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The North East Region of India, comprising Meghalaya, Assam, Tripura, Sikkim, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Mizoram, is characterized by a distinctive blend of ethnic, cultural, religious, and linguistic diversity. Connected to the rest of the country via the Siliguri Corridor, also known as Chicken’s Neck, this paper delves into the historical context of conflicts in the region. It assesses various contributing factors such as ethnic diversity, migration patterns, resource allocation, and political interests. Given China's proximity through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to the Siliguri Corridor, India's attention to this area becomes crucial. Furthermore, the paper evaluates the socio-economic impact of these conflicts and proposes potential strategies for conflict resolution and peace-building efforts. Specifically, it focuses on analyzing border disputes between Assam and neighboring Northeastern states, identifies primary causes of conflict, and offers actionable recommendations for resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disaster is often seen as a "leveller" that affects everyone equally but the impact of disasters varies due to structural inequalities, access to resources, gender roles, and power relations, leading to a disproportionate effect on certain populations. This paper is based on a case study of three flood-affected districts of Assam and explores how gender is often used in a restrictive manner, confining it to a binary and neglecting non-binary gender identities, their vulnerabilities, and capacities in disaster risk reduction. These case studies illustrate that communities are vulnerable not only because of their physical nature but also due to their social positioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the historical antecedents, character and implications of Assam’s National Register of Citizens as a socio-legal instrument. It seeks to understand how dominant nationalisms and the state produce volatile paper citizenship regimes, and use law – as a reified transcendental performance of social will – to construct the ‘minority citizen’ through categories of ‘belonging’ and ‘citizenship’. The paper does this by analysing three typologies of the law-society interaction. First, it examines what/who is a citizen from within law. Second, it critiques the mythology of law by giving an account of belonging and suffering of minority citizens without law. Third, it foregrounds peripheral subjectivities by offering an account of minority citizenship beyond law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper makes a case-study analysis of the annually flooded Dibrugarh town of the Brahmaputra valley of India’s northeast, and looks at floods as disasters in the context of how women negotiate, adapt and survive an annual phenomenon of flood. The paper has tried to interweave multiple narratives arising from differentiated gendered roles played by women in the pre-flood, during floods as well as in the post-flood periods, as collected through interviews and discussions to showcase how women use their agency to make place within as well as outside the community through dialogues, shared experiences and inter-community social capital. It discusses gendering space through the changing lived spaces of a household in the flooded and non-flooded period for four different communities united by flood. The first section of the paper looks at the City as a site for recurring disaster. The second section discuss agency of women as an emanating tool to face, adapt and survive disaster, expanding beyond herself to family and community. The third section presents the spatialities of adaptation manifested through built-form, arising as an outcome of gendered vulnerability and adaptation practices, as translated onto the spaces they inhabit, throughout the flood-cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What drives insurgent groups to negotiation? The paper examines the conditions that facilitate insurgents to negotiate with governments. It examines the case of National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB), in Assam, India's northeast. Factors that may have contributed to the process of negotiation were change in relative costs and capabilities of insurgents. The paper argues that state's unwillingness to concede to the insurgent demands of territorial separation affect the outcomes of insurgencies that further contribute to the fragile peace process. Drawing on qualitative interviews of former insurgents, civil society organizations and government officials, this article contributes to studies on peace negotiations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pandemic like the COVID-19 has caught everyone off-guard. The economy is in tatters, and the loopholes in the system are getting exposed. The education sector is no exception, especially in a developing country like India. With millions of students in India, the lockdown will have many unforeseen impacts. Moreover, the parents would be reluctant to send their wards to study even after the pandemic, and the actual effect of a lag in learning would be visible only in the long run. The necessity of e-learning in academia was felt only when the pandemic hit. The lack of ICT infrastructure and the absence of tech-savvy teachers have made