ICES: International Centre for Ethnographic Studies
ICES Publishing USA
"Never underestimate the importance of local knowledge." So says a popular
advertising slogan. ICES is concerned with identifying and keeping local
knowledge--we are concerned with "keeping culture."
ICES seeks to inform and educate, to inspire Mumbai to take the lead in celebrating
their ethnic incrongruity...appreciating and keeping their varied cultural distinctives.
ICES seeks to familiarize Indians with their culturally diverse neighbors and
countrymen...and help to educate India's youth and international communities about
the fascinating, colorful, varied and important cultures of Mumbai...that they may keep
them!
As India melts into the global economy and yearns to be a superpower, ICES is
concerned about maintaining distinct Indian identities...exploring and celebrating the
things about Indian cultures that belong here and no where else. Yet, in Mumbai,
priorities have little to do with preserving cultural distinctives...and much to do with
financial gain. Collective concerns have more to do with becoming globally minded than
with what will happen to their society when they do so.
As we see the impact of globalization on our city, we are concerned. Young women
exchange their traditional salwar kameez for tight t-shirts and blue jeans. Middle class
families dream for their children to be educated in the West, lured by the promise of
materialism and physical comfort; and they are being enticed toward "love" marriages
and nuclear families...they have little time to think about important values within their
culture.
Living in Mumbai is nearly every people group in India, all jammed into the 180 square
mile peninsular city. Cultures are rubbing cultures, and blending into one another.
People from different ethnicities and language groups are living daily side by side, yet
barely know one another. There are Marathi, the most populous group in Mumbai;
blending with them are Gujaratis who are blending with Keralites, blending with
Tamilians and Telugus. And they merge with Hindi speakers, Bengalis, Punjabis,
Assamese and Manipuris, to name but a few. And if that isn't enough diversity, their
religions are Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Jain, Parsee, Buddhist and Christian...and all flavours
of each of those.
There is enormous economic disparity with Mumbai being the financial capital of
India...yet more than half of its population lives on the pavement or in slums. Over all
of that looms the outlawed but ever-present caste system, separating people from
people. With so much diversity, it is no wonder that individual cultures disappear
within Mumbai's ethnic conglomeration.
At ICES we believe that to preserve cultural harmony in such close quarters, it is
important that Indians understand and appreciate one another's cultural traditions and
values. As globalization and urbanization become reality, it is equally important to
acknowledge and understand the influence of urbanization on cultures in Mumbai...and
for the international community to know how to relate to the broad range of ethnicities that
comprise this interesting country, and therefore, this city: Mumbai.
As an affiliate of CGE Consortium for Global Education, ICES shares the CGE
commitment to joint educational programs between countries. "CGE has established
mutually beneficial partnerships with some of the world's most prestigious universities in
80 different countries." Their programs range from "extended, two-way exchanges of
students and faculty to summer programs for intensive study of culture and foreign
language, seminars in economic development" and more." ICES in Mumbai conducts
research in partnership with foreign university students, utilizes the talents of Indian
students for specific research projects, utilizes volunteers and when funds are available,
employs Indian researchers, photographers and writers. View Publications...
