Main supervisor- Prof. Synnove Kristine Nepstad Bendixsen

Co-supervisor- Prof. Stale Knudsen

Working space- 836

Project title- Understanding littorals of Loktak(working title)

The PhD project will try to understand/re-think the identity, culture, belief system and ongoing state-constructed internal-displacement of a fishing community, who identify themselves as "water-people", in Loktak Lake of Manipur, India. The research will indulge significantly in ethnography whilst re-thinking the everyday meanings of "water-people", witnessing the cultural transformation of the community in accordance to the ecological transformation, and also perceiving the whole discourse of "space" on water through gender, water spirits, and oral narratives. 

The project contributes to water-based thinking and ethnography of water-people in general. 

See a complete overview of publications in Cristin.

Manimala, Asem Chanu, “Hardman and Gunman in Bodoland”, Countercurrents.org, 3^rd August 2017. https://countercurrents.org/2017/08/hardman-and-gunman-in-bodoland

Manimala, Asem Chanu, and Shyamal, Bikash Chakma, “Naturalizing Everyday Violence in Mizoram”, Countercurrent.org, 3^rd September 2017. https://countercurrents.org/2017/09/naturalizing-everyday-violence-in-mizoram

Manimala, Asem Chanu, “Water Lives in Loktak”, Pangsau, 3^rd June, 2018. https://pangsau.com/2018/06/13/the-struggles-of-the-lake-people-in-loktak/

Manimala, Asem Chanu, “Lady Watches over Us”, fountainink.com, 12^th December, 2018. https://fountainink.in/essay/039the-lady-watches-over-us039

Manimala, Asem Chanu, ‘Loktak: Sense-Making of Ecology and Collective Memory’, in Beda, Devi Ch and Sonia, Devi Ch (ed.), Education and Sustainable Development Goals, New Delhi-Global e-Text, 2019.

Manimala, Asem Chanu, ‘Wind, ‘Phum’ and Life on the Loktak Lake: A Photo Essay’, EPWengage, May, 2019. https://www.epw.in/engage/article/wind-phum-and-life-loktak-lake-photo-essay

Manimala, Asem Chanu, ‘Loktak: Rethinking human-nature interaction on this Environment Day’, Countercurrents.org, 3^rd June 2019. https://countercurrents.org/2019/06/loktak-rethinking-human-nature-interaction-on-this-environment-day

Manimala, Asem Chanu, “Littoral Community: The World with a Singular Culture”, in Sujata, Devi RK (ed.), Culture and Human Development (forthcoming ed. book)

Manimala, Asem Chanu, “Understanding Gender and Division of Labor among the littorals of Loktak (working title)” (accepted chapter in a forthcoming ed.book)