Identity, Resistance and Liberation

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We have now started our first unit, which is about Identity in India. We've had a speaker talking about tribal people, a panel of Bandhavi girls talking about their lives as untouchables in their villages, and a panel of Visthar employees discussing women's issues in India.

Tonight I leave on my first field excursion with 5 other students and a Visthar chaperone. One group will study farmers and indigenous people in Kerala and another will study fisher people in Tamil Nadu. My group will travel around Karnataka for a week studying untouchables, devadasis and women's issues. We are all excited and I am a little nervous, not knowing what to expect. Although we are the only group staying in the state of Karnataka we actually have to travel the furthest and will be in a sleeper car on a train for our 8 hour journey. It should be an interesting experience. I will try to remember to take many pictures and will have a multitude of details to share about the trip.

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