Prof. C.A. Mawlong

Designation: Professor

Department: History

Qualifications:

M.A. (History, NEHU), PGDA (Institute of Archaeology, New Delhi), Ph. D., (NEHU).

Specialization/Areas of Interest:

Archaeology & Prehistory  of Northeast India; Neolithic and Megalithic Traditions in Northeast India; Ethno-archaeology; Material Culture, Gender, Social & State Formations in Khasi-Jaintia Hills.

Experience:

33 years of P.G. teaching in the Dept. of History, NEHU, from June 1989 till present and 33 years of research. Participated in an excavation at the site Harsh Ka Tila, Thanesar,  Kurukshetra, Haryana from December 1987-February 1988; Appointed Pottery Yard Assistant at the same excavation from November 1998-February 1989.

Ph.D. Awarded/Supervised:

Ph.D. Degree awarded -3 nos.

  1. Mr. Marco Babit Mitri (2009), “Archaeological Investigation in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills: A Study of the Distribution pattern of Neolithic Sites (An Ethno-Archaeological Approach).
  2. Mr. Mawlsawnliana Hmar (2011), “Megalithic Monuments of Mizoram: A Descriptive Study”.
  3. Mr. Raktim Patar, (2019) “The Tiwa: An Ethnohistory.

M. Phil. Degree awarded - 2nos.

  1. Ms. P. Gracefulness Bonney (2012), “An Administrative History of Hima Nongstoin in the Colonial Period”,
  2. Ms. Dachanmi Dkhar (2016), “Folk Crafts as Material Culture: A Study of Potting, Weaving and Basketry in Jaintia Hills”. 

Ph. D- on-going - 8 nos. 

Administrative responsibilities undertaken:

  1. Dean, School of Social Sciences NEHU, 2017- 2020.
  2. Member Executive Committee, NEHU, 2018-2020.
  3. Member Planning Committee, NEHU, 2017- 2020
  4. Member Central Purchase Committee, NEHU, 2017- 2020
  5. Member  Standing Library Committee, NEHU, 2017- 2020
  6. Member Purchase Committee, NEHU
  7. Member IQAC, NEHU, 2018-2020
  8. Member Grievance Committee, NEHU, 2018-2020
  9. Member BRS, NEHU.
  10. Member Central Admission Committee (for foreign students). 2017- 2020
  11. Coordinator UGC-SAP-DSA II, History Dept. NEHU. 2017- 2019
  12. Head, Dept. of History from December 2020 to date.
  13. Chairperson Local Cadre Review Committee, NEHU (currently).
  14. Member BPGS, History Department, Nagaland University
  15. Member BPGS, Sociology Department, NEHU.
  16. Member BOS, Education Department, NEHU.
  17. Member BOS, Khasi Department, NEHU.
  18. Member BOS, Anthropology Department, NEHU (currently).
  19. Member BOS, Tourism & Hotel Management, NEHU (currently).
  20. Member Screening Committee ICSSR-NERC (currently).

Academic affiliations:

  1. Life member of North East India History Association
  2. NAAC Peer team member
  3. Have served/serving as member of Governing Bodies of Colleges in Shillong and currently on the Governing Body of Bormanik College, Upper Shillong and K.L. Bajoria College, Laitumkhrah.
  4. Engaged with the Department of Art & Culture, Govt. of Meghalaya on issues related to heritage archaeology;
  5. Member of the State Level Implementation Committee on National Mission on Monuments & Antiquities, by the Govt. of Meghalaya, 2008.
  6. Member Screening Committee, Government of Meghalaya for placement of Government Lecturers as a NEHU representative (Currently)
  7. Member Ethics Committee, INCLEN Trust International (HQ New Delhi) (Currently).

Research Projects

  1. Meghalaya Megaliths: An Enquiry into Technological Aspects, funded by the Science and Technology Cell, Dept. of Planning, Govt. of Meghalaya, 1993-1996.
  2. UGC-SAP-DRS IMegalithic Phenomenon of Northeast India: Trends and Perspectives 2001-2006
  3. UGC-SAP-DSA I: Megaliths, Rituals and the Making of a Social Landscape.2007-2011
  4. UGC-SAP-DSA II: Khasi-Jaintia Megaliths: A Study of the Social Contexts of Megalithic Constructions. 2014 - 2019.
  5. State Project Coordinator for Meghalaya on National Mission on Monuments & Antiquities, ASI, Govt. of India. 2010 - 2011.