studies an absolute roller-coaster ride for students. Apart from this, the already existing disparity between students from different economic strata would very likely broaden. Homebound is another factor affecting the students' psychology towards study. This paper ventures into the problems faced by the students, especially from economic, infrastructural and psychological factors, ranging from primary to University level. It also attempts to segregate the students based on location and financial condition and understand the specific hindrances they face. Case studies from various locations of Assam provide a cluster of stories that would act as an index in developing the system when time is 'conducive'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the case of hijras of Assam who are undocumented in the National Register of Citizens because of their fractured identity and adopted gender and face the risk of being declared illegal immigrants despite being citizens. The paper focuses on how transgender individuals are excluded from different aspects of citizenship as a consequence of document-focused procedures created and enforced by the state. The primary argument is that document-focused procedures of the modern state, rooted in heteronormative underpinnings, are exclusionary for transgender individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land alienation among its tribal communities has been one of the most disquieting issues in contemporary India despite existing laws for the protection of tribal land and habitat. This situation is attributed mainly to requisition of tribal land for various developmental activities undertaken by the state as well as its indifference in enforcing the existing laws. The situation in Assam clearly illustrates this. Despite the existing laws, the tribal communities have been unable to retain their ownership of the land. This paper shows that while the state-led development activities are significantly responsible for this, the various informal ways in which the transfer of tribal land takes place at a private level are also no less alarming. Explicating the dynamics behind this process, the paper divulges the multiple informal mechanisms, embedded in community network and trust at the local level to negotiate the protective land laws to facilitate the transfer of tribal land to non-tribal communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative research paper was designed to explore Tai Phake music in Assam State, India, and examine its role in the formation of Tai Phake ethnic identity. Data was gathered from documents and field investigation. The results show that Tai Phake music can be thought of as cultural capital, which propels ethnic identity through the use of language, dress, beliefs, and traditions that help create a collective awareness among people in the community. The construction of Tai Phake ethnic identity through music is carried out via singers, musicians, dancers, traditional costumes, melodies, and the use of Tai Phake language in the lyrics. These processes reproduce Tai Phake ethnic identity through ritual music, entertainment, and traditions, helping to preserve the Tai Phake ethnic identity. The results demonstrate the power of both traditional and modern Tai Phake music in the preservation of local identity, strengthening community relationships and network building between Tai Phake people and other Tai groups in Southeast Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper, based on my doctoral ethnographic research amongst the Miya community in one of the chars of Western Assam, shows how a particular category of identity documents shape their subjectivities, experiences, and aspirations. I focus on the identity documents which have errors, like mistakes in names, dates of birth or addresses, and badly angled photos. I refer to them as thin documents. Because of the thin documents, the Miyas find it difficult to assert formal citizenship rights, which they could normally assert based on accurate documentation. For the thin documents to help prove the Miyas’ citizenship, they must be further supported by an additional set of documents. The process questions the Miya’s formal citizenship rights. I present narratives of the Miya people living with thin documents to illustrate how the materiality of the identity document binds the Miya people to a state of liminal citizenship. I ask: what do these errors in the identity document or thin documents tell us about citizenship, particularly liminal citizenship with reference to the Miya community of Assam? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The North-Eastern region of India is a biodiversity hotspot and home to many endemic and rare spices. The spices endemic to this region has vast scope in the national and international market owing to their uniqueness and organic quality. Geographical Indication (GI), a tag that recognises the unique intrinsic attributes of a product arising from specific geographical origin, is yet to be explored in its truest sense by the farmers of the region togain visibility and product differentiation in the market. Importance of GI tag is extremely high for the native farmers of the region to gain recognition in foreign markets. The paper discusses the scope of using GI as a tool for brand building by the spice sector of this region of India. It also examines a few instances where