Monthly Archives: April 2022

While reading Tea and Solidarity, I could not help but be reminded of our earlier reading Queer Freedom: Black Sovereignty as they share similar themes concerning the bodily exploitation resulting from colonization. Perceptions of the Hill Country Tamil’s body were externally … Continue reading →

I really enjoyed reading Tea and Solidarity for many reasons, but specifically for its emphasis on language and the importance that it holds in justice and dignity. The way that words were translated next to their meaning in English throughout … Continue reading →

I really enjoyed the reading for this week and loved that I was a discussion leader for this reading as it was very interesting and important. When I originally signed up to be a discussion leader, I had no idea … Continue reading →

In Tea and Solidarity,  Dr. Jegathesan explores the stories of the women, men, and children who have built their families and lived in line houses on tea plantations in Sri Lanka. Dr. Jegathesan seeks to expand anthropological understandings of dispossession and draws … Continue reading →

After the series of heavier ethnographies we have gone through, this one was introduced as an ethnography about tea. However, much like with many other parts of the global economy, modern day tea production is the product of neocolonialism. I … Continue reading →

Tea & Solidarity provided an interesting look into the lives of Tamil women during the postwar era in Sri Lanka. In the novel, author Mythri Jegathesan illustrates the economic crisis that the tea industry was funneled through after the civil … Continue reading →

Colonization is a big topic which there can be many different feelings toward this subject.  Jagathessan talks about a deep subject but conveys it very fluently. Reading the article made it clear how she felt when talking about colonization. Thinking … Continue reading →

Tea and Solidarity discusses the desire among minorities of Hill Country Tamil workers to be free of the legend of colonialism. Similar themes of racial, economic, and social oppression can be seen throughout the book to other works we have … Continue reading →

I came for tea, and instead found a narrative about how colonialism manages to stick around. In all seriousness, the story about Sadha and her family really struck me. Especially, the point where her niece took her seriously for a … Continue reading →

It’s interesting to read a work about the importance of “continued” colonization because such a concept is often thought of to be a thing of the past. But the exploitation of other people groups is still incredibly pertinent today, and … Continue reading →

So far, I really like how the author is informing the audience of one of the exploitative labor structures that exists in our society. I never thought to look at how all the different forms of forced labor exist and … Continue reading →

This week’s readings from Tea and Solidarity: Tamil Women and Work in Postwar Sri Lanka illuminate the systemic, structural, and social inequalities these women face and how labor and gender expectations transform their daily experiences. From the start of her … Continue reading →

Reading Jegathesan’s work with Hill Country Tamils in Sri Lanka reminds me a lot of the history between the Spanish colonizers and indigenous peoples in Latin America, especially in relation to coffee plantations. I was specifically reminded of the book, Mayalogue: … Continue reading →