Tribal Development in Western India

Tribal communities in western India, as elsewhere in the country, have been facing increasing marginalisation and poverty. This is so despite a relatively better record of social movements and work by civil society organisations among them and their political inclusion. Further, the existing literature on tribals focuses more on their socio-cultural situation and less on their economic and human development. Addressing this gap in scholarship, this volume details the processes of tribal development and associated challenges in Gujarat, often viewed as a high-growth economy.

Rich in interdisciplinary, empirical analyses, the book comprehensively addresses three important aspects of tribal development — human development, economic opportunities and governance. It critiques recent policy diagnoses and interventions, rather than evaluate policy-outcomes. The volume traces the genesis of continued marginalisation of tribals in the country, and contributes to the ongoing discourse on integrative tribal development.

The work will interest scholars and students of development studies, tribal studies, economics, sociology, social work, as also policy-makers, activists, and governmental and non-governmental organisations in the field.