endemic spice varieties from the region have successfully undergone value addition and have been effectively marketed to create a promising presence both domestic and abroad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines how colonial mentalities of subjectifying the people are reinstated in postcolonial Northeast India through the media. Using the Bodos as a context of the argument, the paper studies The Assam Tribune news headlines during the 2021 Assam Legislative Assembly election. By studying both micro- and macrostructures of news headlines, using critical discourse analysis (CDA), the article argues that the media continue to reify the subjective consciousness of the population as a discourse that dominates the conflicting ground of social, cultural, and political coexistence across the multi-ethnic populations. While deflecting the government's divisive policies, the media portrays the government as the source of 'solution'. Although the technique of governance differs from colonial to postcolonial regime, the objective to constantly subjectify the multi-ethnic population within their realm of subjective consciousness for the purpose of governance remains the same. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile theatre being the one and only regional fully commercial cultural industry in Assam (India) has significant representation of the Assamese culture. The theatre medium started as a socially responsible cultural forum later translated itself into a commercial enterprise. The 1990s repertoire of Mobile theatre can be seen as popular and it often resonates the regional-political events, while by the 20th century, it took an entirely commercial shift and created a 'populist model'. This paper aims to understand this shift between these popular (political) and populist, through some of the classic theatre productions like Soraguri Sapori (1983) and Titanic (1996). While the first case study attempts to read the performance against the backdrop of Assam Movement and its subsequent emergence of insurgency in the state. Then, the other tries to develop an understanding on the populist shift against the socio-political and neo-economic changes in 20th century. The paper takes performance analysis approach while studying the productions and also trying address the debates around the idea of 'Popular'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bhupen Hazarika was inspired to compose songs by his strong passion for culture and his sense of duty towards the country and the nation. Bhupen Hazarika's personality was a combination of many talents. This combination is also reflected in his songs and takes on a permanent form. Bhupen Hazarika was able to unite the entire nation with the help of the song and he became the hero of all. Depending on the subject, his songs can be divided into different sections. The songs reflecting the cultural aspect are one of these topics. In our discussion paper, an attempt has been made to shed light on the image of cultural harmony reflected in the songs of Bhupen Hazarika. An analytical approach has been adopted to prepare the discussion paper. Apart from accepting Bhupen Hazarika's songs as the main source, various sources have been used as secondary sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper will attempt to map the emergence of linguistic nationalism as a direct offshoot of the language debate in early-colonial Assam. In 1836, Bengali was made the language of courts and schools in Assam. Ten years later, the Baptist Mission at Sadiya started publishing a monthly magazine called Orunodoi. Orunodoi gradually became a critical instrument in the effort to reinstate Assamese as the language of the province's courts and schools. How did the emergent public sphere react to the debate on language? What was the power dynamic between an emergent native intelligentsia, the Baptist Mission and the colonial state in earlycolonial Assam? What are the factors that prevented Assamese from being reinstated as the language of courts and schools in Assam until 1873? Was the debate on language merely about imposition of a 'foreign' language, or was the discourse more fluid with concerns like language standardisation operating as undercurrents? Can the language debate in early-colonial Assam be isolated as the first assertion of a sub-national identity based upon cultural and linguistic 'uniqueness'? Through an analysis of some articles published in Orunodoi, read along with private letters and official correspondences of the American Baptist Mission in Assam, this paper will attempt to address some of these questions and recover the context of the debate around language in nineteenth-century Assam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of certain plant species in traditional fishing for their piscicidal or stupefying effect is widespread among many fishing communities in northeast India. Plant poisoning is one such traditional method for fishing practised in the Chirang district of Assam in northeast India. This paper identifies six different species of plants (Polygonum hydropiper, Spilanthes paniculate, Parthenium hysterophorus, Alistonia scholaris, Albizia procera, Ageratum conyzoides) belonging to four different families (Asteraceae, Apocynaceae, Fabaceae and Polygonaceae) which are used as natural poison for capturing fishes in the study area. Maximum number of species (50%) was recorded in family Asteraceae while the remaining families recorded one species each. The most common mode of application was in the form of a ground paste or an aqueous extract while in some cases the raw plant itself were used. All of these plant toxins were reported to affect the swimming and respiration of the fish on application. However, detail mechanism of their toxic action needs to be evaluated fully. This study has identified some potent natural piscicidal plants which may be further investigated for widespread application in aquaculture and allied industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Popular singer-songwriter-composer Bhupen Hazarika has exerted enormous influence in shaping the aesthetics of contemporary Assamese popular music. As an artist and public intellectual who often engaged with contemporary political questions, his songs have come to be regarded as a distilled expression of Assamese linguistic-national identity in postcolonial India. This paper deals with his entry into the Hindi music market in the mid-1990s, with songs for films and two music albums. Specifically, it maps the transformation of the Bhupen persona through this period as a conjuncture overdetermined by two relatively autonomous logics – first, the emerging cassette culture of the 1980s and its effects on the market for popular music; and second, the articulation of linguistic national identity in the wake of the Assam Movement (1979–85). The paper begins by showing how Bhupen's foray into Hindi music tied together the economics of bringing a regional star into the Hindi market with the ongoing reconstitution of linguistic-national identity in the post-liberalisation Indian ideology. Then, through a reading of his live performances and the Bhupen-related fan literature appearing at the time, it looks at how these ventures came to be seen by his Assamese fans, to argue that the Bhupen persona here becomes an ambivalent figure through which the internal schisms within Assamese national identity came to be articulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of enzymatic process on pulp bleaching using a potential lignolytic fungus Penicillium meleagrinum has been investigated in order to minimize the consumption of chemicals in bleaching process. Xylanase enzyme extracted from P. meleagrinum was studied and the maximum xylanase production by P. meleagrinum was recorded as 5.74 U/mL at 30 °C and at 5.5 pH. The extracted xylanase was applied to the unbleached bamboo pulp alone or in combination with hydrogen peroxide to find out the efficacy of the enzyme on pulp bleaching. Xylanase pre-treatment can remove a considerable amount of lignin from unbleached pulp which can further be reduced by giving a treatment with 2% hydrogen peroxide. Xylanase pre-treated peroxide bleaching reduces lignin content from 10.55% to 3.25% in unbleached bamboo pulp. The kappa number of pulp decreases from 13.50 to 8.50 with the increase of pulp brightness 68–69%, viscosity 8.94 cP and crystallinity of the pulp cellulose to 62.05%. Scanning electron micrographs reveal uniform fibre with occasional pores and cracks on the surface. The results of the present study have been found encouraging which may aid in the development of new cleaner and alternative method of bleaching for pulp and paper industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stereotyping of the Miya Muslims as "illegal immigrants" is an everyday phenomenon in Assam, a state in the north eastern part of India. This paper seeks to understand this phenomenon in the context of British colonial politics and the history of migration in this region. The acrimonious question of citizenship is raised from time to time, especially in the course of political debates that attempt to identify "illegal citizens". This entails a dominant politics of aesthetics in the making of the unwanted or "doubtful Bangladeshis". This paper explores the construction of "doubtful Bangladeshis", based on certain visual attributes like lungi (sarong), dari (beard) and topi (skullcap). Interrogating the nuances of everyday visual identity, the paper argues that the stereotype of a "doubtful Bangladeshi" is manufactured and reproduced through upper class and caste aesthetics manufactured by Assamese nationalism, framed within a radicalized discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper articulates the issue of ethnicity and identity formation among the Misings of Assam. It navigates the life graph of the community and unearthed the subtlety involved in their identity formation, articulation and assertion. The nuances involved in their identity formation and the subsequent intra-community ethnic fragmentation reflect the fact that the case does not purely fit into a singular theoretical framework of either 'primordialism' or 'constructivism'. Rather it necessitates the call for traversing through different theoretical frameworks. On a descriptive note, the paper tends to examine the role of social, political and historical forces influencing the Mising identity narratives. Besides delineating the historical trajectories of Mising identity in different historical periods, – pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial – the study has explored the multiple processes of identity formation vis-a-vis migration, politics of (re)naming, role of middle class organisations and the vitality of script