National colloquium on "Metamorphoses of the Political: Voices from the Margins of West Bengal"

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The Department of Anthropology in collaboration with ICAS:MP or the M.S. Merian - R. Tagore International Centre of Advanced Studies - an Indo-German research Collaboration has organised a two-day research colloquim "Metamorphoses of the Political: Voices from the Margins of West Bengal". 

The concept note is as follows



The department was fortunate enough to get some of the most important intellectual personalities working on West Bengal today. See below.

However, they have worked as discussants to improve already well researched articles prepared by a bunch of young scholars on the caste questions see below:



The department is indebted to all the committee members (as follows):



The aim of this workshop was to go beyond the two major theoretical positions, first, the Bengal exceptionalism which claims that caste question is never the political dynamics of West Bengal, and second, a conception that caste question ends at Matua or Rajbanshi movements only. Instead the paper presenters have talked about Pundro, Bagdi, Dule, Dom, Malo and several other (see the above two photos) and showed their complicated historical positions having contemporary socio-political relavance. 

The colloquium was concluded with several key understandings of the complexity of the caste question in West Bengal. Some of these are 
a) The multiple and complex interplay of caste issues intra and inter caste.
b) While education is major parameter along with health aspects for lower caste assertion and the lack of it, there is also the aspect of spatial distribution and conflciting interests among the caste groups that make the caste question relevant and which needs further study.
c) It is important to look at the habits and practices which castes continues and changes to understand the caste dynamics in West Bengal
d) There is a question of hierarchy within castes, within caste further oppression experience and continuation of mutual dislike that solidifies and yet multiplies caste identities in West Bengal.

Furthermore, the workshop ended with a strong suggestion that the papers must try to make their historical narratives compatible with the contemporary political atmosphere especially within the frame of Hindutva. The questions however, remained that one needs to see, if castes can withstand the Hindutva metanarrative or empower it.

The famous Bengali quarterly, Anushtup will publish these articles in a dedicated volume, which is expected to be pathbreaking one, one of its kind.

Following are some of the moments of the workshop.










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