2004 Volume 113 Issue 2 Pages 258-272
This study discusses the present political and cultural situation of resources and environment of mountains in South Asia, and views recent research trends and perspectives of the author's studies in the context of modern South Asia. Mountain regions were never the center or the target area of development policy, but rather they were just viewed as natural resources to be exploited for the economic/industrial development of the plains. The living world of the mountain people, who possess tribal culture that is more or less different from the caste Hindu society of the plains, at the same time also received less attention. But, recent environmental movements in South Asia within a few decades have gained strength and awakened the political awareness of mountain people. This was the effect of the well-known Chipko movement and the Save Narmada movement, which had many features of the Gandian movements. These conflicts over natural resources or the environment are worth studying as they clearly show us the nature of political ecology in modern South Asia. Because of this, environment studies in the fields of human and social sciences have greatly increased in recent years. In the author's study in Rajasthan, the Rabari involved conflicts over grazing resources, shows there are many not well-known conflicts where adjacent communities struggle with each other over the use of resources, and where the roles of political parties are significant. Compared to other regions, South Asia can be regarded as one of the most conflicted cases in the world. Another perspective of the author's studies on milk and meat relates not only to politics but also the cultural ecology of the South Asia. The author states the view that human geo-ecological studies of milk/meat from production to consumption can help to open up new cultural views of Ahimsa (non-violence), Sacred Cow, Vegetalianism, etc., which are values of the South Asian civilization.
