3 Review(s)

Beyond Shelter critically examines institutional child care in Manipur, a conflict-affected and culturally diverse state in Northeast India. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork across 22 child care institutions, the book explores the lived experiences of children and caregivers within the state's legally mandated child protection system. It exposes the gap between policy ideals and everyday realities, highlighting systemic deficiencies, emotional labor, and cultural dissonance in care practices. Moving beyond compliance-based assessments, the study centers on relational, ethical, and context-sensitive understandings of care, offering insights for reimagining child welfare in marginalised regions.