'Third Talk' of Rongmei Scholars'Association held
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, October 25 2021:
In pursuance of rediscovering and upholding the identity of the Rongmei tribe, Rongmei Scholars' Association (RSA) organised its 'third talk' on October 23 through online platform.
The third edition featured a lecture on "Smaller Communities and Social Imagination" delivered by senior assistant professor of Department of Sociology, Delhi School of Economics, Dr Aphun Kamei, who is also the RSA president.
Focusing on smaller communities and their social responses to social processes and realities in contemporary society, Dr Aphun noted that the twin challenge of asserting identity and need for economic progress led to emergence of new form of social life.
He said that, firstly, one has to respond to the Western critical thinking that elements of cultural particularism (in India as well as in Northeast in particular) can produce universalization of social realities, and that, social themes and issues of India society can produce generalized theories.
The second challenge, he pointed out, is that the studies on the North East should be seen beyond "area study" or "Regional Study" which many scholars perceive as exclusive and limited in nature.
Moreover, social anthropologists should link the cultural particularistic elements found amongst the smaller communities to uni-versaiistic culture which are applicable to all societies, he stressed.
The speaker divided his presentation into six broad sub-themes although his main focus was on theoretical and conceptual framework.
Dr Aphun Kamei mentioned about the important aspect of cultural interaction between smaller and bigger communities where the former borrowed the cultural, trade and practices of the mainstream cultures.
He coined the term 'routinisation of culture' to refer to the cultural exchange between smaller communities and great tradition as it is a routine process among them.
He cited the lower caste imitation of upper caste cultures in Indian society.
'Routinization' process could lead to-serious conflict, as is seen in the case of Mujahir in Pakistan, Sinhala in Sri Lanka and Nepali migrants in Bhutan, he noted.
Smaller community came together and formed a generic name with a motive to safeguard their interests.
This new form of social life gives to identity crisis in smaller community.
He also noted that there challenges for smaller communities such as, to preserve their identity and to open up so that they prosper, grow and compete with the bigger community.
In doing so, there is a distortion in tradition making, he pointed out that and identified different factors in distortion of tradition making such as- migration, conversion, colonization, modernization, and globalization.
The speaker also emphasised that a new dimension of social life emerges with the cultural interaction through 'routinisation' and proposed the need to re-look the works of Western scholars oh Indian Societies and that themes of studies of the Northeast should be beyond 'area study' or 'regional study' based on the cultural interaction and imitation that has been taking place.
The virtual event was also attended by PhD scholar (Law), North Eastern Hill University, Meghalaya Paujaithai Gangmei and School of Human Studies, Ambedkar University Delhi Gangmuihei Kamei.
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