Mining, Displacement, and Matriliny in Meghalaya: Gendered Transitions

Description

This book studies how Development-Induced Displacement (DID) radically restructures gender relations in indigenous tribal societies. Through an indepth case study of the Indian state of Meghalaya, one of the few matrilineal societies of the world, it analyses how people cope with conflicts in their perception of self, family, and society brought on by the transition from traditional modes of living to increased urbanisation, and how these experiences are different for men and women. It looks at the ways in which this gendered change is experienced inter-generationally in different contexts of people's lives, including work and leisure activities. The book also investigates people's attitudes towards matrilineal structures and their perception of change on matriliny where mining has played a role in building their view of their matrilineal tradition. Drawing on extensive interviews with individuals directly affected by this phenomenon, the book, part of the Transition in Northeastern India series, makes a significant contribution to the study of DID. It will be useful for scholars and researchers of urbanisation, gender studies, Northeast India studies, development studies, minority studies, public policy, political studies, and sociology. Cover Half Title Series Page Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Table of Contents Acknowledgements List of abbreviations Introduction The book structure Chapter 1 . A gender analysis of development-induced displacement Chapter 2 . Reinventing narratives of displacement: Methodological considerations Chapter 3 . The context of Meghalaya Chapter 4 . Gender, mining, and matriliny in the Jaintia Hills Chapter 5 . “Growing up in a mining area”: Gendering labour, leisure, and mobility Chapter 6 . Intimacies and violence in the mines Chapter 7 . Gendering love, marriage, and reproductive health: The question of continuity and change Chapter 1: A gender analysis of development-induced displacement Mining-induced displacement: The magnitude Gender and mining Impacts of mining on women Impact of mining on gender relationship Gender- and development-induced displacement Resettlement literature in DID Displacement as a development crisis Gender critique of the DID literature Modernisation, eurocentrism, and the weakness of the DID literature Indigenous people as the subjects of analysis A framework for investigating the changing gender relations in DID Notes Chapter 2: Reinventing narratives of displacement: Methodological considerations Selection of case study Why life narratives Memory Data collection Selection of interviewees Fieldwork Ethical issues Limitations of the research Language Accounts of daily-ness Volatile situation in Meghalaya Notes Chapter 3: The context of Meghalaya The history of state formation in Meghalaya The Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia hills of Meghalaya Migration, ethnicity, and conflict in Meghalaya Migration from Nepal to Meghalaya Migration from Bangladesh to Meghalaya Christianisation in Meghalaya Meghalaya and matriliny Matrilineal system in Meghalaya Coal mining in Meghalaya Legalities of coal mining in Meghalaya Notes Chapter 4: Gender, mining, and matriliny in the Jaintia hills Men’s negative perception on matriliny Elite male support for matriliny Conservative masculinity and the problem of external threats Women’s voices of resistance Displacement, mining, and matriliny Notes Chapter 5: “Growing up in a mining area”: Gendering labour, leisure, and mobility The changing land relations and mining in Meghalaya Changing materiality and land ownership Occupational shifts Farming and orange Fishing and smoked fish Livestock Leisure, labour, and mobility Women in mining work Labour, mobility, and vision of the younger generations Notes Chapter 6: Intimacies and violence in the mines The context Domestic violence The migrant versus the tribal husband Sex work, sexual moralities, and mining in Meghalaya Changing sexual moralities Notes Chapter 7: Gendering love, marriage, and reproductive health: The question of continuity and change Love, marriage, and divorce in the past Role of religion across generations Love, marriage, and divorce in contemporary times Marriage registration Reproductive health across generations Stigma on abortion and contraception Sexuality, responsibility, and silence Notes Chapter 8: Conclusion Bibliography Appendix A Photographs Index