Date of Award

6-11-2025

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Sociology

First Advisor

Peter Rosenblatt

Abstract

In recent decades, the positioning of ethnic groups within the educational context has emerged as an important area of scholarly investigation. The structural, institutional, and local contexts often determine how ethnic groups shape their ethnicity. This study draws from panethnicity and social ontology frameworks to examine ethnic consciousness and the processes of solidarity-building across subgroups within the Garo community in the Garo Hills of Meghalaya. The unequal distribution of educational resources has led to socioeconomic disparities and class formation within Garo society, creating a growing divide between the educated and uneducated Garos. While acknowledging the diversity among subgroups, this study highlights the efforts of educated Garos to respond to sociopolitical conditions in order to foster ethnic consciousness and solidarity among various segments of Garo society. Leveraging their constitutional status as a Scheduled Tribe, the educated Garos have utilized the moral framework, values, and organizational structures of Christianity, alongside their knowledge of Garo and English, to appeal to other subgroups, particularly the uneducated Garos, encouraging them to unite for shared ethnic interests. This research is based on in-depth interviews, observations of sociopolitical events, and documentary sources, examining the role of education in shaping ethnic dynamics and solidarity within Garo society. The findings indicate that contemporary Garo ethnicity is a constructed phenomenon, significantly influenced by the educated Garos. The study also reveals that a lack of education impedes the development of ethnic consciousness and solidarity, suggesting that strengthening of the education system is essential for fostering a robust sense of ethnicity among the Garos.

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