The Baloo Mafia: An Ethnographic Exploration of the Political Economy of Sand Mining in Bihar

About the Speaker:
Jeff Witsoe is a political anthropologist who studies caste empowerment and democratic politics in Bihar, a populous state in north India.  He has done research on the impact of globalization and state policies on rural economic development and on caste and ethnic conflict created by electoral politics in India. He earned his B.A. from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and his Ph.D. at the University of Cambridge.

About the Lecture:
Dr. Witsoe will explore the changes that have occurred in the sand mining industry in Bhojpur district, Bihar. The syndicate of powerful men who control sand mining has long been referred to by locals as the “baloo (sand) mafia.” Bihar is India’s poorest state, known for corruption and criminality that increased in the wake of lower caste political mobilizations. Over the last six years, however, a new state government has shifted public discourse from caste empowerment to economic development and the state has registered some of the highest growth rates in India. The resulting construction boom has greatly increased demand for sand. This lecture will examine what the story of the baloo mafia reveals about the changes that are taking place in Bihar.

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