and language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agriculture sector, which continues to be pivotal to sustainable growth and development, has been recently mobilising farmers into member-owned producer organisations, or Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) to enhance production, productivity and profitability of agriculturists, especially the small and marginal farmers in the country. The FPCs, which have been brought in for improved transparency and access to the input and output market with higher negotiating powers leading to sustainability of the small and marginal farmers, are said to provide higher legitimacy and credibility in the immediate business environment. Though Assam too is not behind in forming FPCs, challenges and issues abound. Majority of these FPCs are in the nascent stage of their operations with shareholder membership ranging from more than 500 farmers to over 1500 farmers. It is also seen that from capacity building to taking up business operations, many issues need to be addressed in these FPCs. These FPCs are in need of support in technical handholding and provision of adequate capital and infrastructure facilities including market linkages for sustaining their business operations. The present paper tries exploring and understanding the ecosystem of the FPCs in Assam, which are focussing on small and marginal farmers, and delving into the issues and challenges faced by the FPCs in the state and the possible ways out. JEL Classification: Q13 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a new and original perspective on the plight of migrants in India. It incorporates an in-depth and practical analysis of Indian legal policies through the lens of migrant and refugee rights. In examining the extra-legal provisions operating in two of India's borderland states--Assam and Jammu & Kashmir--I show how special legal exemptions in Indian law inherently undermine efforts to protect migrant rights. I argue that these extraordinary laws hinder pathways to justice in three distinct ways: by circumventing international principles of non-refoulement; challenging the jurisdiction of India's Supreme Court; and delegitimising migrant-friendly laws. In highlighting an often overlooked aspect of migrants' rights issues, this paper brings the human element of India's regional border disputes and related legal mechanisms to the fore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rohi is the popular traditional rice beer of the Sonowal Kacharis, which is typically obtained by natural fermentation. The present study aims to identify the key ingredients used in the preparation of Mod pitha (starter culture cake), detail documentation of the fermentation technology and the socio-cultural and religious significance of Rohi. Participatory approach method was adopted for data collection that included in-depth interviews and discussions with key informants and personal observations. Glutinous rice (Oryza glutinosa Lour.) is the principal substrate for the beer preparation, which is mixed with starter cakes and fermented within a heat-sterilized earthen pot for 4-5 days. Rohi is indispensable during festivals and traditional sacrificial rituals and ceremonies. The entire fermentation technology is the exclusive domain of women. It is hoped that this paper will be useful for further scientific study of Rohi in order to examine the bio-chemical and phyto-chemical composition of the different plant species used in the preparation of starter culture and the final pure product that may reveal some important nutritional properties, therapeutic pro-biotics, healthy metabolites, etc. and contribute towards development of the product as a value-added drink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of land holding has always been a matter of concern in Assam for researchers, academicians and politicians. For this particular study, the period of 1946-57 has been chosen as it was the period of transition and the period of First General Election. Apart from that, this was the period when Assam witnessed the growth of population due to the massive influx of Refugees to the state. In this context, the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886 can be considered a landmark legislation. Several important Acts and Amendments were made during this period on the issue of land and agriculture. For example The Assam Land and Revenue Act, Assam Adhiars Protection and Regulation Act, Assam Land Acquisition and Requisition Act, Assam State Acquisition of Zamindari Act etc. The paper tries to discuss the acts and the debates from the theoretical perspective of Representation in connection with the Acts. Therefore the paper will try to focus on the discussions that took place in the Assam Legislative Assembly to analyse the nature of debate and several crucial Amendment Acts on Land in Assam. Besides this, the paper is also an attempt to see the nature of Representation of people's demands and the execution of policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Role of Manpower is the important factor in the health care facilities. Human resources in the health sector is considered to be the heart of the health system. The availability of human resources positively affects the quality of public health services and has a direct impact on health outcomes. The paper is based on the secondary data were qualitative and descriptive method are used. The paper tries to examine the status of Manpower Facilities in Assam wherein 85.6 % of people live in rural areas. It attempts to analyze the status of health workers in rural health care facilities after the implementation of NRHM in 2005. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

