The politics of naming and un-naming
Nationalism and colonised Adibashi in Bangladesh
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 24216647 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Tanzina Tahereen (York University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-26 |
| Publication date | 2026-09-28 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Asian Ethnicity (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1463-1369 • E-ISSN: 1469-2953 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/14631369.2026.2734913 |
| OpenAlex | W7214594544 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 19 |
In postcolonial South Asia, Bangladesh continues to define its national identity in ways that reproduce colonial exclusions. Despite the presence of more than fifty-four Adibashi groups, state authorities continue to contest their Indigenous status and deny them constitutional recognition as Indigenous peoples. This article examines how naming practices employed by Bengali political elites contribute to the marginalisation of Indigenous communities in Bangladesh. The state adopts a homogenising model of nationalism centred on a majority identity, which denies Indigeneity and undermines Adibashi claims to land, rights, and recognition. The article argues that nationalist politics shapes naming practices and uses them as mechanisms of assimilation and exclusion. It first situates Indigeneity within international and national debates and then demonstrates that, although marginalisation is not the sole defining feature of Indigeneity, it remains a central dimension of Indigenous experience in Bangladesh and reflects the persistence of colonial forms of domination within nationalist projects.
assimilation · Bangladesh · colonial legacy · constitutional recognition · indigeneity · Indigenous peoples · Indigenous rights · Land rights · marginalization · naming practices · National identity · Nationalism · Bangladesh Politics, Society, and Development · Indigenous Cultures and History · South Asian Studies and Conflicts
The Politics of Belonging in India
“Indigenous Peoples” in International Law
The idea of South Asia
The complex relationship between indigeneity and class in South East Asia
Ethnicity and Conflict in South Asia
Indigeneity in Asia
The Dark Side of Indigeneity
The local translation of global indigeneity
Resisting a postcolonial construction of historical trauma and healing
Indigeneity
The Return of the Native
The Idea of Indigenous People
What's in a name? The politics of naming ethnic groups in Kenya's Cherangany Hills
| Highly cited | No |
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