Roundtable
Contemporary Adivasi writing in India: paradigms, issues and perspectives

Abstract

“Adivasi writing may sound a contradiction in terms, as the literary traditions of Adivasis have largely been oral. Yet, in contemporary India, Adivasis are writing not only in their local languages, but also in the major languages of the country. Adivasi literature in India is not canonical literature. The reasons have to do with power, the dominance of written literature over oral literature, and positioning in the (domestic and international) literary field. In this round table we will discuss issues such as the publication and circulation of Adivasi texts, the power of language and translation, and the academic reception of Adivasi writing.”