Faculty
Dr. Divya K
Assistant Professor
Alliance School of Liberal Arts and Humanities
Dr. Divya K obtained her MPhil and PhD from the School of Social Work, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. In her thesis, she tried to understand the articulation of Adivasi’s idea of self and autonomy. Along with three significant aspects, Adivasis, State, and Movement, she also examined the emergence of indigeneity and the role of geography in forming the identity of Adivasi communities. The thesis also explored the movement for autonomy globally, looking at comparative literature. Dr Divya’ s MPhil work focuses on how state legislation has come into conflict with the lives of Kadar Adivasis and how the interfaces have formed their everydayness.
Formerly, she was an assistant professor at Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kerala, where she taught courses on social theories, qualitative research, social policy, legislation and human rights, development theories, marginalisation and development, and ecology and sustainable development.
Besides academic writing, Dr Divya has also published on diverse platforms, especially in regional language. She has engaged in indigenous people’s resource rights for over a decade in various capacities. This exposure provided her with a first-hand experience of conservation-Adivasi rights debates. Her research interests are forest history, decolonising conservation, ecology, social movements, indigeneity, tribal studies, forest rights, policy and human geography.
- Kalathingal, Divya.(2019). ‘Conservation—a contested story: the State and the Kadar Adivasisin Kerala, India’,15/0, Law, Environment and Development (pp1-19). ·
- Kalathingal, Divya.(Dec,2019). ‘Voluntary Relocation and the Violation of Forest Rights Kerala’,Vol LIV No 48, Economic and Political Weekly.
- K, Divya. (2016, January). ‘Development Experience of Adivasis: Case Studies from Kerala’. Indian Journal of Sustainable Development, 2(1).
Book Chapter
- Kalathingal, Divya. (2017). ‘Culture and Conservation: A Study of Kadar Tribe in Kerala’. In R.K. Alex, S. D. S, R. Cheruvalath, & G. Prakash, Ecocultural Ethics:
Critical Essays (pp.149-160). London: Lexington Books.
Edited Book
- Bachan, Amitha KH., Mohan, Maya., Kalathingal, Divya (2022). Vanavibhavaadhikaarangalum Adivasi Vikasanavum (Forest resource Rights and Adivasi Development: 15 years of Forest Rights Act, 2006 in Kerala).3rd Edition. CEtC,WGHF, Kerala (Malayalam). ISBN: 978-93-5692-952-1.
- “Forest History of India” at the three day international tribal conference, Kadakam III on “Tribes: History, Life, Culture and Expressions” by Centre for Dalit and Tribal Studies, Department of history, MES Mampad College(Autonomous), Malappuram, Kerala (2024).
- “Relocation of Tribes from Protected Areas in Kerala since FRA2006” at the two day national seminar on “Tribal Displacement and Resettlement: Problems and Challenges” at Kerala Institute for Research Training and Development Studies of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (KIRTADS), Kerala (2018).
- “Relocation of Kattunaikka from Wayanad, Kerala: Violation of FRA 2006” at two day national conference on “FRA &CFR, A Legal Instrument for Sustainable Livelihood, Inclusive Conservation and Progressive Democracy ensuring Upliftment of Forest Dependent Communities & 4thCFR Kerala Conference” jointly organised by Western Ghats Hornbill Foundation, Vasundhara, Odisha, Human Right Law Network, Adivasi Gothra Mahasabha, Keraleeyam Magazine and MES Asmabi College, Kodungallur, Kerala (2017).
- “An ethnographic account of life of Kadar Adivasis” at the national seminar on “Human and Ecological Rights of Forest and Forest People” jointly organised by Botany Research Department and Western ghats Hornbill Foundation, MES Asmabi College, Kodungallur, Kerala (2016).
- “Development Experience of Adivasis: Case studies from Kerala” at XXXIV Annual Conference of Indian Society of Professional Social Work, Central University of Rajasthan on “Social Work and Sustainable Development” (2016).
- “Impact of Conservation Programmes and Developmental Interventions of the State on Kadar Tribe of India” at the Third International Conference of Asian Population Association, Malaysia (2015).
- “Linkage between Culture and Conservation; A study of the Kadar tribe, Kerala” at the International Conference organized by BITS Pilani, Goa on Towards Ecocultural Ethics: Recent Trends and Future Directions (2014).
- “Social Interface between State and Adivasis in terms of conservation; A micro level analysis of Kadar tribe of Kerala, India” at the International Conference organized by Institute of Social and Economic Change, Bangalore on “Global Issues of Population, Environment and Development”(2014).
Invited Lectures
- ‘Engagement with Adivasi communities’, a session for the research scholars organised by Rural Development at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Tuljapur Campus, Maharashtra(2023, October).
- ‘Implementation of Forest Rights Act, 2006 in Kerala’, organized by Kerala Shastra Sahitya Parishad, Kazhakkoottam, Kerala (June, 2023).
- Resource Person to the seminar organized as part of Vaidyar Maholsavam, Department of Culture, Government of Kerala (2023, May)
- Resource person to the ‘IEC preparation workshop’, organized by Kerala Knowledge Economy Mission, Government of Kerala (2023, April)
- ‘Inclusive Welfare and Social Work Interventions among Tribal Communities’, organized by Don Bosco College, Wayanad (2022, October).
- ‘Community Development Specialization- Orientation session’, organized by Bharata Mata College, Kochi (2022, February).
- ‘Politics of Protected Areas and Indigenous Peoples Rights’, organized by Department of law, University of Calicut (2021, October).
- ‘Historicizing the Adivasi Question in the Context of Kerala’, organized by WMO Arts and Science College, Muttil, Wayanad, Kerala ((2020, May).
