Indian Journal of Research in Anthropology

Migration is the movement of the people from one place to another. It has both positive and negative impact to the society. Development is the change of livelihood and growth that often related with migration. In border region villages always marked by inconsistencies of development and deprivation, shaped by state policies, cross-border mobility, and socio-economic transformations. This study examines the interrelationship between development initiatives and patterns of migration in the border villages of Nadia District, West Bengal, India. It is an area contiguous with Bangladesh and marked by historical, cultural, and economic interconnectedness. The central hypothesis posits that uneven development and limited livelihood diversification drive cyclical and seasonal migration, which in turn reshapes local economies and social structures. Drawing on a mixed-method approach combines household surveys, ethnographic fieldwork, and participatory observation in selected border villages, the study tests the hypothesis by mapping development indicators against migration intensity. The findings reveal that despite infrastructural improvements and state welfare interventions, persistent livelihood insecurity, land fragmentation, and border-related restrictions continue to propel migration, both internal and transnational, as a coping and aspirational strategy. Migration has generated new income streams and remittance-based development but has also deepened social differentiation and gendered vulnerabilities. The paper concludes that borderland development must be reconceptualized beyond physical infrastructure and to include inclusive livelihood planning and frame rural development policies. Anthropologically, the article highlights how border villages function as dynamic socio-economic spaces, where people tactically negotiate state interventions and mobility opportunities.

Arunachal Pradesh is situated in the easternmost part of India, and its rich cultural heritage is preserved, showcased and propagated through its museums, especially district ethnographic museums representing different tribes. This research paper attempts to highlight the challenges and prospects of ethnographic museums under the Museum Section of the Directorate of Research, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh. A qualitative approach was used to write this research paper based on both primary and secondary data. The primary data includes personal observations, interviews, and secondary materials, including articles, govt. reports, museum annual reports, and newspaper reports. This study reveals that, despite the challenges museums face, there are numerous opportunities for the museum to enhance and preserve Arunachal Pradesh’s cultural heritage. The study also shows that the state has great potential to develop community-based museums as per the standards of the new museological perspective that benefits the people and the state.

This study explores the socio-cultural implications of conversion to Christianity among lower Hindu castes in Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, through the analytical lens of Victor Turner’s Social Drama Model (1974). Employing an ethnographic approach, the research draws upon in-depth interviews, group discussions, and direct observations conducted between April and June 2024 with twentyfive individuals, ten of whom were interviewed intensively. Turner’s four-stage framework—breach, crisis, redress, and reintegration—serves as a valuable tool to interpret the transformative processes and tensions that accompany religious conversion. Findings reveal that conversion is not merely a shift in faith but a complex negotiation of identity, health, and community belonging. Health crises often act as the initial breach prompting individuals to seek spiritual alternatives, while the ensuing crisis phase exposes converts to social ostracism and familial conflict. The redress phase, marked by baptism and new ritual practices, facilitates social and emotional healing within Christian congregations. Reintegration, however, remains partial, as many converts oscillate between their former Hindu identity and newly adopted Christian practices to avoid social exclusion. The study highlights how conversion serves as both resistance against caste-based marginalization and a pursuit of spiritual and social empowerment. This research contributes to the anthropological understanding of religious change in India by demonstrating how Turner’s model can elucidate the dynamic interplay between faith, health, identity, and community in post-conversion life.

Childhood obesity is a global concern, with approximately 39 million children under five being overweight or obese worldwide in 2020. The Body Mass Index (BMI) includes lean mass and fat components of the body, which may differ in children with similar BMI. Recently proposed Body Adiposity Index (BAI) is an alternative to BMI and this index shows equivalence in paediatric populations (i.e. BAIp). The present cross-sectional study was done on 1240 preschool children (boys 625; girls 615) aged 2-5 years from 48 Integrated Child Development Scheme centres in Maynaguri Block, Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, India to evaluate childhood obesity and association between adiposity index and anthropometric variables to depict the adiposity. For this study various anthropometric measurements were recorded following standard methods. This study shows a significant sex difference was found in children’s height and weight with higher mean values for boys than girls. The correlation between BAIp and Waist Height Ratio (WHtR) was higher than for BMI, Body Mass Adiposity Index (BMAI) and Tri ponderal Mass Index (TMI) respectively. The correlation between BMI and BMAI was higher than BAIp, TMI and WHtR respectively. Research shows that good adiposity measures should have a strong relationship with BMI, which is an indicator of overall adiposity. The present study confirmed the existing hypothesis that BAIp, as a new index for children’s body fatness measures, works with acceptable accuracy, suggested researchers. It must be mentioned that the advantage of BAIp over other anthropometric measures of adiposity should be validated by other direct adiposity measures.

