Traditional Knowledge in Contemporary Societies: Challenges & Opportunities
Authors: Kamal K Misra, Kishor Kumar Basa
Year: 2007 ISBN: 8177021419
Publishers: Indirā Gāndhī Rāshṭrīya Mānava Saṅgrahālaya, Bhopal and Pratibha Prakashan
Intangible Cultural Heritage of India-Series 5
The 5th book in the series of Intangible Cultural Heritage of India, comprises contributed articles presented at a seminar held on 27-28 February, 2006 convened at the Department of Anthropology, University of Hyderabad; with reference to India.
Indigenous Knowledge, an accumulated knowledge of the poor and marginalized for generations, transmitted orally, and carefully preserved in the cultural practices of the people, is under severe threat today. Changing environment and deep penetration of the forces of globalization and technologization into the remote areas have many a times made this knowledge obsolete. There is a growing concern that IK ingrained in people's context-specific knowledge of ensuring food security, of human and animal health, and resource management practices needs to be documented, both in situ and ex situ. This volume is a modest attempt in this direction.
With 26 chapters divided into 5 sections and contributed by anthropologists, activists, botanists, computer scientists, pharmacologists, environmental scientists, pharmacologists, environmental scientists, and sociologists, the book is a rich compendium of Indigenous Knowledge research in India and abroad. The sections in the volume focus on theoretical and methodological issues pertaining to Indigenous Knowledge, case studies on the knowledge of different ethnic groups, tribal ethno-medical practices, loss of Indigenous Knowledge and the role of Indigenous Knowledge in social development. The volume is a source book for Indigenous Knowledge research and will be of immense interest to anthropologists, environmental scientists, ethno-botanists, ecologists, computer scientists, sociologists, NGOs and development administrators.
About the Authors
Prof. K. K. Misra is Professor of Anthropology at Central University of Hyderabad and is currently on deputation to the Government of India as Director of IGRMS since April 2010, and also assumed Additional charge of Director, Anthropological Survey of India, Kolkata. He has written/edited/co-edited 9 books and has published more than 50 research papers in journals of repute and anthologies. He is the editor of Humankind and Journal of Anthropological Survey of India and on the editorial advisory boards of Indian Anthropologists, the Oriental Anthropologist International Journal of Anthropology and ethno-medicine and The Scientific Journal International
Prof. Kishor K Basa is the former director of IGRMS. He has been teaching in Department of Anthropology in, Utkal University since 1980. He has co-edited 5 books and published papers in Anthropology, Archaeology and musicology. He is the General Editor of Intangible Cultural Heritage of India Series of IGRMS and annual Journal 'Humankind'.