Making Sense of the Andaman Islanders

The inclusion of Andaman islanders in the "indigenous" slot by academics and activists coupled with recent studies on the colonial history of the islands has generated a new conjuncture in academic engagement with these peoples. This paper seeks to understand the significance of this conjuncture in the context of larger debates around the disciplinary reassessment of tribal studies in contemporary India. By focusing closely on the implications of framing the Andaman islanders within the discourse of "indigeneity", this paper explores the possibilities opened up by the ongoing conversations in the field of adivasi studies.