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Haal haal ne haal [Walk, walk and walk]: exploring the pace of pastoral mobility among the Rabari pastoralists of western India

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Version 2 2024-01-31, 15:57
Version 1 2023-06-10, 05:51
thesis
posted on 2024-01-31, 15:57 authored by Natasha Kirit Maru

Drawing on ethnographic research, my thesis explores the temporal experiences of mobility among the Rabari pastoralists of western India to respond to the research question: Why does pastoral mobility persist, and how does it engage with new and changing circumstances?

Mobility is a function of both time and space. Yet, scholarship on the temporal dimension of mobility has been limited, favouring the study of spatial trajectories instead. My thesis applies a temporal lens to rebalance our understanding, and shows how time, and the experience of time, is deeply embedded within the practice and politics of mobility. Rather than mere displacement from point A to B, mobility emerges as a temporally mediated affective experience, that is, a lived duration.

The thesis explores different spatio-temporal aspects of pastoral mobility by pivoting around various temporal concepts, such as the rhythms of crop and weather cycles and the synchronicity of the pastoral migrating group to these rhythms, the accelerated TimeSpaces of a rapidly shifting political economy and the ‘waiting’ experienced by the youth as they seek to reposition themselves in this changing context. These different elements are interconnected and come together for a comprehensive and holistic understanding of mobility.

Further, the thesis finds that the concepts and practice of ‘pace’ and ‘pacing’ are key to responding to the research question. Pastoral mobility persists because the pastoralists ‘pace’ their mobility to adapt to, take advantage of, manipulate, and bypass new and changing circumstances. ‘Pace’ is a way of understanding mobility as a relationship between people, time, and space. The thesis explores the ‘pace of pastoral mobility’ along three key dimensions: a) the practical, to understand how pastoral mobilities are ‘paced’ in practice, b) the relational, to understand pace as a relational and social construct; and c) ideological, to show how pace is represented and understood within broader social structures, politics, and development.

Therefore, paying attention to the temporal dimensions of mobility provides new insights and opens new areas for thought and action for pastoralism and development more broadly.

History

File Version

  • Published version

Pages

269

Department affiliated with

  • Institute of Development Studies Theses

Qualification level

  • doctoral

Qualification name

  • phd

Language

  • eng

Institution

University of Sussex

Full text available

  • Yes

Supervisor

Prof. Ian Scoones and Dr, Jeremy Lind

Legacy Posted Date

2023-03-01

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