142009 SE Environmental and Ecological Spokespersons and Movements in India (2021W)

Spontaneous movements, mostly initiated, organised and carried out by forest dwellers (Adivasi) or by farmers whose livelihood was threatened, have been frequent in India’s history and have continued to this day. For a long time, Indian urban intellectuals as well as village leaders have expressed concerns in regards to the depletion of soil, droughts and floods, air pollution, and/or subsiding bio-diversity.

This course will provide an overview of various forms of environmental and ecological activities in India and inform on:
- Differences and commonalities between social, environmental and ecological movements
- Women’s participation in these movements and India’s version of ecofeminism
- Solidarity and tension among rural and urban, illiterate and formally educated participants of these movements
- Differences between movements where one cause is identified (i.e mining) and where depletion is caused by multiple factors (i.e. air pollution)
- The relationship between environmental movements, NGO’s and concerned citizens and the state
- The role of international networks and support from abroad

On Oct. 16th, the course begins with an introduction to the topic and an overview of possible themes for a presentation. These include movements such as the protests against the Silent Valley Hydroelectric Project, the Chipco Andolan, the Narmada Bachao Andolan, and the protests against Bauxite mining in the Niyamgiri Hills. Other possible themes for a presentation are on individual spokespersons (researchers, public intellectuals and/or activists) like Amrita Devi Beniwal Bishnoi, Rabindranath Tagore, Jagadish Chandra Bose, Sunita Narain, Vandana Shiva or the many Indian recipients of the Goldman Environmental Prize (Green Nobel Prize)“.

Until Nov. 1, 2021 students need to decide on a topic for in-depth research which will thereafter be guided by the instructor. The resulting power-point/keynote presentation should include excerpts from various forms of expression such as videos, literature, story telling and/or songs (e.g. Chennai Pormboke Paadal (https://youtu be/82jFyeV5AHM).