The transnational influence of energy on cultural practices a study on kuttanad wetland systems

Abstract

The phenomenon of the extensive Kerala-Gulf migrations has exerted a significant influence on the socio-economic development and local cultures of the state. This study newlineinvestigates the evolving cultural perceptions and practices in the region with the rapid migrations, employing the conceptual framework of energy as a guiding lens. Energy is viewed as the fundamental and material fuel communities engage with to shape and organise their cultures. By situating the research in the field of Energy Humanities, it interrogates the role of shifting energy regimes and transnational energy systems in specifically shaping the local community s relation with the land and environment. The study focuses on Kuttanad, a wetland-based region in Kerala, historically known for its intense paddy cultivation and rice production. Wetland environments play a significant role in environmental sustainability by sustaining the carbon cycle and exist as complex biodiverse ecosystems. The study employs a mixed-method qualitative approach by combining ethnography and textual analysis that form the primary data for analysis. The selected novel Moustache (2020) by S. Hareesh translated by Jayashree Kalathil serves as the primary text. In ethnography, methods like semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and focus-group discussions were utilised to directly obtain insights from the newlineparticipants perspective. The collected data was systematically coded and analysed to newlineexplore an underlying energy unconscious within the culture. The findings present early agrarian Kuttanad as an organic-based energy regime with flow and animate forms as newlineprimary sources of energy that act as agency and effect in shaping local cultures. It newlinehighlights the overlooked aspect of energy s influence on the social dynamics, power newlinestructures, and everyday values and practices of local cultures.