These days, the appraisal of the COVID-19 vulnerability has become a difficult errand for the whole world. The COVID-19 administration dynamic issue frequently includes numerous elective arrangements clashing standards. In this paper, we present a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) procedure based on the fuzzy VIKOR method to survey the COVID-19 vulnerability in the state of Assam, India. The trapezoidal fuzzy number is utilized to evaluate the rating of the loads for the set-up models. We have observed environment, social, and Medical factors after observing the spread of COVID-19. To study and to have comments, a committee of five experts has been formed from a different region of Assam to observe and comment to identify Coronavirus's weakest factors. For a better survey, we have divided the state into four areas namely Rural Area, Urban Area, Market Area in Rural Area, and Market Area in Urban Area. The current research looked at how the fuzzy VIKOR selects provinces for urgent adaptation needs differently than a traditional MCDM technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Probabilistic seismic hazard assessment (PSHA), including a site-specific amplification study, is crucial to evaluate site-specific spectra of soil sites to better understand the behavioural patterns of the soils under earthquake excitation. This paper represents the results of the PSHA for Assam state, located in the highest seismic zone of India ever delineated to date. In that sense, the study area is divided into ten areal zones concerning seismicity source modelling to represent the seismo-genesis of the Assam state in detail. The earthquake recurrence parameters of each zone are obtained from Gutenberg–Richter (G–R) recurrence relation with updated homogenized and de-clustered earthquake catalogue from 1735 up to 2021. Earthquakes with magnitude greater than 4 (M > 4) are considered using eight attenuation relationships for continental active shallow crust region, subduction zone and intraplate region. Hazard curves are obtained using a logic tree structure thus minimizing the epistemic uncertainty. The peak ground acceleration (PGA) value obtained at the rock outcrop of the Assam state for 10, 5, 2, and 0.5% probability of exceedance in 50 years with return periods such as 475, 975, 2475, and 9975 years lies between 0.24 and 0.34 g, 0.3 and 0.44 g, 0.42 and 0.59 g, and 0.56 and 0.91 g, respectively. The estimated PGA value at rock outcrop level is comparatively higher than that reported in the codal provisions. Site-specific response spectra at bedrock level (Vs = 1100 m/s) for major cities (Jorhat, Tezpur, Silchar, Dibrugarh, Guwahati, Nagaon) of Assam state have been proposed for different earthquake return periods of 475,2475, and 9975 years. Finally, site amplification study is performed for Guwahati city and surface level 5% damped response spectra with PGA of 0.696 and 0.924 g are obtained for earthquake a return period of 2475 and 9975 years, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migration has been a part of human civilisation. Unbalanced growth of economics and regions creates push and pull factors for migration. The main objective of this paper is to study the inflow and outflow of internal and international migration in Assam. The data from Census 1991, 2001, and 2011 to study the inflow and outflow of migrants in Assam and the reasons for migration. The data from census are computed using the percentage method. Females are more migrant than males in Assam. Intra-district migration is dominant in Assam and as the distance increases the percentage of migrants decreases. Marriage is the main reason for migration in Assam followed by moved with household and work/employment. Migrants from Bihar and West Bengal dominate inter-state migrants and migrants from Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan dominate international migrants. West Bengal and the North-eastern states are the top destinations for out-migration from Assam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environment degradation is one of the major problems of the world. It is now a trending issue to be discussed by the academicians, social scientists, environmentalists and the policy makers. To save the environment from destruction there has been a lot of environmental movements in different parts of the world. In India also different environmental movements are seen in different period of time. Women as more inclined towards the nature have been an integral part of all the environment protection movements. This paper tries to understand the connection of mature and women and the role of women in different environmental movements in India. Moreover, it focuses on women environmental activists from Assam who are working to protect the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Armed conflict across and between communities results in massive levels of destruction to the people-physically, culturally, economically and psychologically. The genesis of most of the conflicts that has engulfed the north-eastern