Self and Other: Revisiting Differences in Tribal Interactions 1

Abstract

Ethnographically informed studies present us a wide range of tribal interaction, such as interaction with the tribes, by the tribes and within each tribe. The information reveals differences, often hierarchical, at different spheres. These differences are studied En; applying various approaches, and conceptual and theoretical perspectives. One of the approaches to study the incidence of difference critically is the perspective of othernessthe presentation of 'the self and 'the other' in binary opposition. In view of this, the paper attempts to study ethnographically informed differences in tribal interactions by applying the binan; perspective of' the self and 'the other'. In doing so, it critically examines the usefulness of the binan; approach to study the perspective of' otherness' with reference to differences as informed in the process of tribal interactions. The paper is essentially a preliminan; enquin; on the topic and is based on the field and other ethnographically informed data.