Dalits in modern India : vision and values
- New Delhi Vistaar 1999
- 353 p.
=> One of the profound changes in contemporary Indian society has been the emergence of a new sense of identity among the Dalits. The Dalit movement not only rejects the very ideas of pollution, impurity and 'untouchability' but in the process is forging a new vision for Indian society which is different from that espoused by the higher castes. This volume explores the social, economic, political and cultural content of the Dalit articulation and its relevance for the nation, both today and in the future.
=> The first section addresses the contentious issue of the origins and development of untouchability in Indian civilisation. The next section discusses the manner in which Dalits have confronted Brahmanic Hinduism, not just in its virulent form of 'Hindutva' but also the more liberal forms which have provided the dominant interpretations of Indian society and history.
=>The essays in the third section critique the sensibility which equates Indian tradition with Hinduism and locates within the Aryan heritage the essence of Indian civilisation. The contributors highlight the alternative traditions nurtured within the Dalit movement which challenge the dominant order. An important essay shows how the problems faced by Dalit women are different from those encountered by non-Dalit women, despite the presence of many similarities.
=> The last section is devoted to the economic dimension. The contributors discuss the impact on the Dalits of the recent trends towards liberalisation and privatisation and the consequent withdrawal of the state, particularly in the context of employment opportunities and the policy of reservation.
=>This incisive and timely collection studies the aspirations of the marginalised masses for a new humanity based on the principles of equality, social justice and human dignity. It will attract a very wide readership particularly among sociologists, political scientists and social anthropologists as also those dealing with human rights, social movements and the Dalit phenomenon.