states of India is either to preserve the unique identity or due to lack of economic development and opportunities for the large majority of the people or both. Women as heterogeneous group of social actors are arguably more affected than their male counterparts in conflict situations. Armed conflict exacerbates inequalities in gender relations that already exist in society. In an ethnically divided society in Assam, women bodies are generally used as 'ethnic markers' thereby have more specific manifestations. The paper aims to analyze the multiple roles that women are subjected to and play in armed conflict in the state of Assam. The paper is going to highlight that woman in NE India with a special reference to Assam cannot be categorized just as 'victims' of conflict. Even when they are victims; they exercise their agency and survival techniques despite adverse conditions. Beyond judicial measures, how women grapple with the problem of the 'truths' of the past in post conflict scenario will also be highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extremism perpetuated by Islamic organizations in the Northeastern region has received near no scholarly scrutiny despite the overwhelming evidence that there is rise of extremist violence amongst the Muslim population of Northeast India. A less known fact about Assam is, it is the only province, among the Indian provinces, which successfully defeated Islamic invasion throughout the Islamic rule in India. Surprisingly, Islam made its rampant entry into the province during the Christian-led East India Company and British Crown rule in India. It was the time when British took full control of Assam. Exponential population growth among the adherents of Islam coupled with unrestricted influx of migrants from the neighbouring areas changed the demographic composition of Assam. The growth of Muslim population particularly since the turn of 20th century directly pitted the community against the ancient local Assamese culture. The infighting, when aided by outside powers, soon received a transnational character where global Islamic extremists opened contact with Assamese Muslims and started guiding on how to protect Islam and establish a model Islamic State in the region. Two issues would be dealt in this paper. Firstly, the paper would make an empirical analysis on how Islamic extremism permeates into the Northeastern India and secondly, the research would scrutinize linear contributing factors responsible for the growth and thriving of extremism in the region with special focus on Pakistan's motivation to take over Assam and support armed groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to understand the political role of Assamese traditional performance 'Bihu' during Assam movement in 1979. It argues that beyond its role as Assamese cultural identity, 'Bihu' had transformed itself into a political space and fueled upon expanding the idea of Stage Bihu. While looking at the performance as medium of political messaging, the paper brings together the three specific case studies seemingly unknown in the documented cultural history and located in the rural Assam. The idea is to comprehend the larger scope of traditional performance in accommodating political events. The debates are being weaved together through theoretical frames of historian Eric Hobsbawm's 'Inventing tradition' Thomas Postlewait's 'theatre event' in order to see the transformation and changes within the repertoire of Bihu. The paper tries to resurrect an alternative historical discourse, often neglected by the dominant historical cannons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northeast India, a 'zipper region' that gives impetus to Southeast Asian and Himalasian studies, is marked by complexities and ambiguities. The paper examines the multiple identity construction in contemporary Assam, the central state of this region and seeks to recover the other experiences that make ethnic life-world possible while challenging the ethnocentric discourses—in academia, politics, public and social movements. Acknowledging the presence of common or possibly universal processes behind the production of such discourses, it aims to interrogate the factors that cut across socio-cultural, political-economical or ecological dimensions. It further examines the multiple discourses and narratives that makes that social possible in the region. In doing so, it locates the strategic positioning of such discourses and how they deal with Indian nation-state and beyond. This paper in essence is interested in the question of possibility of various discourses—as a question of post-history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How do survivors of violence process their experiences of trauma when they continue to live in and identify the place of the attack as their home? While narrating the 1983 Nellie Massacre, survivors create an oral map that expresses the continuation of the extreme past into their present, revealing a sense of what David Lloyd calls the 'living on' of survivors of an event of collective trauma. In the narratives, collected through snowball sampling and purposive sampling during my doctoral research, topographical features such as roads, houses and open fields constantly feature in the descriptions of the massacre today to reveal a consciousness of the survivors being 'surrounded' even decades after the attack, which