‘We are mere insects with a dark past.' Understanding Development, the State, and Ethnicity in Tripura

Abstract

The thesis examines the impact of state-led development on the Reang ethnic minority of Tripura (Northeast India). Tripura is a border territory subjected to dramatic political change in the last century. Development shapes the relations between the state and ethnic minorities particularly those living in the margins such as the Reangs. Development is used to civilise, formalise and empower marginalised communities creating complex encounters with modernity. Communities often resist or reject development; actions which have become the main focus in academic and policy writings. However, by analysing the Reang experience of development, this thesis challenges the commonly held notions that Reang are either incapable of development or actively reject or resent development. Reang experiences of development reveal a desire for inclusion and participation, altering intra-tribal dynamics and also in their relationships with the dominant Bengali community. I argue that for the Reangs, state-led development is desired, pursued and remains integral to how they see their place in contemporary India. Development is subject to contestation and even resistance, but also acquiescence. This complexity is best seen through analysis of changing ethnic identity, migration and gender. The thesis has two conclusions. First, the postcolonial Indian state homogenises the Reangs through development policies that cause economic, livelihood and gender-based uncertainties. Furthermore the state continues to reproduce ethnic categories that homogenise the Reangs and thus development policies do not adequately address these uncertainties. Yet, the Reang case demonstrates complex ways in which tribal subjects engage with the modern state that calls for a much greater attention to minority experiences with development and their position within the modern state. Second, development creates complex internal ruptures and fissures within the Reang population. These fissures reflect both the promises of development and its failures and the various ways in which members of the Reang community in Tripura respond.