Tribes, caste and religion in India

Tribe, caste and religion are the three most important features of Indian society, closely inter- connected and directly related to the structure and working of communities. Divided into three distinct sections, this anthology defines the three basic aspects and then examines their various nuances in the context of the present and future trends of Indian society.

The seven essays on tribes deal with tribal problems in India, their changing patterns in a modern society, issues in tribal policy making and then studies tribal problems in south, central and eastern India. The section on caste discusses the essential nature of caste, caste consciousness and its increasing role in Indian politics. The concluding section on religion deals rationally with traditional Indian values and the inter-relation between modernity and religion and caste, the dynamic role of minorities in India, with special reference to the Muslim community.

This collection of essays, written by leading sociologists, political scientists and anthropologists has proved to be an invaluable text to students of sociology and social anthropology.