The Centre for Himalayan Studies (CHS) of the North Bengal University that is on the outskirts of Siliguri organised a three-day seminar with Bengt G. Karlsson, a professor of social anthropology at Stockholm University, Sweden, which ended on Thursday.

Karlsson is known for his research on issues related to the indigenous people, with focus on the politics of ethnicity and nature in India. He was at the CHS as a visiting fellow from September

6 to 8.

“During his stay, he interacted with the students of the varsity, the faculty members of other departments of the NBU and the students and faculty members from other universities as well in the region such as Sikkim University and Raiganj University.

Swatahsiddha Sarkar, the head of the department of the CHS, said one of the significant aspects of Karlsson’s visit is that his work and ideas can be located in the context of north Bengal as he began his research career with his work on the Rabha community, a Scheduled Tribe that dwells in the region.

“At that time, he had been affiliated to the department of sociology and social anthropology of North Bengal University,” said Sarkar.

On the first day of his visit, Karlsson delivered his lecture on “Personal Reminisces: Three decades of Research Journey on Indigenous Issues”.

On the second day, an interactive session was organised by the CHS where research scholars, faculty members and students from within and outside the CHS took part.

“The questions from those present were as diverse as Karlsson’s works. The questions ranged from indigenous issues to political ecology, tea plantation, plant ecology, gender, migration and issues related to forests were put to him and he replied to each elaborately,” said a source in the CHS present at the session.

On Thursday, Karlsson delivered a lecture on “Altitude matters: Theory from the hills and beyond”.

“Professor Karlsson shared a tentative proposal of a theory from the hills by which he meant that theorisation should emanate from hills with an engagement of humans as also non-human elements and multiple cosmologies thereof,” said a source, explaining the integrated nature of the professor’s vision.

Along with the students, Binayak Sundas, an assistant professor of the CHS, and T.B. Subba and Krishnapriya Bhattacharya, both prominent researchers, were present at the seminar.

“On these three days, the discussions covered almost all major aspects of Himalayan studies, north Bengal and Northeast India. These will obviously help the students and researchers of this region,” said a faculty member of the CHS.