DISADVANTAGED TRIBES OF INDIA: Regional Concerns

As India industrialised, the tribals have been losing their homes and livelihoods due to development projects, dams, mining, etc. for the benefit of non-tribals. The tribal regions in India are blessed with abundant natural resources but these natural resources are being diverted to the interest of non-tribal development. On close examination, we can easily state that it has been the state, market and even civil society that are the reasons for the disadvantage of the tribes.

Most of the chapters in this volume are micro-level studies with reference to a particular region or a tribe. However, the chapters in part one of this volume deal with policy concerns at national level. The tribal issues discussed in this volume are culture, development, globalisation, health, identity politics, language, policy, poverty, violence and women, with reference to a particular region or with a specific tribe. While building various arguments on the issues concerned, one can connect the role of state-market-media in the forefront, either directly or indirectly. Therefore, the interconnection and role of these three would always be debated while discussing tribal issues in the Indian context. Overall the book tries to present a comprehensive analysis on the reasons for tribal exclusion in India.