Conceptual and Methodological Problems in a Study of Tribal Movements

Abstract

The article examines the conceptual ambiguities and problems of categorisation associated with tribal studies. It discusses the methodological concerns in tribal studies both from etic and emic perspectives. The dilemmas surrounding the various concepts used to categorise the tribes or indigenous peoples are another features of the article. The scarce or complete absence of empirical evidence in some of the tribal communities has rendered an emic perspective to a position open to the question of subjectivity. It is observed that in their attempt to salvage their place in human history or history of their right to self-determination, certain events were examined from conflicting perspectives with an attempt to reorient the history in favour of their own tribes. Certain concepts that do not conform to the events described are employed in categorising the movements. The conceptual and methodological problems in tribal studies are then followed by studies of movements and their significance in tribal studies. Reiterating the conceptual difference and the political implications of the difference between the concepts ‘tribe’ and ‘indigenous’, the article examines the intricacies related to various movements in tribal areas and the methodological problem in placing them in either of tribal movement or indigenous movement.