Aims: This study investigates the prevalence of hypertension among the middle aged and elderly males of Paschim Medinipur. The study also tries to examine the associated factors of hypertension. Settings and design: To achieve these aims, a cross-sectional study was conducted with 200 participants (100 tribal and 100 non-tribal) from different villages in the Midnapore Sadar block of Paschim Midnapore district. Methods and material: Participants were selected using purposive sampling method. Interview, structure schedule and anthropometric measurement techniques were used to collect data directly from the participants. Statistical analysis used: Chi-square test, correlation and regression have been performed to find out the results. Results: The result of the study shows very high prevalence of hypertension among all socio-economic and demographic groups. Significant associations were identified between hypertension and several socioeconomic and nutritional factors, including age group (χ²=10.762; p ≤ 0.05), BMI (χ²=29.363; p ≤ 0.05), MUAC (χ²=12.255; p ≤ 0.05), WC (χ²=8.289; p ≤ 0.05), and WHR (χ²=13.034; p ≤ 0.05). The elderly population (OR=2.584) and obese individuals according to BMI (5.390), WC (3.308) and WHR (2.651) has higher risk of being hypertensive. Conclusions: The study highlights the importance of controlling obesity for proper management of hypertension.

Food in the Sounti tribe of Odisha functions not only as sustenance but also as a symbolic medium of identity, kinship, and ritual life. The study rooted in symbolic and interpretive anthropology, this study examines the intergenerational transmission of food practices and their role in sustaining cultural resilience. The scope of the research is to document how ritual feasts, agricultural practices, and beverages like handia embody symbolic values and sustain social cohesion while negotiating modernization, migration, and ecological disruptions. The objectives are threefold: to analyse the symbolic role of food in everyday and ritual contexts, to explore how knowledge and practices are passed down generations, and to understand the impact of contemporary changes on traditional food ways. The ethnographic fieldwork in Kiapada village, Keonjhar district, employed participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and case studies. Findings reveal that ritual foods reinforce solidarity, women act as custodians of culinary knowledge, and meal sharing strengthens kinship ties. Although younger generations are influenced by market foods and migration, ritual contexts safeguard cultural continuity. The study suggests systematic documentation of food traditions, community sensitization for younger generations, policy interventions to preserve culinary heritage, and revival of indigenous crops as sustainable strategies for safeguarding the Sounti community’s intangible cultural heritage.

Objective: Poverty, overcrowding, and inadequate resources are major factors in the vulnerability of women in slums. Women are victims of verbal, psychological, and physical abuse from their partners. The hostile condition of urban slums, social marginalisation, and subdued jobs in a patriarchal world make women easy targets for such abuses. This review paper aims to explore the multifaceted dimensions of violence, underlying causes such as Physical, Sexual, Emotional, or Psychological harm, Verbal, and it also shows how poverty and the constructed subjugation of women are prevalent in such an urban and modernised part of a city. Social marginalisation, patriarchal norms, and subdued economic opportunities reinforce women’s subjugation, while children growing up in such households face intergenerational risks. Addressing violence against women in slums requires an anthropological perspective to understand how cultural norms, socio-economic conditions shape women’s resilience and access to support systems. Methodology: This research was searched on PubMed, Scopus, WHO, Google Scholar, and other relevant search engines to identify articles that focused on violence against women in urban slums of India. This research includes 47 studies that satisfied the inclusion criteria for this review. Narrative Review and thematic &content analysis were used for detecting themes, which gives a theoretical and analytical perspective of the study. Results: The prevalence of any form of violence against women, as reported in the studies, ranged from 15% to 59.3%. Violence can lead to physical and mental health problems, including injuries, anxiety, and depression. The major risk factors identified were husband’s alcohol abuse, women justifying the violence inflicted on them, low educational levels of women and men, dowry issues, and age differences between the spouses. It is evident from the review that urban slum women experience persistent violence.

Human longevity is an emerging area of interdisciplinary research, and sociocultural anthropology provides important insights into the complex relationship between cultural practices, social structures and long lifespans. This review examines anthropological perspectives on longevity through analysis of relevant published literature. It highlights current understanding of how factors like cultural beliefs, social practices, dietary patterns, community structures and spiritual systems influence ageing across populations. Key findings reveal that longevity promoting factors include robust social networks and intergenerational relationships, traditional diets embedded within cultural food systems, integration of physical activity into meaningful daily activities, positive cultural attitudes towards ageing and spiritual beliefs that provide life purpose and resilience. Theoretical frameworks including the biocultural approach, social capital theory, practice theory, kinship theory etc. provide valuable perspectives for understanding human longevity in the socio-cultural context. However, processes like modernisation and globalisation can threaten traditional longevity promoting practices through dietary transitions, social network disruption and environmental degradation. The review also identifies some gaps and limitations in longevity research and also proposes future research directions. The findings can contribute to developing culturally sensitive interventions for healthy ageing and age-friendly community designs that use anthropological insights.