Download “Sociology of Caste” Discussion Questions:

ASIA 150: Introduction to Indian Religion
Instructor: Jennifer Lundin Ritchie
“Sociology of Caste” Discussion Questions (Oct 9, 2014)
Class Answers and Jennifer’s Comments:
1. Sociology always looks to see “who benefits” and “who loses” in a system.
a) Which group benefits the most from the Varna (class) system? Brahmins (Aryans/IE)
b) Which group benefits the least? Shudras (non-Aryans/IE) and Harijans/Untouchables
(people outside the caste system)
c) Why would the non-Aryan/IE groups have agreed/accepted to be on the lowest rung of the
class system?
Avoid the punishments from upper classes and/or God(s)
They do not want to be kicked out of their caste or society in general
 Other ideas to consider:
i. perhaps they have no choice but to agree,
e.g. the Aryans/IE might have conquered them and enforced the class system with their greater
power/strength.
e.g. even if it was not “cultural,” the Shudras may not have the power/strength/education to
refuse the social order that is enforced by the Brahmins.
ii. “false consciousness”: they believe in the religion that allows oppression towards them
e.g. God(s) want them to be in the lowest social position, fulfill those duties
e.g. they will get rewards in the afterlife
2.
In the reading “Sociology of Caste” (by Kannabiran), each of the three sociologists have
a theory about the use of force (e.g. dominance, violence) in the creation and maintenance of the
caste system. In EACH case, which group is exerting the force, which group is receiving the
force, and what situation are they trying to deal with?
Theories
Who is exerting
force?
Who is receiving force?
What’s the situation?
1. Men
1. Women
2. Dominant class
(Brahmins)
2. Subordinate classes
(Non-Brahmins)
1. when there is a surplus of
women, men make the rules and
control women to stay in power,
e.g. sati (wife burning)
2. caste endogamy: trying to
exclude lower classes
Upper classes
(Brahmins,
Kshatriyas)
Lower class
(Harijans)
Upper clases
Dalits
Ambedkar’s
theory
Srinivas’
theory
Ilaiah’s
theory
Violence used against the lower
class to prevent them from
“Sanskritization” (i.e. trying to
“pass” as a higher class)
A way to force the Dalits into being
labourers for them
ASIA 150: Introduction to Indian Religion
Instructor: Jennifer Lundin Ritchie
3.
In the reading “Sociology of Caste” (by Kannabiran), Ambedkar claims the caste system
does not have divine origins, but human ones.
a) What does he think is the origin of the caste system? (hint: there are two parts)
 you didn’t quite get this.  see above (answer 2)
b) Which of the two parts do you think is the most important? Why?
 here your personal answers may vary, but you are choosing between gender dominance (male
domination) and class dominance (caste endogamy).
4.
In the reading “Sociology of Caste” (by Kannabiran), Ambedkar claims the caste system
does not have divine origins, but human ones. He describes the origin and continuation of caste
as related to the strategies of endogamy (prohibits marriage with out-group members) and
exogamy (prohibits marriage between kin or same class).
What are the advantages to endogamy?
5. In the reading “Sociology of Caste” (by Kannabiran), Ambedkar claims the caste system
does not have divine origins, but human ones. He describes the origin and continuation of caste
as related to the strategies of endogamy (prohibits marriage with out-group members) and
exogamy (prohibits marriage between kin or same class).
What are the disadvantages to exogamy?
6. In the reading “Sociology of Caste” (by Kannabiran), Ambedkar claims that the dominance
of men over women is responsible for the three mechanisms that maintain caste when there is
surplus men or women in the group.
a) What are these three mechanisms?
1. surplus women: burning the widow on the husband’s funeral pyre (sati)
2. surplus women: women subjected to enforced widowhood, stripped of anything that could be
seen as a source of allurement
3. surplus men: could not be burned on wife’s funeral pyre, so men get married to a child/girl
b) How are gender roles responsible for these mechanisms?
Men are dominant in society, so these gender roles are created by the male gender.
 also see below (question 7b)
c) What was Ambedkar’s solution to this problem? Do you think his solution is
possible/probable? Why or why not?
 you didn’t quite get this one—you wrote the problem, not the solution.
 Ambedkar’s solution: “the rejection of women’s subjugation” (p6). This means, if we created
ASIA 150: Introduction to Indian Religion
Instructor: Jennifer Lundin Ritchie
equality for women within society, this would, in turn, eliminate caste completely, since male
dominance is what creates caste. Then the question becomes: “Do you think it is possible to
eliminate male dominance in India? Why or why not?” There are many possible answers;
however, one major block to eliminating male dominance is that many males would not want to
give up the benefits they gain by being in charge. Furthermore, they might have enough power to
stop anyone else (e.g. women, minority men) from changing the system.
7. In the reading “Sociology of Caste” (by Kannabiran), Ambedkar claims caste is controlled
and regulated through widow burning (sati), enforced widowhood, and girl (child) marriage.
a) What social phenomenon are these three practices trying to deal with?
 you didn’t quite get this one—you mainly just repeated the question
 other ideas to consider: these practices were meant to deal with having surplus men or women
in a limited group from which they had to choose a mate
b) Why are the solutions different for men than for women?
