Publisher's Synopsis
Modernization of Tribal Communities: Studies In Sociology of Science of The Mishings and The Karbis of Assam Technology is considered as a respectable sibling of science.This study nucleates round adoption of new technology and theconsequent changes in their mode of production which results in anall round improvement of the standard of tribal life. The Mishing represent a wetland peasant group whose remotestancestors were highlanders. The Karbis on the other hand is ahighland population some of which has migrated to the plainsareas. From the perspective of sociology of science of this study it ishighlighted that the salient changes occurring in various relatedaspects of modern tribal life. As a consequence of adopting summodern technology by a present day peasant group the Mishing andanother neo-peasant community viz., the Karbis have perceptiblychanged their mode of life. They have improved much. The present study however in a cautious way describes the littlechanges about the earlier notion that tribal people are blindlytradition ridden superstitious and averse to modernity. Rather thepresent study points out that the acceptance of modernity isgradually becoming a mode of life of the tribes under study,provided there is a developed infrastructure including educationaland communication systems and a good socio-cultural environmentaround the tribal villages. Contents: Foreword. Preface. 1. Introduction. 2. The Mishings and the Karbis and introduction. 3. The villages. 4. Modern technology in agriculture. 5. Use of modern artifacts. 6. Developmental facilities and introduction of newtechnology. 7. Summary and conclusion. Index.
