Tribal Society in India: An Anthropo-historical Perspective

Tribes have been romanticized or given up as lost people, but this study highlights their autonomy, unique social structure, and response to change. Historical processes have impacted their autonomy, and they have interacted with peasants and set models for emulation.

Format: Hardback
Length: 327 pages
Publication date: 15 January 2024
Publisher: Manohar Publishers and Distributors

Tribes have been subject to various portrayals in literature and popular culture, ranging from romanticized "primitives" to marginalized "lost people" on the periphery of Indian society. However, their autonomy, unique social structure, and response to change in complex situations have often been overlooked. This pioneering study combines historical and anthropological perspectives to shed light on the dynamics of change in tribal society and its broader connections. Like other segments of Indian civilization, tribal society has been an integral part of the country's history and has been influenced by dominant social formations. Similar historical processes have impacted its autonomy, and its isolation has been relative rather than absolute, particularly in middle India. According to this study, the roots of change can be traced back to state formation, the transfer of technology, and cultural contact. Tribes and peasants interacted extensively, with tribes often serving as models for emulation in certain regions.

Dimension: 254 x 203 x 50 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789388540858