Sociology II · 10 marks · 150 words

Ethnicity and integration in the context of tribes

Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2016

Syllabus: Tribal communities in India: (a) Definitional problems. (b) Geographical spread. (c) Colonial policies and tribes. (d) Issues of integration and autonomy.

How toppers approached it

From all 3 answers · about 180 words.

Opening

  • A definition2 of 3
  • No separate opening1 of 3

Body

  • Continuous prose2 of 3
  • Points1 of 3

Close

  • No separate close2 of 3
  • A summary1 of 3

The toppers’ answers

Garima LekhwaniAIR 136 · CSE 2016 · 175 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening · a definition

Anthropologists like Malinowski have defined tribes as relatively isolated, homogeneous social groups following similar culture and way of life.

Body · continuous prose

Tribes constitute around 8% of India's population. But after India's independence, the country adopted V. Elwin's Tribal isolation policy (to repair the cultural dislocation caused by colonial rule as advocated by Desai) through Pt Nehru's Tribal Panchsheel formula.

However, failure of this policy led to a shift in approach towards continued integration as suggested by L.P. Vidyarthi (& Ghurye earlier) through Tribal sub plan scheme from 4th FYP onward.

However, integration of tribes remains an incomplete agenda due to policy failure, failure in implementation, continued exploitation, displacement, cultural rootlessness and state apathy making tribes sub citizens as indicated by Xaxa, Pathy, Fernandes.

This has led to ethnic mobilitation of tribes to fight for their rights and developing into sub-nationalism eg: Naga Movement, Bodoland Movement, due to failure of state to integrate them into the mainstream.

Close

The core persistence of the Naxalite movement over decades speaks volumes about the paradox of development and hence the ethnic mobilization.

More on Tribal Communities

Definitional problems, geographical spread, colonial policies, and integration and autonomy of tribes.

All Sociology II questions on Tribal Communities