Publications

Articles:

  • Co-authored a paper “Folklore & Archaeology” in The North-Eastern Hill University Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, Shillong, 1991.
  • “Classification of Khasi Megaliths: A Critique” in  Proceedings of North East India Association, Shillong, 1991.
  • “Methods of Preservation Practiced in Cherra State: Some Insights” in Proceedings of North East India Association, Shillong, 1997.
  • “Some Aspects on the Indigenous Earthenware of the Khasi-Jaintia Hills” in Proceedings of North East India Association, Shillong, 1999.
  • “Dating the Northeastern Neolithic Cultures” in Proceedings of North East India Association, Shillong, 2004.
  • “Trends and Status of Prehistoric Research in Northeast India as Reflected in the NEIHA Proceedings” in Proceedings of North East India Association, Shillong, 2004.

Book Chapters:

  • “Megalithic Elements among the Garos: Some Observations” in M. Momin (ed.)Readings in History and Culture of the Garos, Regency Publications , New Delhi, 2003, ISBN 81-87498-82-X
  • “Megaliths and Social Formation in Khasi-Jaintia Hills ” in M. Momin & Cecile A. Mawlong (eds.) Society and Economy in North-East India, Vol I, Regency Publications , New Delhi, 2004, ISBN 81-87498-83-8.
  • “Christianity and the Megalithic Tradition in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills: A Preliminary Study of the Processes of Deculturation and Enculturation” in T.B.Subba et.al. (eds.) Christianity and Change in Northeast India, Concept Publishing Company, New Delhi, 2009, ISBN 13-978-81-8069-447-9 ISBN 10-81-8069-447-X.
  • “ Exploring the Issue of the ‘Khasi’ Identity: Some Observations” in H. Srikanth & Rooplekha Borgohain (eds.) Ethnicity and Political Economy in Northeast India  DVS Publishers, Guwahati, 2016, ISBN 978-81-86307-91-5
  • “Women and Craft Production: A Study of Iron-Working and Pot-Making in Traditional Khasi-Jaintia Society” in Manorama Sharma (ed.) Rethinking Gender History: Essays on Northeast India and Beyond, DVS Publishers, Guwahati, 2017, ISBN 978-93-85839-18-4.
  • Delivered the Keynote paper in TilokThakuria (ed.) Perspectives on the Material Cultures of Northeast India Lakshi Publishers & Distributors, New Delhi, 2019, ISBN: 978-93-82120-56-8.
  • “History Etched in Stone: A Study of the Khasi-Jaintia Megalithic Tradition” in Queenbala Marak& Sarit K. Chaudhuri (eds.) The Cultural Heritage of Meghalaya, IGRMS & Manohar Publishers & Distributers, New Delhi 2021, ISBN 978-81-943521-2-9.
  • “Communities in Transition: Contemporary Issues on Sustainability among Indigenous People of Northeast India,”in D. Chakraborty and R.D. Nayak (eds.), Transitional Aspects of Indigenous People: North East India, EBH Publishers, Guwahati, ISBN 978-93-92038-41-9
  • “Kinship, Religion and Gender in Matrilineal Khasi-Jaintia Society,” in Cecile A. Mawlong & Tejimala Gurung (eds.) Religion and Society in Northeast India: An Interface, DVS Publishers, Guwahati, 2022, ISBN 978-93-85839-68-9.

Books Published:

  • M. Momin & Cecile A. Mawlong (eds.) Society and Economy in North-East India, Vol I, Regency Publications , New Delhi, 2004, ISBN 81-87498-83-8.
  • Cecile A. Mawlong, Interrogating the Past: A Study of Gender and the Megalithic Tradition in Khasi-Jaintia Society, DVS Publishers, Guwahati , 2022, ISBN: 978-93-85839-46-7.
  • Cecile A. Mawlong & Tejimala Gurung (eds.) Religion and Society in Northeast India: An Interface, DVS Publishers, Guwahati, 2022, ISBN 978-93-85839-68-9.

