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Home/Anthropology/Mains PYQ/2024/Paper II/Ethnicity, Tribal Movements & Social Change
UPSC MainsAnthropology Optional Paper II 2024 15 Marks Model Answer Available

Resurgence of Ethno-Nationalism — 2024 Paper II

Question · 2024 · Paper II · 15 Marks

Elucidate the resurgence of ethno-nationalism from an anthropological lens.

Model Answer

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Introduction Ethno-nationalism is a political ideology where the "nation" is defined in terms of shared ethnicity, ancestry, and cultural heritage, rather than civic citizenship. Anthropologist Anthony Smith argues that modern ethno-nationalisms are built upon pre-existing ethnies (ethnic cores). Its recent global and regional resurgence challenges the modernist assumption that globalization would dilute ethnic identities.

Anthropological Theories of Ethno-Nationalism

  1. Primordialism vs. Constructivism
  • Clifford Geertz (Primordialism): Argues that ethnic ties (blood, speech, custom) possess an "ineffable, coercive" emotional power. This explains the intense, often violent passion behind ethno-nationalist movements.
  • Benedict Anderson (Constructivism): Counters that nations are "imagined communities." The resurgence is often fueled by the selective revival of history, myths, and traditions (as noted by Eric Hobsbawm) propagated through modern media and education.
  1. Boundary Maintenance (Fredrik Barth)
  • Barth shifted the focus from the "cultural stuff" inside an ethnic group to the boundaries between them. Ethno-nationalism resurges when groups feel the need to harden these boundaries due to resource competition or perceived demographic threats.
  1. Instrumentalism (Paul Brass)
  • Argues that ethnicity is a tool weaponized by political elites to capture power, territory, and resources. The resurgence is often less about ancient hatreds and more about modern political mobilization.
  1. Globalization and Ethnoscapes(Arjun Appadurai)
  • Appadurai explains that globalization paradoxically fuels ethno-nationalism. The rapid movement of people, capital, and media creates "ontological insecurity" (a loss of stable identity). Furthermore, "long-distance nationalism" is sustained by diasporas who fund and ideologically support ethno-nationalist movements back home.

Drivers of the Modern Resurgence

  • Relative Deprivation: When marginalized groups compare their economic and political status with dominant groups, the resulting frustration breeds ethno-nationalism (e.g., historical demands for Gorkhaland based on regional underdevelopment).
  • Crisis of Indigeneity and Land: Conflicts over who constitutes the "original" inhabitant versus the "migrant," intensified by land scarcity and changing demographics (e.g., the Kuki-Meitei conflict in Manipur over Scheduled Tribe status and hill territories).
  • Post-Colonial Cartography: The legacy of arbitrary colonial borders that divided contiguous ethnic groups (e.g., Naga nationalism seeking Nagalim across state and international borders).
  • State Centralization: Perceived cultural homogenization or linguistic imposition by the state triggers ethnic backlash as a defense mechanism for bio-cultural survival.

Anthropological Assessment and the Way Forward While ethno-nationalism can democratize power by giving a voice to marginalized indigenous groups, its extreme forms lead to xenophobia, ethnic cleansing, and the essentialization of identity.

Conclusion From an anthropological lens, suppressing ethno-nationalism through forced state assimilation inevitably fails. The resurgence is best managed through institutional mechanisms like asymmetrical federalism (e.g., India's Sixth Schedule), consociational democracy, and the promotion of a multicultural civic identity that accommodates ethnic pride without demanding political exclusivity.

2026 Tana Bhagat movement. 2026 Kumar Suresh Singh's contribution in studying tribal movements. 2026 Discuss the impact of Christianity on the tribal population of Jharkhand. 2025 Regionalism and Autonomy

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UPSC Anthropology Optional 2024 — Paper II

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