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Perspectives on Social Inclusion and Exclusion in Nepal Om Gurung, Mukta Singh Tamang, Mark Turin

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Perspectives on Social Inclusion and Exclusion in Nepal Om Gurung, Mukta Singh Tamang, Mark Turin Perspectives on social inclusion and exclusion in Nepal Om Gurung, Mukta Singh Tamang, Mark Turin To cite this version: Om Gurung, Mukta Singh Tamang, Mark Turin. Perspectives on social inclusion and exclusion in Nepal. Department of Sociology/Anthropology, Tribhuvan University, 2014, 978-9937-524-50-6. 10.17613/v1dk-hf69. halshs-03080977 HAL Id: halshs-03080977 https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-03080977 Submitted on 27 Jan 2021 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. This volume represents one part of a larger research project undertaken by the Central Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Tribhuvan University from 2011 to 2013 to design a Social Inclusion Atlas and Ethnographic Profiles (SIA-EP) for Nepal. The SIA-EP project has four interrelated components, including a country-wideNepal Social Inclusion Survey (NSIS), a Nepal MultidimensionalSocial Inclusion Index (NSII) combining original surveying with the findings of other recent surveys and the 2011 Census, a Social Inclusion Atlas that mapscaste/ethnicity data, and finally a series of Ethnographic Profiles describing the 42 highly-excluded communities of Nepal. The overall objective of the SIA-EP research was to promote a more informed understanding of Nepal’ssocial diversity by producing research based on the most current information of the country’s cultural and Editors linguistic diversity andthe status of social inclusion of different Om Gurung social groups. The combination of quantitative and qualitative Mukta S. Tamang information produced through this research is expected to Mark Turin contribute to policy design, research, and education. PERSPECTIVES ON SOCIAL INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION IN NEPAL Editors Om Gurung Mukta S. Tamang Mark Turin CENTRAL DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY/ANTHROPOLOGY TRIBHUVAN UNIVERSITY Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal Perspectives on Social Inclusion and Exclusion in Nepal Copyright @ 2014 Central Department of Sociology/Anthropology Tribhuvan University Published by Central Department of Sociology/Anthropology (CDSA) Tribhuvan University (TU) Kirtipur Kathmandu, NEPAL Tel: 0977-1-433852 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.cdsatu.edu.np First Edition: March 2014 1000 Copies All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission. ISBN: 978-9937-524-50-6 Printed in Nepal by: Jagadamba Press Design and layout by: Jagadamba Press Table of Contents Preface Manju Thapa Tuladhar Acknowledgements Om Gurung, Mukta S. Tamang and Mark Turin Introduction 1 David Holmberg Perspectives on Social Inclusion and Implications for 11 Research in Nepal Mukta S. Tamang Perspectives on Multiple Dimensions and Intersections 38 in Social Inclusion Meeta S. Pradhan Research on Social Inclusion Atlas (SIA) and 57 Ethnographic Profile (EP) Nepal Social Inclusion Index (NSII): A Proposed Methodology Arun Kumar Lal Das, et al. A Comprehensive Exclusion/Inclusion Index for Nepal: 122 A Proposal Mahendra Lawoti Nepal: Study of Political Inclusion and Research Methods 173 Krishna Hachhethu Ethnographic Research in Nepal: Methodological 191 Approaches, Relevance and Applications Dilli R. Dahal The Inclusive State: A Philosophy and Sociology 218 of Social Inclusion Gérard Toffin Preface This edited volume is a compilation of papers presented at a workshop organized by the Central Department of Sociology/ Anthropology (CDSA) at Tribhuvan University from 6-8 May 2012 in Kathmandu, Nepal. The workshop was organized as part of an ongoing research project undertaken by the CDSA to generate a Social Inclusion Atlas and Ethnographic Profile (SIA-EP). The objective of the workshop was to inform and refine concepts and methodologies used in the SIA-EP research program through dialogue with social scientists and concerned stakeholders. The SIA-EP research project was formally launched in February 2012. Its primary aim was to promote a more informed understanding of Nepal’s social diversity by producing current research-based information on the country’s cultural and linguistic diversity and explore the status of social development among different caste and ethnic groups. As an initiative undertaken by a university department, the project involved a multidisciplinary team of scholars who designed and then implemented the research initiative. During the workshop, more than thirty papers were presented on concepts and methods for social inclusion and exclusion research in Nepal. Among these were papers that dealt with issues regarding the relevance of ethnographic studies, as well as approaches to ethnographic research. Most of the papers engaged with theories of social exclusion, inclusion, and cultural diversity, thereby generating perspectives in the context of Nepali society, and offering insights on how research on such timely issues could be best furthered. Ideas generated during the workshop contributed substantially to the later implementation of all the components of SIA-EP research program, which involved four interrelated components. First, the Nepal Social Inclusion Survey (NSIS), consisting of a national sample survey covering 98 caste and ethnic groups. Second, the Reanalysis of National Survey Data including the 2011 Census of Nepal to generate disaggregated statistical information within social groups. Third, the designing and building of Ethnographic Profiles for 42 pre-determined highly excluded groups. Finally, and through the use of GIS technology, the Social Inclusion Atlas which plotted the 2011 census data onto a map. All of these components were geared toward producing a comprehensive picture of Nepal’s social diversity and the state of social inclusion through the systematic generation and presentation of both quantitative and qualitative information. The research was carried out with generous funding from the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Nepal through Social Inclusion Research Fund (SIRF). As such, it is one of the largest research projects undertaken by CDSA in its history. Together with research findings published separately, we are confident that this volume on “Perspectives on Social Inclusion and Exclusion in Nepal” will be useful for planners, researchers, educators, students, and general readers interested in understanding the concepts of social inclusion and exclusion particularly within the context of Nepal. I thank all the authors for their contributions and are grateful to our editors, Professor Om Gurung, Dr. Mukta S. Tamang and Dr. Mark Turin, for their valuable assistance in bringing this work to fruition. Manju Thapa Tuladhar, Ph.D. Lead Advisor, SIRF Acknowledgements While the persistence of institutionalized social exclusion in Nepal has received attention from political leaders, development workers, academics, activists, journalists, civil society leaders and others, the extent and dynamics of social exclusion has remained seriously understudied. In order to address this lacuna, the Central Department of Sociology/Anthropology (CDSA) at Tribhuvan University undertook a research project to construct an atlas of social inclusion supported by ethnographic profiles of communities in Nepal. This multidimensional project was supported by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Kathmandu through SNV/Nepal. The primary objective of the research was to promote an informed understanding of Nepal’s social diversity through the production of high quality and up-to-date, research-based information regarding the country’s social, cultural, and linguistic composition, as well as the status of human and social development. In order to carry out the research effectively, CDSA formed a multidisciplinary research team. From the outset, the team felt it necessary to clarify both the perspectives and methods of the research on social exclusion, to which end the CDSA organized a three-day research methodology workshop from May 6-8, 2012. The broad objective of the methodology workshop was to sharpen the research perspectives for understanding social exclusion and inclusion in Nepal from a range of theoretical vantage points. The specific objective of the meeting was to refine and finalize the research methodology through consultation with experts and multiple stakeholder representatives. More than 150 participants from different fields participated in the workshop, including planners, policy makers, academics, political leaders, international organizations, donors, government administrators, activists, civil society leaders, and journalists. About 40 experts were invited to write perspective papers to contextualize social inclusion in Nepal and help form a robust methodology for fieldwork. The workshop was thus envisioned as providing a platform from which expert researchers could present their perspectives and research methodologies to each other, as well as share them with wider stakeholders for feedback. There were two expected outputs of the workshop. First, the workshop was intended
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