Transformation of Ethnic Identity into Hegemonic Authority in Bodoland

Abstract

This article examines the transformation of Bodo ethnic identity into a framework of hegemonic authority following the achievement of constitutional autonomy in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) of Northeast India. Drawing on Antonio Gramsci’s concept of hegemony, the study explores how Bodo identity, initially mobilized in response to marginalization and demands for territorial recognition, has become institutionalized within governance, development, and public administration structures after the establishment of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) and subsequent peace accords. The research adopts a qualitative methodology, utilizing semi-structured interviews with political leaders, government officials, civil society actors, and residents, as well as documentary analysis of policy documents and scholarly literature. The findings demonstrate that Bodo identity has evolved from an oppositional, mobilizing force to a legitimizing principle of governance, reinforced by cultural narratives and the delivery of development outcomes. Hegemonic authority in the BTR is maintained through the production of consent, with legitimacy rooted in both ethnic representation and the effectiveness of development and welfare delivery. However, this authority remains contested and conditional, subject to renegotiation amid internal class, generational, and ethnic divisions, as well as the demands of non-Bodo communities. The study argues that autonomy has not diminished ethnic politics but has reconstituted it as a dynamic interplay of identity, governance, and development, resulting in a form of negotiated hegemony. This analysis contributes to broader debates on ethnic autonomy, state formation, and the complexities of political legitimacy in plural societies.