Browsing by Author "Baburaj, A."

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Dynamics of Ethnic Boundaries: Rethinking Insider-Outsider Dichotomy in Northeast India
(Taylor and Francis Ltd., 2024) Baburaj, A.; Pannikot, D.
Northeast India has a history of being strategically populated with non-tribal people since colonialism, leading to resentment among the indigenous population and the emergence of sub-nationalism rooted in local culture and history. This sub-nationalism asserts the insider-outsider dichotomy, (native tribal v/s non-native settler), resulting in ethnic conflicts and demands for secession. Amidst the region’s rich cultural diversity and the presence of numerous smaller ethnic groups, the contemporary literature from Northeast India, including poetry, fiction, nonfiction and drama, serves as a critical lens to unravel the dynamics of ethnic boundaries. Integrating Fredrik Barth’s notion of “ethnic boundaries,” which posits that migration and mobility, with their accompanying social processes of exclusion and incorporation, maintain distinct ethnic categories, this article attempts to analyze how contemporary literature from the region unveils the myth of the insider-outsider dichotomy at play. This will be examined through a nuanced interpretation of two contemporary novels from Northeast India, Mamang Dai’s The Black Hill (2014) and Anjum Hasan’s Lunatic in My Head (2007). By foregrounding Barth’s theoretic framework, the select novels decipher the underlying dynamics of exclusion and incorporation, challenging the conventional binary of “insider” and “outsider.” This study makes a noteworthy contribution to the discussions around society, ethnicity, and peace in Northeast India, using textual analysis method where literary narratives are interpreted in their sociopolitical contexts. It highlights the importance of challenging existing suppositions regarding ethnic identity and adopting a comprehensive and inclusive approach toward promoting peace in the region. ©, Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
Emerging Sisterhood and Women’s Solidarity in Northeast Indian Fiction
(Routledge, 2024) Baburaj, A.; Pannikot, D.
The article explores the concept of solidarity and women’s sisterhood, particularly during periods of conflict in Northeast India. It advocates for a paradigmatic revision of the conventional understandings of solidarity, which are predicated on inherent characteristics or collective experiences of oppression, towards an inclusive, action-driven concept of gendered solidarity. This envisaged form of solidarity, informed by the philosophical underpinnings of Hannah Arendt, underscores the significance of collective action, mutual assistance, and shared objectives, concurrently eschewing exclusionary tendencies and superficial moralism. The study further integrates an analysis of gender-specific responses to conflictual scenarios and an examination of solidarity as depicted in two novels, from the corpus of Northeast Indian Anglophone Fiction, Easterine Kire’s A Respectable Woman and Mitra Phukan’s The Collector’s Wife, thereby demonstrating how the redefined principles of solidarity engender resilience and empowerment amidst adversarial contexts evoked in these fictional works. Examining the female characters, the article emphasises the transformation of women’s roles from victims to active participants in the public sphere, albeit facing marginalisation post-conflict. Additionally, the article examines how gendered solidarity might be expanded from women of the same ethnic groups in the region to encompass diverse groups by utilising Hannah Arendt’s concepts of identity and solidarity. © 2025 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Endurance and Ethical Considerations in the Everyday Within the Necropolitical Realms of Northeast India: An Examination Through Literature
(Sage Publications India Pvt. Ltd, 2025) Baburaj, A.; Pannikot, D.
Political mobilization for homelands within the Northeast Indian context frequently culminates in the emergence of opposition and the creation of antagonistic ethnic militias by groups fearing marginalization. The state and security forces sometimes further provoke these militias, making political violence inevitable. This raises critical concerns about how ordinary people survive in these conflict-ridden ‘necro zones’. This study aims to elucidate resilience and survival strategies in the necropolitical landscapes of Northeast India, as depicted in contemporary literature. It focuses on how individuals and communities in conflict zones navigate life amidst violence, using Veena Das’s concept of ‘ordinary ethics’ to analyse the portrayal of human endurance in the select novels for study, Veio Pou’s Waiting for the Dust to Settle (2020) and Mitra Phukan’s The Collector’s Wife (2005). These narratives reveal the daily moral negotiations and relationships that underpin survival in such adversarial environments. The research underscores the role of literature in showcasing the interplay between systemic violence and the moral fabric of everyday life, arguing that ordinary experiences in these regions are profound sites for moral development and world-remaking in the face of necropolitical terror. © 2025 The Author(s). This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).
Exploring Gender Sustainability in Khasi Society: An Analysis of Matrilineality and Women Empowerment
(Emerald Publishing, 2025) Baburaj, A.
