This article seeks to comprehend the way the illegal timber economy in the Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Council (BTAD) in Assam is integrated within a constellation of power and authority. Based on over ten months of ethnographic field research, our analysis shows that the timber trade is indeed characterized by what can be conceptualized as an excess of sovereignty. However, a burdened agency is still exercised by those in the timber trade. Moreover, the authority structure consisting of state, rebel and non-armed actors do not directly engage violently in the trade, but are more interested in taxation, governance, or indeed wildlife protection, showing the other side of this multiple authoruty structure. As the article shows, different ethnic groups, which are often thought to be diametrically opposed to each other, collaborate in the local timber commodity chain. However, these collaborations are characterized by highly unequal relations of exchange. As we argue, those that have preferential access to the authority structure can use this to dictate the terms of interaction. Finally, while the timber economy is usually characterized by the operation of the constellation of power and authority, there are interstitial moments where the (violent) interactions among the actors embeded in the structure weaken the direct territorial control by them. As a result, times of violence are often also those in which the trade can flourish.

中文翻译：

---

阿萨姆邦 BTAD 非法采伐政治经济学中的权力和权威星座

本文旨在了解阿萨姆邦博多兰领土自治委员会 (BTAD) 的非法木材经济如何整合到权力和权威的星座中。基于十多个月的民族志实地研究，我们的分析表明，木材贸易确实具有可以被概念化为主权过剩的特征。然而，木材贸易中的那些人仍然承担着负担。此外，由国家、反叛者和非武装行为体组成的权力结构并不直接参与贸易，而是对税收、治理甚至野生动物保护更感兴趣，这显示了这种多重权力结构的另一面。正如文章所示，通常被认为是对立的不同种族群体，在当地木材商品链中合作。然而，这些合作的特点是高度不平等的交换关系。正如我们所说，那些优先访问权限结构的人可以使用它来规定交互条件。最后，虽然木材经济通常以权力和权威星座的运作为特征，但也存在一些间隙时刻，其中嵌入结构中的参与者之间的（暴力）互动削弱了他们对领土的直接控制。因此，暴力时期往往也是贸易蓬勃发展的时期。最后，虽然木材经济通常以权力和权威星座的运作为特征，但也存在一些间隙时刻，其中嵌入结构中的参与者之间的（暴力）互动削弱了他们对领土的直接控制。因此，暴力时期往往也是贸易蓬勃发展的时期。最后，虽然木材经济通常以权力和权威星座的运作为特征，但也存在一些间隙时刻，其中嵌入结构中的参与者之间的（暴力）互动削弱了他们对领土的直接控制。因此，暴力时期往往也是贸易蓬勃发展的时期。