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Concern for a focus on women in tribal studies has been very recent. It emerged out of general interest and concern with women's issues the world over. The value system governing larger Indian society has been in the process of change. With this there has been a shift in the image of tribal women who are thus invariably portrayed as enjoying a better social status than their counterparts in the larger Indian society. Tribal society in the post-Independence era has been witness to unprecedented change, which has been most marked in respect of culture, modes of making a living and social differentiation. Their bearing on women's status in society and gender relations has been far-reaching. The article attempts to highlight the issues involved on the basis of existing ethnographic accounts.

The religious conversion issue has been the subject of major news headlines and controversies from time to time. Interestingly on every occasion that such controversies have erupted in India, the population at the centre of the debate has been the communities that have been generally called 'tribes'. It was the issue of conversion of tribes in Madhya Pradesh that sparked off the first major controversy in Independent India in the early fifties. The issue of conversion there led to the setting up of an inquiry commission, known more popularly as the Niyogi Commission. The issue of conversion made major news headlines again in 1978, first with 'The Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Indigenous Faith Bill' and later with the 'Freedom of Religion Bill' that was introduced in the parliament by O.P. Tyagi. The bill aimed at regulating conversion at an all India level. Earlier the 'Freedom of Religion Bills' was passed in Orissa and Madhya Pradesh in 1967 and 1968 respectively. In Madhya Pradesh even before Independence, some princely states had already initiated enactments to ban conversion. These included the Raigarh State Conversion Act, 1936; the Surguja State Hindu Apostasy Act, 1945 and the Udaipur State Conversion Act, 1946.1 What is interesting is that all these bills were introduce 'or passed primarily with a view to banning conversion of the tribes to Christianity. Even in the 1998-99 controversy on conversion, tribes have been on the centre stage of the debate.

Handbook of Tribal Politics in India is undoubtedly the most authoritative source for a systematic and comprehensive study of this vibrant field of scholarship. Divided into three sections, the chapters cover a broad range of themes ranging from a general introduction to tribal politics to exploring contemporary issues and concerns within the discipline. The book presents a trajectory and authentic overview of tribal politics while keeping in mind the changing relationship between tribal communities and democracy. Using qualitative and quantitative data, it studies the role of tribal political representatives in public policy-making, issues related to communities, and the nature and dynamics of tribal politics at the state and national levels. It explores the patterns, conditions and challenges of tribes' participation in electoral politics and presents the issues and agendas that will continue to affect the tribal politics in future. This book is an essential resource for teaching and research in political science and other social science disciplines studying comparative political dimensions.

The book explores the debates surrounding sustainable livelihood in the neoliberal era effected through transformation of the nature of work and the role of institutions, particularly in the Global South. By creating gainful work and employment opportunities through formal and informal institutions using progressive instruments and innovations within rural and urban economies, livelihood becomes 'sustainable', thereby reducing inequality and increasing resilience among households. Based on both theoretical and empirical studies from Asia and Africa, the book establishes the relationship between three broad concepts - work, institutions and sustainable development. The content has been divided into three broad sections: Rural Economy and Its Transformations; Urbanisation and Sustainable Livelihood; and Innovations and Instruments of Transformation. This book is a valuable resource for scholars of development studies, rural and urban studies, labour studies besides economics, sociology, political science and policymaking

The book explores the debates surrounding sustainable livelihood in the neoliberal era effected through transformation of the nature of work and the role of institutions, particularly in the Global South. By creating gainful work and employment opportunities through formal and informal institutions using progressive instruments and innovations within rural and urban economies, livelihood becomes 'sustainable', thereby reducing inequality and increasing resilience among households. Based on both theoretical and empirical studies from Asia and Africa, the book establishes the relationship between three broad concepts - work, institutions and sustainable development. The content has been divided into three broad sections: Rural Economy and Its Transformations; Urbanisation and Sustainable Livelihood; and Innovations and Instruments of Transformation. This book is a valuable resource for scholars of development studies, rural and urban studies, labour studies besides economics, sociology, political science and policymaking.