Manikandan Abimanyu
Archaeology (Doctoral Student 2024)
Regional Focus: Andaman Islands
manik-abi@u.northwestern.edu
Research Content:
I am a first-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Anthropology, and my subfield is Archaeology. My research centers on historical archaeology and explores the complex relationship between colonialism, water security, and climate justice in the Andaman Islands. In my dissertation, I examine how British colonial authorities implemented water management systems that reshaped the islands’ natural landscape, affecting both the lives of penal colony inhabitants and Indigenous communities. By placing the Andaman Islands within the larger context of the Indian Ocean, I explore how colonial water management practices in penal colonies were part of broader resource control strategies and environmental transformation across colonial territories. Through GIS mapping, material culture analysis, and oral histories, my work aims to contribute to conversations on resource distribution, ecological justice, and the legacies of colonialism in this interconnected region.
Outside of my academic work, I am passionate about environmental justice activism. In my free time, I enjoy Tamil folk music, Hindustani Classical music, film appreciation, landscape mobile photography, and walking, which allow me to connect with nature and explore diverse perspectives on environmental and social issues.