Young Men, Education and Ethnicity in Contemporary Darjeeling

Utilising qualitative research methods and drawing upon theories of social reproduction, this article examines how ethnicity intersects with students’ experiences of education in Darjeeling. The research explores how young men’s aspirations articulate their ethnic identity and their associated polit...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:South Asia research 2016-02, Vol.36 (1), p.98-114
Main Authors: Scrase, Timothy J., Ganguly-Scrase, Ruchira, Deuchar, Andrew
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Utilising qualitative research methods and drawing upon theories of social reproduction, this article examines how ethnicity intersects with students’ experiences of education in Darjeeling. The research explores how young men’s aspirations articulate their ethnic identity and their associated political demands. It shows how ethnicities are fostered within friendship groups on college campuses and also discusses young men’s criticisms of the Gorkhaland movement, offering a nuanced and textured account of ethnic struggles in this area. It is shown that young men draw upon education to develop ethnic identities that bridge caste divides and conceal class inequalities. The research sheds new light on how ethnicities are constructed amid the tensions of globalisation and regionalism, education and development.
ISSN:0262-7280
1741-3141
DOI:10.1177/0262728015615487