Singing Across Divides

In "Singing Across Divides," Anna Marie Stirr provides an ethnographic study of Nepali dohori song, an improvised, dialogic musical form central to understanding the intricate links between love, intimacy, and political solidarity in Nepal. This book delves into how dohori serves as a unique lens through which changing conceptions of national identity, social belonging, and personal relationships are navigated and expressed.

The study meticulously describes dohori: its witty repartee based on poetic couplets, fixed rhyme schemes, and often accompanied by instrumental music and dance, typically performed between men and women with a focus on romantic love. Stirr illustrates how dohori's evolution reflects Nepal's journey as a nation-state, incorporating and addressing marginality across caste, indigeneity, class, gender, and regional identities. The book reveals how these musical and poetic interactions can either challenge or reinforce tensions surrounding ethnic, caste, and gender differences, promoting discussions around love, sex, and marriage across social divides.

Through multi-sited ethnography conducted in Nepal and the UK, "Singing Across Divides" examines how performers and fans utilize dohori to engage with the political realities following Nepal's ten-year civil war. It explores how increased migration and the circulation of people, media, and practices redefine intimate relationships and associated systems of exchange, ultimately creating complex affective solidarities while challenging established social categories.

Why You Should Read?

• Gain deep insights into Nepali dohori song and its profound cultural, social, and political significance.
• Understand the complex interplay of music, intimacy, and national identity in post-conflict Nepal.
• Explore how artistic expression both challenges and upholds social categories, including caste, gender, and class.
• Discover an ethnographic perspective on migration's impact on cultural practices and personal relationships in South Asia.