Research
I am researching the role of heritage in defining identity in India, from the perspectives of the nation state and of minority groups.
As the nation state of India develops both economically and as a player on the world stage, the identity that the state and individual Indians of various backgrounds choose for themselves and to project to the greater world, will to a not insignificant degree be influenced by knowledge and interpretation of the past.
My research is thus focused on how archaeology is used to create and reinforce national identities in India. The focus will be on both the indigenous tribes (adivasi) in the region of Madhya Pradesh, and the nation state of India itself.
Central questions are:
- What is the history of archaeology in India, and what rules have governed who has participated in it until now?
- How do adivasi access and participate in archaeology, and for what reasons?
- In what ways does the nation state use archaeology to form an ‘Indian’ identity?
- To what degree do the state and adivasi cooperate, or potentially oppose each other in this?