Development and the Tribal Question in India

Tribes and indigenous groups are viewed as the 'other', far removed from the non-tribal populace. This book examines India's growth story from the perspective of tribes – it places the experience of tribes at the centre while considering the multiple realities of different tribal communities across the country. This edited volume offers insights into the varying conditions of tribes across different states and communities by highlighting the complex and contesting nature of tribal development. It aims to understand the complexities of the interactions and negotiations between the state and tribal communities, while taking care not to group all tribal experiences as homogenous. The last few years have witnessed increasing violence being inflicted upon different tribal communities and further emphasized the otherization of these communities, whose contributions still remain largely ignored. With this context in mind, this volume offers much-needed insight and assimilates them into the wider scholarship which otherwise excluded their experiences.

Roluahpuia is Assistant Professor of Sociology at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Roorkee. His research interests broadly concern identity, nationalism, development, and borderland studies. He has previously published Nationalism in the Vernacular with the Press (2023).

Virginius Xaxa is a visiting professor at the Institute of Human Development (IHD), New Delhi. His research interests include sociological concerns of plantation labourers, tribal communities, agrarian structure and development, social exclusion and marginalization.