Fimmtudaginn 13. október kl. 12:00-13:00 mun Ragnhild Lund, prófessor í landafræði við Norska tækni- og vísindaháskólann (NTNU) í Þrándheimi, flytja hádegisfyrirlestur um aktívisma meðal Adivasi-kvenna á Indlandi í stofu 102 á Háskólatorgi. Fyrirlesturinn, sem fer fram á ensku, kallar hún „Re-thinking Gender in Complex Asia: New Activism among Adivasi Women“. Sjá lýsingu á fyrirlestrinum á ensku hér fyrir neðan.

Summary

This paper explores the significance of collective agency of tribal (Adivasi) women’s activist groups in Orissa, India.  Based on a pilot study in Sundergarh and Rayagada districts, it is found that the present mining-based industries have lead to forced displacement, increasing poverty and erosion of resources and rights among poor Adivasi men and women. Under the neo-liberalist regime of the state, tribal women have scaled up their resistance by allying with other activist groups. They have become more professional and strategic in their action and visibility, and hence more effective.  On the one hand such “new activism” remains insignificant particularly when their constitutional rights and status are being systematically eroded by the state and global actors. On the other hand, however, such activism has given tribal women political recognition which can no more be ignored by the ruling class in the country.