Download The purpose of my research is to understand the effects of the caste

The purpose of my research is to understand the effects of the caste system on India, both
historically and currently. I will focus specifically on the “Untouchables,” those of the
lowest rank in the caste system. In order to familiarize myself with the caste system and
its effects, I have looked into various sources, including both sources focused on the
origin of the caste system itself and those focused on the events related to caste that are
taking place in India today.
Affected Groups
One group that definitely has a stake in this area is Dalits, or Untouchables. Dalits are
considered by other castes as being “outside the caste system”; historically, they have
been treated in a very harsh manner, and today, they continue to suffer mistreatment and
cruelty. Another group that has an interest in this area is human rights activists. Many
advocates of civil rights and equality are vocal on social networking sites such as
Facebook and Twitter, and many of these advocates focus particularly on the treatment of
Dalits in India. I have found many blogs focused on human rights through using a Google
search. However, although many of these blogs contain some postings about Dalits, few
are strictly focused on the caste system in India. Additionally, there are several
organizations that work toward empowering the Dalit community and ensuring equal
treatment; to such groups, knowledge of the caste system and how it has developed is an
important resource for achieving their goals. As mistreatment of and violence toward
Dalits continues to be an issue in India currently, learning about the effects and origin of
the caste system is crucial to a movement toward equality.
Academic Disciplines and Organizations
There are various academic disciplines that have expertise in this area, such as the studies
of anthropology and sociology. By searching for information on Google Scholar, I have
found several articles written by anthropologists and sociologists on both the history of
the caste system and the current situation of the Dalits. Some keywords I used to find
these articles include:
Caste system India
Untouchables
Harijans (another word for “Untouchables”)
Dalits
Varna jati (caste and sub caste, respectively)
These search terms yielded many results such as books and articles on a variety of foci,
including information on the origin of the caste system and studies on various attitudes
toward “Untouchability.”
I have also been able to find good information from the aforementioned organizations,
which include the International Dalit Solidarity Network, the Dalit Freedom Network,
and the Dalit Foundation. I found these organizations mainly through Twitter, by using
hash tags such as #caste, #Dalit, and #Untouchable. I also checked the websites of these
organizations and found more information about their efforts to help the Dalits and
educate others about how the caste system is affecting them. These organizations
constantly post news articles and other media related to the oppression of Dalits on their
Twitter accounts and websites, and some have RSS feeds to which I have subscribed.
Tensions and Questions
I have found several tensions that seem to surround the topic of Dalits and the caste
system. One tension is between the blatantly unfair treatment of the Dalits and the history
behind the caste system itself. The caste system has been ingrained in India’s culture for
many years, and although it is technically illegal, it still persists to be a source of
inequality and even violence. The fact that the caste system is in use because it is in a
Hindu religious text, the Vedas, contributes to this; however, several of the scholarly
articles I have found assert that the text is not to blame, as the Vedas do not mention there
having to be “Untouchables.” This tension seems to be the main tension pervading this
topic.
Another tension I have found is the tension surrounding the Dalits’ sense of identity.
Although Dalits definitely do not appreciate being mistreated due to their caste, many
individuals seem to feel that being categorized as a Dalit is better in terms of having job
security. This is evident in an article I found by Shikha Dalmia, an analyst for the Reason
Foundation, in which she narrates an incident that she experienced herself with her
family’s servant in India. This tension leads to the question: “What do the Dalits
themselves want as a solution to their situation? Do they want the caste system to be fully
abolished or do they want to remain in their caste, but without oppression?”
By exploring these tensions and trying to find answers to these questions, I hope to better
understand the caste system and its effect on the lives of Dalits. Through education in this
area and commitment from organizations and individuals, improvement can be made
toward reaching equality in India.