On Insider-Outsider in North East India

In recent years, scholars have increasingly examined the critical questions of identity in North East India, revealing the intricate inter-group relationships essential for understanding human interactions. A significant aspect of this discourse is the phenomenon of ‘othering’, which fosters binaries such as ‘us and them’ and underscores the marginalisation that arises from this process. The complexities of these intergroup dynamics pose vital questions regarding belonging. In the context of North East India, this is manifested in two primary ways. Individuals from this region face marginalisation and are subsequently othered by their fellow citizens in mainland India, who ascribe to them a distinct 'Northeast identity’. Conversely, residents from various states within the region often perceive settlers, particularly those from mainland India, as outsiders or non-natives, thereby reinforcing their own status as insiders. This book review commentary will analyse how the anthology, But I Am One of You: Northeast India and the Struggle to Belong, edited by Samrat Choudhury and Preeti Gill, India: Harper Collins, 2024; pp. (ix +275), ISBN 978-93-6213-857-6, Rs . 599 (softcover). The book addresses the complex interplay of the politics of belonging and identity through the lens of belongingness and identity theory. This review commentary aims to initiate a critical inquiry into identity politics and belonging—an emerging area of interest and investigation across multiple disciplines, particularly within the contemporary Indian context.