also indicates the survivors' sense of their political location in the present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examines the contemporary Bangladesh–India relationship analyzing the dynamics of geopolitics centring the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA)-2019 in Assam, India. On the basis of secondary data, this paper explores the historical and geopolitical roots of volatile present and uncertain future of the non-registered people, often termed as 'illegal Bangladeshi migrants' living in Assam, portrayed by the Indian ethnocratic state sidelining India's longstanding pluralist traditions and exercises. The central argument of the study is that peddling the issue of 'illegal Bangladeshi migrants' by Indian political elites is destined to transcend the boundary infusing hostility in future into Bangladesh–India relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent developments in the evolution of 'labor history' as an academic field have injected new direction into theories of Gender, Sex and Bodies. Incidents of sexual violence and gender oppression have long been a brutal part of human history. In contemporary times, plantation societies are finally receiving critical attention as historians embark on gendered reappraisals of history, especially in countries like India. This article sets out to retrieve several accounts of sexual violence in the tea plantations of Assam during the colonial period. It also shows how the colonial masters (Sahibs) of the tea gardens have oppressed/sexualized the bodies of men/women workers in the tea gardens of Assam. An attempt is also made to reconstruct the forgotten stories of two tea-garden working-class women, Mangri Orang alias Malati Mem and Durgi Bhumij alias Durgi Mem, who were sexually abused by the European tea planters. From their objectification as sexualized bodies, the duo later showed their abilities of agency when they joined India's freedom struggle and transformed into freedom fighters. The paper analyzes the connections between oppressed/sexualized bodies of women tea plantation workers and the colonial capitalist patriarchy in the history of Assam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current work represents the study on morphology and reproductive biology of two indigenous torrential fishes, Balitora brucei and Psilorhynchus balitora, for the first time. The Gray's stone loach Balitora brucei and balitora minnow Psilorhynchus balitora abound in the torrential water bodies of South East Asia. The current paper redescribes morphology based on the fresh collection. Specific parameters of reproductive biology on both the fishes have been studied for the first time. Both the species were adapted to the same ecological conditions of the river Ranganadi. Fish specimens were collected at a fortnightly interval from the river in the Lakhimpur district of Assam, India. The detailed study includes morphological data analyzed with Mann–Whitney U-test and specific reproductive parameters such as condition factor (K), gonado-somatic index (GSI), modified gonado-somatic index (MGSI), and Dobriyal index (DI). Progressive development of the gonads was confirmed with dissection and histological study. Both the species are multiple breeders with prolonged reproductive seasons ranging from 4 to 5 months. Both the fishes are found to be migrants from upstream, and a good number of individuals were recorded during the monsoon season, reflecting the sampling site as a breeding ground. During winter, the local people use various chemicals, piscicidal plants, and electric instruments for fishing resulting in a steep decline in the number of individuals for both the species. Moreover, the effect of the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) dam is evident on the decline of the ichthyofaunal diversity of the river. The results of present study will provide the baseline information on these two species of fishes for planning conservation measures in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fear, insecurity and anxiety seem to be the enduring sources of genocidal impulses against the Bengali-speaking Muslim minorities of contemporary Assam, India. This paper explores how the tripartite matrix of the border, census and citizenship categories has become indispensable in inscribing fear and anxiety in contemporary Assam's body politic. Using insights from postcolonial states' practices, the paper shows how the state suffers from a persistent neurosis, characterised by an "incompleteness-anxiety", and how attempts have been made to resolve this sense of crisis by mobilising the majority to align its Assamese identity in the direction of an imagined purified "national whole". Further, the paper elaborates upon the implications of these anxieties with reference to Indo-Bangladeshi relations, in which Assam figures prominently both as a prime border state and as a place that is integral to the region's riparian borderlands as a whole. Moving away from the official discourses of contemporary Indo-Bangladeshi relations, which are guided largely by postcolonial cartographic anxiety, the paper points towards the creative possibilities of exploring the "relational registers" within the region's shared civilisational resources as an alternative, in which Assam can act as a bridge between India and Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]