Suchergebnisse

This research note focuses on the sexual harassment experienced by the author during ethnographic fieldwork in India. Analysis of the event indicates that the fact that he is a man influenced his response to the sexual overtures made by his male informant and heightened his sense of fear. Thus while being of the masculine gender can be an advantage for the male ethnographer, it can also be a source of anxiety and carries some tangible risks. This study concludes that power relations in fieldwork are complex, and we must take into consideration our identity and position when assessing the risks inherent in fieldwork.

Research literature on the Western Himalayas emphasizes the theistic control of local deities. In the framework of this ruling system, described by the concepts of 'Little Kingdom' and 'government by deity', local deities functioned as gods and kings. They practice their royalty through a concrete divinity notion, aided by human mediums. In this article we will indicate the beginning of a conceptual change in the perception of a local deity named Mahāsū. Although Mahāsū is still perceived as a ruler, his role has become largely symbolic. We maintain that this illustrates how local theistic conceptions adapt to changes in the political and economic-technologic spheres as well as to the influence of pan-Hindu tradition.