Caste

About: Caste is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 5681 publications have been published within this topic receiving 91330 citations. The topic is also known as: caste system.

Class and Marriage in Africa and Eurasia

Abstract: The concepts of class, caste, and estate, derived as they are from Eurasian models, are not wholly satisfactory when applied to Africa. Homogamy and in-marriage are not characteristic of the social strata in African states, which tend to encourage marriage between groups of different status, hence these groups tend not to develop in isolation with distinctive modes of life. Out-marriage and bridewealth in Africa stand in contrast to in-marriage and dowry in Eurasia. It is suggested that the more intesive form of agriculture in the latter area encouraged the preservation of familial status by the transmission, inter alia, of property ot females (e.g., the dowry) as well as males, a procedure which strongly encourages the marriage of like with like. In africa, out-marriage strengthens the social ties and cultural similarities within a society. As a consequence, "class conflict" was less significant in the political system, although the situation is now changing in the "modern" sector.

juthaa in Trinidad: food, pollution, and hierarchy in a Caribbean diaspora community

Abstract: Focusing on the Hindi term juthaa—food and drink that have become “polluted” by being partially consumed—this article explores pollution ideology and its implications for social relations and the construction of identity among Hindu and Muslim East Indians in Trinidad. It suggests that in this overseas community the salience of the concept of juthaa, though caste derived, is indicative of an egalitarian morality at work in concert with hierarchical principles. This, in turn, has implications for the way we understand cultural reproduction and change, ritual, and stratification among diaspora populations. [pollution ideology, social stratification, South Asian diaspora, transnational identities, Trinidad]

Collective action for forest conservation: Does heterogeneity matter?

Abstract: Community management of forests by Van Panchayats (forest councils) to meet local needs has a long history in the Indian Central Himalayas. This essay examines the effects of village-level heterogeneity in caste and land ownership, and of female membership in the Panchayats on collective action for forest conservation. There is no evidence that caste heterogeneity or female membership of the Panchayat have any effect. There is some evidence that greater equality in land ownership may enhance collective action and forest conservation in pine forests but not broadleaved forests. This is puzzling since villagers' interest in conservation is greater in broadleaved than in pine forests.

India: The Rise of an Asian Giant

Abstract: With growing economic might, new political influence, and changing social dynamics, India has emerged as a major world power in the twenty-first century. This book charts the important features of India's development since its independence in 1947, assessing those forces that have contributed to the nation's growth as well as those that have impeded it. Through the lens of India's past, Dietmar Rothermund offers a new perspective on India today and a fascinating look into the nation's future."India: The Rise of an Asian Giant" explores the diverse roots of India's economic robustness, from agriculture to the export boom. He looks closely at the country's democratic system, nuclear decisions, and alliance with the U.S. against terror. In his review of social changes, Rothermund discusses the institution of caste, the rise of a new middle class, the persistence of poverty, the media and Bollywood, and the significance of the global diaspora of twenty million Indians. In sum, he offers an impressive profile of India, an Asian giant whose role in the world's future will surely be unique and important.