Monthly Archives: April 2023

In this chapter, Jegathesan seeks to answer the question of how ur is experienced by the “landless citizens who continue to inhabit the industrial-residential landscape of the tea plantations” (102). The links and bonds that exist between these people resists … Continue reading →

One thing I found to be very interesting was Garcia’s intention behind asking a follow-up question in regard to the reasons behind the closing of the addiction clinic. This follow-up question illuminates an entirely new dimension to the commentary, that … Continue reading →

In “Tea and Solidarity: Tamil Women and Work in Postwar Sri Lanka,” Mythri Jegathesan delves into the experiences of Tamil women in the workforce following the civil war. Through a historical background in the introduction, Jegathesan sets the stage for … Continue reading →

Abrell’s book “Saving Animals: Multispecies Ecologies of Rescue and Care” is a fascinating exploration of the complex relationships between humans and animals in the context of rescue and care. The introduction sets the stage for the book’s investigation of rescue … Continue reading →

It is inspiring to see how Tmail women renovate, add, and transform their houses in the line rooms. They adapt to their foreign conditions by creating assemblages and building connections with the soil, creating Ūr in and out of the … Continue reading →

When reading Mythri Jegathesan’s piece Tea and Solidarity: Tamil Women and Work in Postwar Sri Lanka, it was not obvious to me at first what Jegathesan was articulating when differentiating from the older times of Sri Lanka, before colonialism. However, … Continue reading →

Although Jegathesan does not reveal the plain thesis of the book at the very beginning of the introduction, the way the narrative unfolds allows for a helpful insight into the overall themes and aims of the ethnography. I especially thought the … Continue reading →

One detail that really stuck out to me in Mythri Jegathesan’s work was the provided definition of the term coolies, specifically the integral aspect of movement within this identifier. Jegathesan defines this aspect in several different components: “the physical move from … Continue reading →

To begin, I really appreciate Mythri Jegathesan’s narrative style. Some ethnographies have been difficult to read, but due to the simplistic language it makes these difficult concepts and issues easier to understand. Similarly, the use of imagery at the very beginning … Continue reading →

Similar to a previous post on the introduction of Jegathesan’s “Tea and Solidarity: Tamil Women and Work in Postwar Sri Lanka,” I was also struck by the author’s observation of the common gesture of concern and care that Tamil women … Continue reading →

I was struck by this line and Mythri Jegathesan’s follow up that it was “one of the first questions older women would ask [me].” The emphasis on care between the workers and also with Jegathesan, a researcher and technical outsider, stands out … Continue reading →

Mythri Jegathesan’s ethnography explores Hill Country Tamil workers’ desires for dignity on Sri Lanka’s tea plantations. She conducted her ethnographic research between 2008 and 2017. The length of time in which she immersed herself in the fieldwork is notable because … Continue reading →

From even the introduction, this book asserts a strong narrative voice that provides perspective on the author’s ethnographic methods as a woman in Sri Lanka. I enjoyed the way Jegathesan described her interactions with the people around her, interjecting important … Continue reading →