RESOURCES, TRIBES AND DEVELOPMENT: Competing Interests and Contours of Possibilities

The papers included in this volume primarily focus on contradicting perspectives, competing interests and emerging outcomes when the relation between tribes and their resource perceptions shifts along the line of corporate-induced development projects. Precisely, it is a compendium of issues related to development induced displacement. With distinct analytical frames and empirical findings, the papers, contributed by the experts in the field – academics, bureaucrats and activists alike – unambiguously present a critique to perspectives of people’s development within the frame of contemporary development discourse. In a broad sense the relation between ecology and economy has been examined through the papers with reference to specific contexts in development practices where resource perception and utilization are contested by traditional and commercial users. No doubt, the book will be handy for anyone who needs/wants to know the full range of issues on tribal development vis-à-vis mega projects.

M.C. Behera is Professor in Tribal Studies at Arunachal Institute of Tribal Studies, Rajiv Gandhi University, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh. He also served as Professor of Indigenous Culture Studies and Dean, School of Cultural Studies, Central University of Jharkhand. He has been pursuing researches on Tribal Studies and Rural Economics from mid-1980s. He has authored/edited/co-edited 25 books on socio-economic and cultural life of tribal and rural people. To his credit, he has about sixty research papers published in various national and international journals/periodicals. He is member of many professional bodies.

Jumyir Basar, Associate Professor at Arunachal Institute of Tribal Studies, Rajiv Gandhi University, Itanagar. Dr Basar is also an Associate at IUC, Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla. She is actively involved with an NGO and women movements in the state. Her research interest includes social exclusion, women issues vis-à-vis development interventions. She has presented more than 25 papers in national and international seminars.