In the matrilineal society of the Khasi in Northeast India, inheritance and lineage are transmitted via the maternal line, positioning women in a notably empowered stance relative to many other tribal societies within the country. Despite the matrilineal inheritance system, a matriarchal societal structure is absent, with men enjoying crucial roles in familial and communal spheres. Though significant, Khasi women's autonomy prompts an inquiry into its efficacy in fostering an environment of sustainable gender equality. This chapter delves into the dynamics of Gender Sustainability within the Khasi context, focusing on the need for systemic adjustments that target gender equity on a longitudinal scale. It emphasizes that achieving gender sustain-ability transcends solving immediate disparities; it necessitates formulating and implementing policies to mitigate future gender inequalities. The evo-lution of women's empowerment within such traditional societies depends on flexible capacities, policy effects, and the attitudes of state leaders. The profoundly ingrained cultural institutions that sculpt gender norms and roles are crucial in these processes. Khasi society has, to some extent, diminished women's reliance on men for household decision-making and mobility. It is essential to look at the capacity of Khasi women to direct their autonomy to establish a gender-equal milieu that leads their interests against opposition and engenders a supportive ecosystem for future generations, irrespective of gender. This chapter challenges the efficacy of autonomy in making a genuinely equitable gender landscape, suggesting a multifaceted approach that includes cultural, policy-oriented, and societal interventions. © 2026 Dhishna Pannikot. All rights reserved.
From Reel to Real: The Impact of Cinematic Violence on Youth Aggression in India
(Taylor and Francis Ltd., 2025) Raveendran, K.; Baburaj, A.
The portrayal of violence in Indian cinema has undergone a significant transformation over the years, shifting from narrative-driven depictions to gratuitous and sensationalized spectacles. This essay explores the impact of violent media on youth behavior, with a particular focus on recent incidents of violence among students in Kerala. Drawing on academic research, psychological theories, and case studies, the study argues that the normalization of cinematic violence not only desensitizes young viewers but also legitimizes aggression as a form of identity performance and conflict resolution. While acknowledging that media is not a solitary cause of violence, the essay highlights its role as an amplifier that interacts with developmental vulnerabilities, peer influence, and social pressures. By analyzing esthetic, ethical, and societal dimensions, the study underscores the urgency of fostering media literacy, promoting ethical storytelling, and integrating peace education as preventive measures. Ultimately, it calls for reclaiming cinema’s cultural power to shape narratives of empathy, justice, and nonviolence, thereby contributing to sustainable peace in society. ©, Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
Mnemonic Communities of Displaced Indigenous People: Northeast Indian Narratives of Cultural Memory
(Karadeniz Technical University, 2023) Baburaj, A.; Pannikot, D.
The displaced indigenous people in Northeast India, belong to multiple ethnic groups scattered across the region. Most communities have a shared traumatic experience as the base of their collective remembering. Even though their relocation trauma resonates with others among the displaced, it does not surpass their strong ethnic predilection. Social processes of remembering establish the community by drawing and redrawing the boundaries of different periods or eras in its historical trajectory. Cultural memory plays a major role in revisiting and reforming the historical trajectory, especially in a space where cultural artefacts possess strong roots. Contemporary literature from the Northeast traces the trajectory of its history with the help of the available knowledge system and the lived-through experiences of ordinary Indigenous people. The study focuses on Easterine Kire’s A Respectable Woman (2019) and Mamang Dai’s The Black Hill (2014) as narratives of cultural memory in reconstructing the mnemonic communities of the indigenous population in Northeast India, helping them in the process of identification by confronting the hegemonic conflicting memories. © 2023 Karadeniz Technical University. All rights reserved.
Social media influencers’ toxicity: review of the film Prince and Family
(Routledge, 2025) Raveendran, K.; Baburaj, A.
[No abstract available]
The Overview and Application of Generalised Beam Theory in Buckling Analysis of Thin-Walled Structures
(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2023) Baburaj, A.; Jeyapragasam, V.V.K.
The analysis of structural response of cold-formed steel compression members is critical since its ultimate strength is significantly influenced by its buckling capacity.In this case, failure of members can occur with independent local, distortional, global buckling modes or with its interactive mode.Finite element methods employed for performing buckling analysis of cold-formed steel sections proved to be ineffective in depicting the contribution of each mode involved in the buckling deformation.However, a modal-based generalised beam theory (GBT) eliminates this disadvantage and provides the most efficient method for buckling/vibration analysis of thin-walled sections having complex geometries.The use of GBT-based formulations (i) considers the local and distortional buckling effects due to slender elements in cross section and global buckling effects due to member slenderness and (ii) provides the detail of modal contribution of every mode considered in the analysis.The finite element approach embedded in GBT for performing the member analysis for possible loading and support conditions unveils the complete deflection and buckling behaviour of the member.This article illustrates the state-of-the-art report about the generalised beam theory and its various applications on static and buckling analysis.The advancements in GBT are presented concisely.Further, the concepts involved in the cross-sectional analysis and the formulation of first and second-order theories in buckling analysis are discussed with their applications. Â© 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.