CfP: An Environmental History of Eastern India
Odisha, situated on the eastern coast of India, is a region of remarkable ecological richness and historical depth. Characterized by a diverse natural landscape—ranging from ancient forests and sacred groves to coastal deltas and mineral-rich highlands—Odisha’s environment has played a pivotal role in shaping its human history. Conversely, human activities have also significantly transformed the region’s ecological profile over millennia. This proposed volume, An Environmental History of Eastern India: From Earliest Times to the Twenty-First Century, aims to explore the dynamic interactions between people and nature across different historical epochs, from prehistory to the contemporary period.
The book will investigate how ecological factors influenced patterns of human settlement, religious and cultural practices, economic organization, and political change. It will address critical themes including the representation of nature in literature and art, systems of forest and temple management, traditional ecological knowledge, and the implications of colonial and postcolonial developmental interventions. Additionally, it will examine community responses to ecological disruptions such as famines, floods, deforestation, and climate change.
Despite Odisha’s rich environmental heritage, scholarly literature on the region’s environmental history remains sparse. While considerable academic attention has been given to its societal, political, economic, and religious dimensions, the environmental aspects have been relatively overlooked. By bringing together interdisciplinary perspectives from history, archaeology, anthropology, ecology, geography, and cultural studies, this volume seeks to fill this critical gap. It will not only offer a comprehensive understanding of Odisha’s environmental past and present but also contribute meaningfully to the broader field of environmental history in South Asia. The volume aspires to inform academic discourse, support evidence-based policymaking, and aid heritage conservation efforts in the region.
We invite scholars, researchers, and practitioners to contribute original chapters that engage with this theme from diverse disciplinary perspectives.
Indicative Sub-Themes (including but not limited to):
- Environment and Archaeology: Landscapes, Sites, and Resource Use
- Environment and Inscriptions: Epigraphic Insights into Land, Water, and Forests
- Environment, Art, and Architecture
- Representation of Environment in Medieval Literatures
- Animals in Medieval Texts and Cultural Practices
- Environment, Temple, and Forest Management in Medieval times
- Environment and Settlement Patterns: Rivers, Coasts, and Urban Development
- Forest Management through the Ages: Sacred Groves, Colonial Exploitation, and Tribal Practices
- Agriculture, Irrigation, and the Ecology of Food Systems
- Environment and Maritime Trade: Ports, Estuaries, and Resource Exchange
- Disasters and Ecological Change: Floods, Famines, and Cyclones in Historical Perspective
- Tribal Ecologies: Customary Practices, Biodiversity, and Resistance Movements
- Mining, Industrialization, and Environmental Degradation (Colonial to Contemporary)
- Forest, ecology and literature of colonial Odisha
- Environmental Movements and Policy: Forest Rights, Conservation, and Activism
- Climate Change and Environmental Vulnerability in Odisha Today
- Traditional Knowledge and Environmental Preservation
- Women, Environment, and Conservation Efforts
- Eco-feminism and Environmental Humanities
Contributions may focus on specific case studies, historical periods, thematic investigations, or comparative frameworks related to Odisha’s environmental history.
Submission Guidelines:
Abstract Submission Deadline: 30 June 2025
Notification of Acceptance: 10 July 2025
Full Chapter Submission Deadline: October 2025
Publication of book: July 2026(Tentative)
Abstract Length: 200-300 words, including title, five keywords, and author affiliation. Abstracts must outline the methodology, sources, research questions, and preliminary findings.
Chapter Length: 5,000–8,000 words (including references)
Submissions must be original and unpublished. Interdisciplinary, empirical, theoretical, and collaborative works are highly encouraged.
Please send abstracts and queries to:
Dr. Lokesh K. Durga
Faculty, Department of History
Berhampur University, Odisha
Email: lokeshdurga13[at]gmail.com
Dr. Sadanand Nayak
Associate Professor, Department of History
Berhampur University, Odisha
Email: dr.nayak73[at]gmail.com