Institute of Management Technology Ghaziabad, India, India
Identity struggles create various conflicts for individuals on their personal and social front. With the lens of liminality, I explore how an in-betweenness state of ethnic identity vs. occupation-based identity creates identity struggles. Here, I delve into the identity struggles faced by the marginal laborers in tea gardens in Assam, India, who identify themselves as ‘Adivasi’ (Ethnic identity) and ‘Laborers’ (Occupational Identity). I conducted twenty-five qualitative interviews with the tea garden laborers. The study discusses the liminal experiences of the tea garden workers and their identity works to navigate their identity conflict arising from the liminal experiences into five broad themes: Self and social identification as Adivasi (ethnic), Self and social identification as laborers (occupation-based), Identity crisis at the liminality of ethnic and occupation-based identity, Reclaiming Adivasi (ethnic) identity, and Reclaiming identity and rights as laborers. The study brings novel insights into the various identity work that individuals in prolonged positional liminality perform in order to protect their social identities. The study further discusses the clash of institutionalized identity with under-institutionalized identity and its related tensions in practicing identity work. Keywords: Liminality, Identity Work, Indigeneity, Ethnic identity, Occupational identity, Laborer.
