Anthropology short notes · Paper 2

Tribe and nation state

8.2 Tribe and nation state—a comparative study of tribal communities in India and other countries.

Short notes

Tribe and nation state

Tribe And Nation State

Definition

Tribes often became part of nation-states without their consent (esp. border/buffer zones).

Thinkers

  • Ernest Gellner — four steps of national identity: shared formal education; cultural homogenisation; language standardisation; anonymity among members that produces a feeling of sameness.
  • Christophe Jaffrelot — two-step rise of Hindu nationalism: stigmatise an ‘other’ as a common enemy; then unify Hindus across caste, class and region.

A Comparative Study Of Tribal Communities In India And Other Countries

Definition

Studies one culture deeply | Compares many cultures