Caste in Question: Identity Or Hierarchy?

by Dipankar Gupta (Editor)

This volume offers a new understanding of caste in contemporary India. It argues that the traditional view of caste - as a single hierarchy, with Brahmans at the top and the untouchable castes at the bottom - is no longer valid. Based on fieldwork, the articles in this volume prove that ritual dominance does not determine the nature of caste interactions in any way. From politics to gender to economic interaction, the single, pure hierarchy is constantly being questioned and weakened. Castes that once had the status of shudras are now claiming, on occasions, a position superior to Brahmans and Kshatriyas; agrarian castes - such as Jats, Ahirs and Gujars - are at the political forefront, taking caste identities outside the village; the once passive untouchable castes are now aggressive and militant, and aware of their rights in a democratic society. This exciting collection of original articles demonstrates how caste identity today challenges the outdated notion of a single, all-encompassing hierarchy, within which each caste co-exists peacefully.

Genres: Nonfiction, India

255 pages, Hardcover

First published November 8, 2004

Reviews

[Rick Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I took this book to do something productive in my free-time. I have a summary of this, if you want, do ask me. I grew up in Tamil Nadu, India and social-questions fascinate me at times during my free time. Someday, I might contribute to Computational Social Sciences.

Consider reading other scholars worked who work in this area:
- Robert Caldwell (Scholar, Linguist, Missionary, author of comparative grammar of Dravidian Languages)
- Robert Hardgrave, UT Austin Professor (Anthropoligist, author of Nadars of Tamil Nad)
- David West Rudner (Anthropologist, author of Chettiar i.e Nattukottai Chettiar)
- Louis Dumont (French Academic, author of Homos Hierachichus, i.e idea of caste system is against egalitarianism)
- Dennis Templeton (Anthropologist, author of northern nadars of tamil nad)
- Edgar Thurston (1900’s, civil servant, author of two volumes, castes and tribes in south India, chief librarian of Connemera Public Library, Chennai, India)


Overall, the book contributes discussion of caste as hierarchy or identity. It seems that there are many variables within this social identity and marker, which could be pursued further.

Ritual dominance is not necessarily dominate attribute of Caste (Sanskritization i.e emulating Brahmin priest rituals). Many lower castes have asserted their self-hold through mobilizing politically; once supine and docile, now militant and aggressive.

All the field examples could be applied to other societies in India i.e Tamil Nadu, which I am primarily concerned about.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Caste, Indian History, Politics. The Book is written in anthropological jargon, which is not technically hard to understand

--Deus Vult
Gottfried