Aparna Parikh (Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Pennsylvania State University)
Urban development in Mumbai has involved the enclosure of ecological commons that are central for the lives and livelihoods of the Kolis, the city’s indigenous fishing communities. Within an atmosphere of development threats and resource constraints, a focus on Koli fisherwomen’s everyday activities sheds light on strategies to manage and adapt to changing urban environments. Further, their engagement with mangroves explains limits in existing conservation narratives and provides alternative modes for environmental engagement. This talk will draw on creative, linguistic, and ethnographic entry points to provide a glimpse into fisherwomen’s urban worlds in Mumbai and the pathways they offer for more just futures.
For questions about South Asian Studies at Penn State, email Jessica V. Birkenholtz at jvanbirk@psu.edu.
