Paper short abstract:

This paper explores the role of journals in building the discipline of anthropology in India.

Paper long abstract:

This paper explores the role of journals in building the anthropology associations and whether they reflect the state of art in the discipline of anthropology in India. Though journal publication in India is almost a century old, it has not kept with the changing times. The paper examines some of the prominent journals and their respective associations to chart patterns of coverage of its subdisciplines, themes, nature of writing and challenges of publication in India. What is the role of a journal in the life of academics and in public and national platform? On one hand, a journal reflects the mission and goals of the association, on the other it has to reflect the concerns of the times. How have historically different journals evolved and changed? What has been the role of individuals in building journals and maintaining their focus and interests? Whether publications reflect local concerns or try to connect local with the global in theoretical and methodological terms? What are the challenges languages and medium of instruction and writing pose here? How integrated has anthropology in India been? What is the relationship between anthropology and other disciplines and do the articles reflect interdisciplinary concerns? How neoliberal economy is changing the publication scene with regard to their international presence? And is there a possibility of reading for an indigenous anthropology here are some of the issues the paper seeks to examine.