Papers presented in Conferences/Seminars:

  • “Megaliths as a Strategy of Domination” at a Seminar on the theme State Formation in Pre-Colonial Northeast India organized by the Department of History, NEHU, Shillong on10-12 November, 2005.
  • “Living Megalithic Tradition and the tribes of Northeast India: An Overview” at a National Seminar on the theme Archaeology of Eastern India: Recent Researches organized by the Asiatic Society, Kolkata on 23-24 February, 2006.
  • “Megaliths and Megalithic Rituals in the Khasi Religion and Belief System” at a National Seminar on the theme Myths, Ritual and Belief Systems in Pre-Colonial Societies of North East India organized by the Department of History (UGC-SAP-DSA I), NEHU, Shillong on 19-21 March, 2008.
  • “Gender Relations in Khasi Society as reflected in the Megalithic Tradition”at a National Seminar on the theme Interpreting Historical Developments in North-East India: A Gender Perspective, organized by the Department of History (UGC-SAP-DSA I ) NEHU, Shillong on 26th to 27th February, 2009.
  • “Funerary Rituals: A Study of Bone Internment Ceremonies in Khasi-Jaintia Society” at a National Seminar on the theme Religion and Society in Northeast India from18th Century to Contemporary Times organized by the Department of History(UGC-SAP-DSA I ) NEHU, Shillong on24-25 November, 2009.
  • “Jeebon Roy and the Seng Khasi: Khasi Revivalism in the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries”, at a National Seminar on the theme Towards An Intellectual history of Northeast India: Pre To Post Colonial Periods”, organised by the Department of History (UGC-SAP-DSA I) NEHU, Shillong on 24-25 November 2010.
  • “Uncovering the Khasi Past: The Colonial Legacy” at a National Seminar on the theme Edward Gaitand the Making of Regional History, organized by ICHR Regional Centre, Guwahati on 21-22 March, 2012.
  • “The Khasi–Jaintia Megalithic Tradition: Problems and Perspectives” at a Regional Seminar on the theme Archaeology of North-East India, organized by the Archaeological Survey of India (Guwahati Circle), on 20-21 July 2012.
  • Gender and Governance in Khasi-Jaintia Hills”, in a National Seminar on the theme ‘Interrogating Democracy and Development in North-East India”, organised by the Department of Political Science, NEHU, Shillong on 17-18 March, 2016.
  • “Gender Roles in the Matrilineal Khasi-Jaintia Society: A Re-reading of Folk Tradition” at a National Seminar on the theme Gender and Folklore in Northeast India: Beliefs and Practices, organised by the Department of Cultural and Creative Studies NEHU, Shillong on 30-31 March, 2016.
  • “Matriliny in Meghalaya: A Study of the Khasi-Jaintia in Historical perspective” at a National Seminar on the theme Northeast India Since 1947: Society, Polity and Economy in the State of Meghalaya, organised by the Department of Political Science, NEHU, Shillong in collaboration with OKD Institute of Social Sciences, Guwahati, on 16-17 March,2017.
  • “Kinship, Religion and the Construction of Gender in Khasi-Jaintia society” at a National Seminar on the theme Religious Beliefs and Practices: A Cross- Cultural Study of Societies in Northeast India, organised by the Department of History(UGC-SAP-DSA II) NEHU, on 8-9 March, 2018.
  • “Khasi-Jaintia Matriliny: Problems and Perspectives” at a workshop on the theme Status of Women’s Studies in North East India, organised by the OKD Institute of Social Sciences, Guwahati on 18-19 January 2019.
  • “Exploring the Intersection of Borders and Culture: A Study of the War-Khasi of Meghalaya” at an International Seminar on the theme Historicizing Borders: New Perspectives on Politics, Ethnicity and Trans-National Linkages in Northeast Indiaorganised by the Department of History(UGC-SAP-DSA II) NEHU, Shillong on 26-28 February, 2019.
  • “Matriliny, Power-Relations and Governance in Khasi-Jaintia Society: A Study of Traditional Political Institutions and their Modern Counterparts”, at an International Seminar on the theme Custom, Law and the Colonial State in Northeast India: Dynamics and Challenges for the Postcolonial State organised by Nehru Memorial Museum& Library, New Delhi in collaboration with the Department of History, NEHU, Shillong on 13-14, June 2019. (In press).
  • Delivered the keynote paper in a national seminar on the theme“ Transitional Aspects of Indigenous People of North East India: Contemporary Issues On Sustainability” 11-12 January 2020, organised by Netaji Subhash Mahavidyalaya, Udaipur, Gomati, Tripura, sponsored by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies and currently in press under the title Transitional Aspects of Indigenous People.