This Fissured Land Reading Questions

Reading Questions for This Fissured Land

Into the Woods, Fall 2008

  

  1. What is the authors’ main purpose in writing this text? In other words, what are they trying to prove, show, or explain? You might want to return to this question after answering the others.
  2. The authors categorize societies according to their major modes of resource use, and then attribute a variety of distinguishing social, economic, and environmental characteristics to each mode.  Which of these defining characteristics do you think are most important or interesting? Do the authors make a convincing argument that the distinguishing characteristics are a result of the modes of resource use available to people at the time?  
  3. According to the authors, how and why did the Caste system developed in India?
  4. Why was the colonial system of rule so much harder on the forests (and forest dwellers) than the previous feudal system of agriculture and forest use under the Mughal emperors and the princely states? 
  5. What were the three primary positions on the question of forest rights taken during the debate over the Indian Forest act of 1878?
  6. How were different Indian social groups affected by the 1878 Act and how did they resist colonial control of the forests?  [Note: a brief summary or a few examples are all that is needed here.]  
  7. After independence, the Indian National government chose the path of Industrial development over Gandhi’s vision of a return to pre-industrial communal village living.  The new national leaders hoped that rapid industrialization (controlled by public/private collaboration) would build the capacity of the nation to meet the needs of an impoverished citizenry and eventually raise the living standard of all (through infrastructure development, education, jobs, cooperative businesses, etc.) What did industrialization mean for forest policy and resource use in Independent India? 
  8. There are still major conflicts within India over forest rights (who has the right to resources) and sustainable forest practices.  Describe some of these conflicts and/or why some attempts at resolving the conflicts have failed.