Suresh Dhakal | Tribhuvan University (original) (raw)

Papers by Suresh Dhakal

Environmental Justice in Nepal Origins, Struggles, and Prospects, 2025

By examining the interlinkages between landlessness, socio‑economic inequalities, unequal impacts... more By examining the interlinkages between landlessness, socio‑economic inequalities, unequal impacts of climatic hazards, and the right to protection against injustice, this chapter concludes that historically constructed social and economic discrimination and vulnerability are the bedrock of environmental injustice of unfree agricultural labor and this understanding could be better enhanced through the concept of environmentalism of the poor.

Occasional Papers in Sociology and Anthropology - Volume 5, 199

Occasional Papers in Sociology and Anthropology, 2008

The PDF of this file is 1,175 kbytes in size and therefore will take a long time to download if y... more The PDF of this file is 1,175 kbytes in size and therefore will take a long time to download if you click on the PDF link below. If you would like the file to be sent to you by email, please send a request to info@nepjol.info. Please include the citation below in your request. DOI: 10.3126/opsa.v5i0.1094Occasional Papers in Sociology and Anthropology Vol.5 1996 p.39-51

In Nepal, the land ownership still determines the economic prosperity, social status and the poli... more In Nepal, the land ownership still determines the economic prosperity, social status and the political power of an individual. Therefore, unequal distribution of land has caused a differentiation, hierarchy and divisions in the society leading to perennial conflicts. Still a large number of land dependent households are deprived from their primary source of livelihood, i.e. land. Statistics show that one-fourth of the total population of the country is either landless or have less than 0.1 ha of land. An overwhelming majority of low caste people belong to this landless category. But, the caste aspects of land ownership have not been looked into seriously. This paper, based on a study carried out in Morang, an eastern Terai district of Nepal, explores the socioeconomic status of the lower castes groups and relationship between the land ownership and livelihoods among them. The study was carried out in 3,054 households selected through stratified random sampling. Among which 125 were ...

Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology, 2014

Democracy is conceptualized and practiced differently in different times and places; and may exis... more Democracy is conceptualized and practiced differently in different times and places; and may exist in various forms and levels with various degrees and dimensions. Therefore the use of the word “democracy” occurs neither alone, nor steadily, nor completely; it is, “historically” and “ethnographically emergent”. Following an extensive review, the paper concludes that democracy (ideals, institutions and practices) is depended upon effective state vis-à-vis strong civil society. Effectiveness of the state and the strength of the civil society, both depend on a common denominator, that is, participation. This paper, excavates some of the traces of, what we may like to refer today as democracy, in our own historical context; and, portrays how the meaning of democracy shifting along with the shifting of the local terms for democracy. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/dsaj.v7i0.10440 Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 7, 2013; 133-156

Through an ethnographic exploration of the practice of participation of individuals of an economi... more Through an ethnographic exploration of the practice of participation of individuals of an economically, culturally and politically diverse and divided society in donor supported Community Organisations (COs) in Kaseni village of Morang district, the paper illustrates how these COs have created and expanded intermediary spaces where many of the social, economic and political negotiations take place; and information and opinions are exchanged. Socially embedded politics at the village level generally sets the condition for participation in such a public space. Therefore, we focus on political processes and dynamics at the local level to assess why some people participate and not others. Manipulation of the public space by political elites occupies the central space in this study. Participating in COs to maintain political support and alliances or not to participate to show political resentment crosscuts the various structural barriers for social inclusion or exclusion. Traditional pat...

This study report is a result of combined efforts of Community Self-reliance Centre (CSRC), its c... more This study report is a result of combined efforts of Community Self-reliance Centre (CSRC), its collaborating and strategic partners and National Land Rights Forum. I would like to appreciating land-deprived people for their invaluable time and efforts for providing information and making it possible to publish this report.

Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology, 2014

Fieldwork, an anthropologist's vocation, is full of tensions and dilemmas. However, the exper... more Fieldwork, an anthropologist's vocation, is full of tensions and dilemmas. However, the experiences of any or all tensions, troubles and even failures are a 'source of ethnographic knowledge in themselves'. During the fieldwork for my PhD research, I encountered several such incidents, which have made my work more interesting and my experience richer. This article describes the situation of doing fieldwork in the conflict period, when the 'peace process' was not yet come to the conclusion.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/dsaj.v8i0.10723Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 8, 2014; 87-98

Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology, 2012

In this short review, I have tried to sketch an overview of historical development of political a... more In this short review, I have tried to sketch an overview of historical development of political anthropology and its recent trends. I was enthused to prepare this review article as there does not exist any of such simplified introduction of one of the prominent sub-fields in cultural anthropology for the Nepalis readers, in particular. I believe this particular sub-field has to offer much to understand and explain the recent trends and current turmoil of the political transition in the country. Political anthropologists than any other could better explain how the politics is socially and culturally embedded and intertwined, therefore, separation of the two – politics from social and cultural processes – is not only impossible but methodologically wrong, too. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/dsaj.v5i0.6365 Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 5, 2011: 217-34

BARRIERS TO WOMEN'S LAND AND PROPERTY ACCESS AND OWNERSHIP IN NEPAL, 2016

Land ownership is a significant indicator of wealth, power, political and social security in Nepa... more Land ownership is a significant indicator of wealth, power, political and social security in Nepal. Despite this, up to 25 per cent of the country’s population is estimated to be landless. Land reform efforts carried out by the Government of Nepal have mostly concentrated on securing land rights of the family, without much regard for differences in land ownership of individuals within households. Over the past few years, consensus has emerged around the idea that there is a link between women’s land ownership and household welfare. In addition to this, land is a valuable asset for women that raises their community status and shapes their identity as producers. However, according to the population census of 2011, women enjoy ownership over land and property in only 19.71 per cent of households in Nepal.

Even though, Miteri in the Far West is a distinct social category, without the adequate understan... more Even though, Miteri in the Far West is a distinct social category, without the adequate understanding of miteri ties that bind people of different social and economic categories, it becomes almost impossible to understand the social structure of the Far West. As ‘kinship remains a central concept within anthropology’ (Farah & McKinnon, 2001, p.1) in general, miteri relation, despites its decline, is key to understanding the social relations, which is being sustained by ritual and reciprocity. Reciprocity perpetuates ‘mutuality of being’ (Shalins, 2011), and is regulated by rituals, maintaining such relation to be an integral part of the social process. In addition, a rigorously caste-ridden hierarchical society of Far West of Nepal, miteri relation, as elsewhere, too (see Franklin &McKinnon, 2001), is ‘utilized to articulate the possibilities for social relation of equality

Occasional Papers in Sociology and Anthropology, 2008

Books by Suresh Dhakal

Vajra Inc., 2019

In this paper propose some seemingly mundane questions to engage us in the field. These would com... more In this paper propose some seemingly mundane questions to engage us in the field. These would comprise: (i) is peasant a class or a social category?;
(ii) what position they would have in a new identity politics?; (iii) how was state-peasant relation defined in the given process of the rise of modern nation-state?, and (v) do ‘differentiation’ and ‘typification of peasants’ still hold anthropological signification?. Only by answering these questions, we can establish that the study of peasants is still a relevant field of study in our context. I end this paper here with a hope that we need to see more anthropological engagement in the study of ‘peasants’ and ‘peasants’ politics’ in the years to come.

Harawa-Charawa, the Bonded Laborers in Agriculture, 2020

Harawa-Charawa (HC) as a form of an agricultural labor contract is historically rooted and cultur... more Harawa-Charawa (HC) as a form of an agricultural labor contract is historically rooted and culturally embedded, and usually tied up with indebtedness. HC as a form of bonded agricultural labour practice is historically linked with the land tenure system and social structure. Therefore, it requires a political-economic approach to understand and explain how the reproduction of such an exploitative system continued to survive.

