes encounter even more deeply embedded exclusion and deprivation.
Based on fieldwork, 24 in-depth village studies elucidate these issues in terms of collapse of livelihood opportunities and multiple practices of discrimination and denial rooted in economic, social and ritual spheres in this volume. In order to clarify concurrently intra-tribe, inter-tribe as also tribe-caste discrepancy, tribes are studied in numerous locations in rural India, including plains, hills and islands.
Articles in this volume explain how the tribespeople have steadily resisted the persistent repression and adopted strategies to defy ill-treatment. Affirmative action programmes, strengthening of statutory councils and electoral politics, diffusion of secular values and democratization processes have all facilitated tribespeople to show determination and fight for their rights. The rising trend of Adivasi awakening is a defining characteristic of contemporary India. Tribespeople are no longer silent spectators of coercion.
The book thus offers an insightful understanding of tribal survival strategies, social exclusion, discrimination and inequality. Scholars of Indian Sociology, Anthropology, History, Cultural Studies and Postcolonial Indigenous/Adivasi Studies will immensely benefit from this book.

Contents
1 Authority Pattern, Hybridization Process and Emerging Inequality in Nicobar Islands / A. Justin
2 Economic Deprivation, Occupational Innovations and Growing Social Stratification among the Lalungs of Assam / G.C. Ojha
3 Inter-Ethnic Competition, Deprivation and Changing Power Configurations: The Maans of Garo Hills / Sarit Kumar Chaudhury
4 Chieftainship, Vaishnavism and New Political System among the Noctes of Arunachal Pradesh / R.P. Athparia
5 Immigrant Encroachment, Economic Deprivation and Cultural Squeezing: The Lepchas of Sikkim-Darjeeling / J. Chakraborty
6 Matriliny, Christianity and Economic Inequality / Bibhash Dhar
7 Changing Village Economy, Religious Conversion and Social Exclusion: The Mech-Bodo of North Bengal / Krishna Mandal
8 ‘Primitive’ Economy, Politicization Process and Emerging Stratification among the Riangs of Tripura / Goutam Kumar Bera
9 Culture-Contact and Emerging Middle Class among the Santals / K. Mukhopadhyay
10 Economic Discrimination, Social Exclusion and Caste Hierarchy: The Mahalis of West Bengal / S. Chanda
11 Adivasi Economy, Slow Impact of Development and Discrimination: The Saora of Odisha / D.P. Biswas
12 Social Exclusion, Discrimination and Tribe-Caste Hierarchy: The Rajuars of Odisha / D.B. Mondal
13 Foraging to Agriculture: Nascent Class Formation among the Chenchus of Andhra Pradesh / Md. Azeez Mohidden and G.V. Ramana
14 Inter-Tribal Competition and Status Ranking among the Koya and Lambadi of Andhra Pradesh / M. Rajendra Prasad
15 Pre-Agricultural Economy, Deprivation and NGO induced Empowerment: The Soliga of Karnataka / S.N. Mahato
16 Pastoral Clanship, Regional Hierarchy and Social Exclusion: Changing Todas of the Nilgiris / Sibir Ranjan Das
17 Adivasi Solidarity, Social Movement and Empowerment: The Bhumia-Baiga of Madhya Pradesh / R.K. Sinha
18 Economic Deprivation, Adivasi Solidarity and Syncretic Religion: The Mawasi of Madhya Pradesh / Tamal Maity
19 Sectarian Movements, Changing Economic Relations and Inequality: The Dungri and Talat Warlis of Gujarat / Rajendra Sarkar
20 Poverty, Social Exclusion and Culture-Change: Emerging Inequality among the Bedias of Jharkhand / Tilak Bagchi
21 Changing Tribe-Caste Stratification and Secularization of a Kokna Tribal Village of Maharashtra / Debesh Roy
22 Bhotia Tribe-Caste Cluster, Religious-Secular Ranking and Social Exclusion in Uttarakhand / Mukul Hazra
23 Kinnaura Tribe-Caster Cluster, Status Ranking and Social Exclusion: Frontier Villages of Himachal Pradesh / Pranab Jyoti De
24 Ritual Hierarchy, Class Formation and Social Exclusion: The Gujjar of a Multi-Ethnic Village, Himachal Pradesh / R. Haider