Mainstreaming the Marginalised : Fresh Perspectives on India?s Tribal Story

This book offers a comprehensive view of the relationship between the Indian tribes and the mainstream. It covers key topics such as health, education, development, livelihood, disability and culture, and presents new insights by focusing on the perspective of the 21st-century tribal youth of the country. The volume explores inclusive education for scheduled tribes children; mainstreaming tribal children; mental health and superstition; ageing and morbidity and psychological distress among elderly tribal population; empowerment via handicraft; livelihoods via non-timber forest produce; the Forest Right Act; the tribal sub-plan approach; tribal cuisine and issues of food; identity; myths and feminism. The book combines fresh research viewpoints with ideas on implementable solutions that would facilitate a more inclusive development for one of the most marginalized communities while highlighting critical issues and concerns.

An important intervention, this book will be useful to scholars and researchers of tribal studies, sociology, rural sociology, development studies, social anthropology, political sociology, politics, ethnic studies, sociolinguistics, education and public policy and administration.

Seemita Mohanty is Professor of English in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, India. Her current research interests include English language teaching, sociolinguistics and cultural studies. She has published three books, in addition to several publications in national and international journals of repute.