Environmental Justice in Nepal Origins, Struggles, and Prospects, 2025

By examining the interlinkages between landlessness, socio‑economic inequalities, unequal impacts... more By examining the interlinkages between landlessness, socio‑economic inequalities, unequal impacts of climatic hazards, and the right to protection against injustice, this chapter concludes that historically constructed social and economic discrimination and vulnerability are the bedrock of environmental injustice of unfree agricultural labor and this understanding could be better enhanced through the concept of environmentalism of the poor.

Occasional Papers in Sociology and Anthropology - Volume 5, 199

Occasional Papers in Sociology and Anthropology, 2008

The PDF of this file is 1,175 kbytes in size and therefore will take a long time to download if y... more The PDF of this file is 1,175 kbytes in size and therefore will take a long time to download if you click on the PDF link below. If you would like the file to be sent to you by email, please send a request to info@nepjol.info. Please include the citation below in your request. DOI: 10.3126/opsa.v5i0.1094Occasional Papers in Sociology and Anthropology Vol.5 1996 p.39-51

In Nepal, the land ownership still determines the economic prosperity, social status and the poli... more In Nepal, the land ownership still determines the economic prosperity, social status and the political power of an individual. Therefore, unequal distribution of land has caused a differentiation, hierarchy and divisions in the society leading to perennial conflicts. Still a large number of land dependent households are deprived from their primary source of livelihood, i.e. land. Statistics show that one-fourth of the total population of the country is either landless or have less than 0.1 ha of land. An overwhelming majority of low caste people belong to this landless category. But, the caste aspects of land ownership have not been looked into seriously. This paper, based on a study carried out in Morang, an eastern Terai district of Nepal, explores the socioeconomic status of the lower castes groups and relationship between the land ownership and livelihoods among them. The study was carried out in 3,054 households selected through stratified random sampling. Among which 125 were ...

Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology, 2014

Democracy is conceptualized and practiced differently in different times and places; and may exis... more Democracy is conceptualized and practiced differently in different times and places; and may exist in various forms and levels with various degrees and dimensions. Therefore the use of the word “democracy” occurs neither alone, nor steadily, nor completely; it is, “historically” and “ethnographically emergent”. Following an extensive review, the paper concludes that democracy (ideals, institutions and practices) is depended upon effective state vis-à-vis strong civil society. Effectiveness of the state and the strength of the civil society, both depend on a common denominator, that is, participation. This paper, excavates some of the traces of, what we may like to refer today as democracy, in our own historical context; and, portrays how the meaning of democracy shifting along with the shifting of the local terms for democracy. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/dsaj.v7i0.10440 Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 7, 2013; 133-156

Through an ethnographic exploration of the practice of participation of individuals of an economi... more Through an ethnographic exploration of the practice of participation of individuals of an economically, culturally and politically diverse and divided society in donor supported Community Organisations (COs) in Kaseni village of Morang district, the paper illustrates how these COs have created and expanded intermediary spaces where many of the social, economic and political negotiations take place; and information and opinions are exchanged. Socially embedded politics at the village level generally sets the condition for participation in such a public space. Therefore, we focus on political processes and dynamics at the local level to assess why some people participate and not others. Manipulation of the public space by political elites occupies the central space in this study. Participating in COs to maintain political support and alliances or not to participate to show political resentment crosscuts the various structural barriers for social inclusion or exclusion. Traditional pat...

This study report is a result of combined efforts of Community Self-reliance Centre (CSRC), its c... more This study report is a result of combined efforts of Community Self-reliance Centre (CSRC), its collaborating and strategic partners and National Land Rights Forum. I would like to appreciating land-deprived people for their invaluable time and efforts for providing information and making it possible to publish this report.

Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology, 2014

Fieldwork, an anthropologist's vocation, is full of tensions and dilemmas. However, the exper... more Fieldwork, an anthropologist's vocation, is full of tensions and dilemmas. However, the experiences of any or all tensions, troubles and even failures are a 'source of ethnographic knowledge in themselves'. During the fieldwork for my PhD research, I encountered several such incidents, which have made my work more interesting and my experience richer. This article describes the situation of doing fieldwork in the conflict period, when the 'peace process' was not yet come to the conclusion.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/dsaj.v8i0.10723Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 8, 2014; 87-98

Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology, 2012

In this short review, I have tried to sketch an overview of historical development of political a... more In this short review, I have tried to sketch an overview of historical development of political anthropology and its recent trends. I was enthused to prepare this review article as there does not exist any of such simplified introduction of one of the prominent sub-fields in cultural anthropology for the Nepalis readers, in particular. I believe this particular sub-field has to offer much to understand and explain the recent trends and current turmoil of the political transition in the country. Political anthropologists than any other could better explain how the politics is socially and culturally embedded and intertwined, therefore, separation of the two – politics from social and cultural processes – is not only impossible but methodologically wrong, too. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/dsaj.v5i0.6365 Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 5, 2011: 217-34

BARRIERS TO WOMEN'S LAND AND PROPERTY ACCESS AND OWNERSHIP IN NEPAL, 2016

Land ownership is a significant indicator of wealth, power, political and social security in Nepa... more Land ownership is a significant indicator of wealth, power, political and social security in Nepal. Despite this, up to 25 per cent of the country’s population is estimated to be landless. Land reform efforts carried out by the Government of Nepal have mostly concentrated on securing land rights of the family, without much regard for differences in land ownership of individuals within households. Over the past few years, consensus has emerged around the idea that there is a link between women’s land ownership and household welfare. In addition to this, land is a valuable asset for women that raises their community status and shapes their identity as producers. However, according to the population census of 2011, women enjoy ownership over land and property in only 19.71 per cent of households in Nepal.

Even though, Miteri in the Far West is a distinct social category, without the adequate understan... more Even though, Miteri in the Far West is a distinct social category, without the adequate understanding of miteri ties that bind people of different social and economic categories, it becomes almost impossible to understand the social structure of the Far West. As ‘kinship remains a central concept within anthropology’ (Farah & McKinnon, 2001, p.1) in general, miteri relation, despites its decline, is key to understanding the social relations, which is being sustained by ritual and reciprocity. Reciprocity perpetuates ‘mutuality of being’ (Shalins, 2011), and is regulated by rituals, maintaining such relation to be an integral part of the social process. In addition, a rigorously caste-ridden hierarchical society of Far West of Nepal, miteri relation, as elsewhere, too (see Franklin &McKinnon, 2001), is ‘utilized to articulate the possibilities for social relation of equality

Occasional Papers in Sociology and Anthropology, 2008

Vajra Inc., 2019

In this paper propose some seemingly mundane questions to engage us in the field. These would com... more In this paper propose some seemingly mundane questions to engage us in the field. These would comprise: (i) is peasant a class or a social category?;
(ii) what position they would have in a new identity politics?; (iii) how was state-peasant relation defined in the given process of the rise of modern nation-state?, and (v) do ‘differentiation’ and ‘typification of peasants’ still hold anthropological signification?. Only by answering these questions, we can establish that the study of peasants is still a relevant field of study in our context. I end this paper here with a hope that we need to see more anthropological engagement in the study of ‘peasants’ and ‘peasants’ politics’ in the years to come.

Harawa-Charawa, the Bonded Laborers in Agriculture, 2020

Harawa-Charawa (HC) as a form of an agricultural labor contract is historically rooted and cultur... more Harawa-Charawa (HC) as a form of an agricultural labor contract is historically rooted and culturally embedded, and usually tied up with indebtedness. HC as a form of bonded agricultural labour practice is historically linked with the land tenure system and social structure. Therefore, it requires a political-economic approach to understand and explain how the reproduction of such an exploitative system continued to survive.