Quest for identity : Gender, Land and Migration in Contemporary Jharkhand

The book offers an ethnographic analysis of Adivasi social dynamics – the economic trajectories, ecological environment and gender relations – over two decades of political-economic contingencies and change, adding to knowledge alongside offering useful lessons for policy and practice.

This book lays bare the reality of being an Adivasi in India today and beyond that a woman in a globalising world, building commonalities with the author's own personal experiences and life trajectory. The lived experiences of Santal women and men are unfolded here along with the political and economic changes after Jharkhand State was created. Using ethnographic methods, it weaves a multi-dimensional and multi-relational mosaic of the lives and livelihoods, the struggles for resources, gender identities and new narratives of citizenship. Ordinary peoples' everyday struggles for survival with dignity and respect form the core of the analyses. Rich in field insights, the gender lens adopted gives a fresh perspective to understanding issues of land and labour, indigenous identity, political aspirations and state relations. It contributes significantly to the slim literature on Adivasi development in Jharkhand and fills a gap in knowledge on gender relations.