Quest for Identity, Autonomy and Development : The Contemporary Trends of Ethnic and Tribal Assertion in Assam, Vols. I and II

Contents: Vol. I: Preface. Introduction: Quest for identity, autonomy and development among the ethnic groups of Assam/C.J. Sonowal. I. Tribes, ethnic groups and political discourse in Assam: 1. Land, politics and tribal people in Assam: a historical genesis/C.J. Sonowal. 2. The sixth schedule: experiencing of tribal autonomy in Northeast India/M. Amarjeet Singh. 3. Fused decentralization: status of tribal specific autonomous councils in plains districts of Assam/Jayanta Krishna Sarmah. II. Identity, development and ethnic assertion: 4. The Mataks: a journey from religious identity to tribal identity/C.J. Sonowal. 5. The Morans and their struggle for political space/C.J. Sonowal and Ghanakanta Moran. 6. Scheduled tribe issue with special reference to the Koch Rajbongshis of Assam/Harendra Narayan Dutta. 7. The Chutiyas of Assam: social transformation from state subjects to Tribalism/Jibonti Deori. 8. Ethnic assertion, identity reconstruction and quest for tribal identity among the Tai-Ahoms/Tara Nath Dowerah.

Vol. I: III. Autonomy and development among the tribes of Assam: 10. Bodoland and ethnic conflict/J.J. Royburman. 11. Political participation of Bodo Women in the Bodoland Movement of Assam/Mini Bhattacharyya and D.N. Deka. 12. Socio-political assertion for the Bodos: an analysis/Susmita Sen Gupta. 13. From cultural solidarity to political assertion: a study among the Deoris of Assam/Anup Bharali and Bhupen Deori. 14. Ethnic assertion among the Karbis of Assam: a contextual study of Autonomy Movements in Karbi Anglong/Alaka Sharma. 15. Cultural revivalism and autonomy: a study among the Sonowal Kacharis of Assam/C.J. Sonowal. 16. Identity formation and political assertion among the Rabhas of Assam/C.J. Sonowal. 17. The Tiwas of Assam: ethnography and their quest for autonomy/Naren Das. 18. Quest for identity and autonomy among the Misings/Basanta Kumar Doley.

“Socio-political assertion of small communities across the world has been in vogue these days. While in some cases such assertions are attached with inherent emotion attached to ethnic identity and territorial entity, in case of Assam most of the contemporary assertions are directly related to the felt or perceived underdevelopment. Again, reason for such situation perceived to be attached with intentional or unintentional discrimination inflicted by certain elite or dominant group of people or community at large. Understanding the limited nature of response to sporadic and individual protest against such happenings, the communities have been seen generating solidarity sand enhancing their community feelings through certain campaigns. Thus contemporary Assam is flooded with varied sorts of socio-political disturbance in the state. This book records some of these events in details with critical instances of interface between tribal and other ethnic groups perception and action towards desired goals and existing political traditions and its working in the country.”