Quality of Life and Well-Being in an Indian Ethnic Community : The Case of Badagas

Annotation This book explores the quality of life among Badagas, an ethnic minority group in South India, as they navigate a society in flux, with specific reference to rural-to-urban migration and new media. At an empirical level, it reveals how Badagas understand themselves and the multifaceted changes in their culture and daily lives, exploring a pertinent concern at the forefront of debate about the future from a global perspective. The book draws attention to the fact that people are adopting flexible identities and lifestyles in an attempt to survive and thrive in a changing India and world, a new 'Indian-ness' shaped at the local level. It offers a timely update on previous research on Badagas, which dates to the 1990s, and also serves as an important case study on people's experiences of the social and economic transformation of Indian society as they become accustomed to new ideas, products, and ways of life. As such, it is a must-read for all those interested in quality of life in India and developing societies This book explores the quality of life of Badagas, an ethnic minority group in South India, as they navigate a society in flux, with specific reference to rural-to-urban migration and new media. At an empirical level, it reveals how Badagas understand themselves and the multifaceted changes in their culture and daily lives, exploring a pertinent concern at the forefront of debate about the future from a global perspective. The book draws attention to the fact that people are adopting flexible identities and lifestyles in an attempt to survive and thrive in a changing India and world, a new 'Indian-ness' shaped at the local level. It offers a timely update on previous research on Badagas, which dates to the 1990s, and also serves as an important case study on people's experiences of the social and economic transformation of Indian society as they become accustomed to new ideas, products, and ways of life. As such, it is a must-read for all those interested in quality of life in India and developing societies.-- Provided by publisher Contents 6 Introduction 8 Once upon a Time: The Beginnings 9 Migration and Identity 11 Localisation in the Nilgiri Hills 14 Badagas as One Big Family 16 Language, Religion, and Folk Medicine 17 Traditional Economy 19 Badagas as Colonial Subjects 21 Desire for Change 24 Concluding Summary and Chapter Outlines 27 References 30 Methodology 33 Fieldsites: Multi-sited Ethnography 34 Social Identity and Symbolic Interactionism 36 Quality of Life 39 Data 43 Concluding Summary 47 References 48 Badagas Going Digital 50 Past and Present 53 Pride of Being Badaga 57 Poverty and Social Inequality in the Nilgiri Hills 61 Fundraising and Social Activism 66 Concluding Summary 71 References 74 Migrants’ Voices 76 Departing the Nilgiri Hills 81 The Promised Land: Living in Bangalore 84 Being Badaga 87 Becoming City Badaga 92 Concluding Summary 97 References 98 Conclusion 100 Being Badaga in India Today 101 Intersections of Quality of Life, Identity, and Migration 106 From Othering to Self-Othering 110 Parting Thoughts 112 References 114 Front Matter ....Pages i-vi Introduction (Gareth Davey)....Pages 1-25 Methodology (Gareth Davey)....Pages 27-43 Badagas Going Digital (Gareth Davey)....Pages 45-70 Migrants’ Voices (Gareth Davey)....Pages 71-94 Conclusion (Gareth Davey)....Pages 95-109