Men are considered as an asset to the group, women are not.
 Other ideas to consider: men were in charge though both dominance (physical force/strength)
and prestige (more skills, status, wealth, education, religious power, etc).
 Since men were in charge through prestige: they were given greater value in the society,
so they would not make a decision that would take a male out of the “mating pool.”
 Since men were in charge through dominance: they could force women and children to
adopt rules that favored men.
8. In the reading “Sociology of Caste” (by Kannabiran), Ambedkar says that lower castes try to
“imitate higher castes” because the higher caste forces them through threats of exclusion; while
Srinivas claims lower castes “imitate higher castes” because they admire the higher castes and
seek upward social mobility. Which theory do you believe is more accurate and why?
We think Ambedkar’s belief is more accurate, “because exclusion presupposes groups to be
excluded, castes exist only in the plural number… [and because] enclosure and endogamy face
the [threat of violation]… which ensure the formation of new castes.” (p3)
 There is no single “right answer” to this question… it depends on your perspective.
 Other ideas to consider: This is basically a question asking whether you think caste is working
through dominance (force) or prestige (admiration).
 For Ambedkar (dominance theory, like a German Sociologist), the lower castes don’t like
the system but are trying to avoid punishments and losses that would result from being
excluded from society.
 For Srnivas (prestige theory, more like a French Sociologist), the lower castes agree with
the system and are motivated to cooperate by looking up to a role model they can imitate,
and thereby get benefits, i.e. “maybe we can get what they have if we act like they do.”
ASIA 150: Introduction to Indian Religion
Instructor: Jennifer Lundin Ritchie
9. In the reading “Sociology of Caste” (by Kannabiran), Srinivas claims that upward social
mobility by lower castes is blocked by “watchdogs”—elders in the dominant caste—who
“punish” people in lower castes who try to “pass” as higher castes.
a) What is the main goal of these watchdogs?
“They [stop] the members of their caste from adopting the hereditary occupation of another
caste” (p4).
 Other ideas to consider: to ensure the status quo, and preserve their dominance and prestige
b) What problem(s) does this system perpetrate?
It creates violence and pain towards the lower caste people
 other ideas to consider: increased violence, increased dominance by dominant groups, no
evolution/progress/change in system
10. In the reading “Sociology of Caste” (by Kannabiran), Srinivas claims that Brahmin castes
dominated the lower castes through installing a “religious reason” for castes (e.g. dharma, moska,
etc.), and this hierarchy was reinforced by British Colonials after World War 2.
Why would the British Colonials want to reinforce the Brahmins’ dominance over India?
Brahmins were the top class, so they acquired more prestige and power over the other groups. So
British colonials wanted to reinforce the Brahmins so as to gain control over the vast majority of
Hindus.
11. In the reading “Sociology of Caste” (by Kannabiran), Srinivas claims that non-Brahmin
castes could go through “Sanskritization.”
a) What is Sanskritization?
“[It] is a process by which a ‘low’ caste Hindu or tribal or other group changes its customs, ritual,
ideology, and way of life in the direction of a high, frequently ‘twice born’ caste” (p3)
 Other ideas to consider: The lower classes seek upward mobility (“upgrade” their class) by
emulating/copying the rituals and practices of the upper or dominant castes. It is a process
similar to “passing,” where people don’t realize that the person was originally a lower class,
and they gain the same benefits as the higher class.
b) What kinds of things could the lower castes do to achieve it? (give examples)
change customs, e.g. inter-religion or inter-caste marriage (hypergamy =“marrying up”)
change ideology, e.g. getting higher education, dignity of work
change of ritual, e.g. copy the higher castes’ dress style, change last name
 Some other examples: copying the higher castes’ diet (become vegetarian) and speech (using
lots of words like karma, dharma, samsara, moska, etc), getting “twice born”(which means
being adopted by someone from a higher caste/class, i.e. you become “their son” instead of the
son of your birth parents)
ASIA 150: Introduction to Indian Religion
Instructor: Jennifer Lundin Ritchie
12. In the reading “Sociology of Caste” (by Kannabiran), Srinivas claims that people who go
through “Sanskritization” (upward social mobility) more often use terms like Karma, Dharma,
Samsara, and Moksa in their speech.
a) Why would they use these terms more in their speech?
 You didn`t quite get this one
 Other ideas to consider: Lower class people want to be included in the upper class; therefore
they copy the upper classes’ practices and then claim that they also belong to the upper classes.
 see above (question 11b)
b) Describe how these terms are related to the maintenance of the caste system.
Their terms are related to the maintenance of the caste system because “it results only in
positional changes in the system and does not lead to any structural changes” (p4).
 Other ideas to consider: By using the terminology of the upper class, they actually adopt the
status position of the upper class, and “move up” the social ladder. Yet, as you said, the
underlying class system does not change, because using these terms often results in people
reinforcing the existing ideology of caste, and hence they maintain the caste system in society.
 Other ideas to consider: According to Sociologists, they also could possibly have a “false
consciousness,” meaning they really believe in the religious justification of caste (e.g. karma etc)
13. In the reading “Sociology of Caste” (by Kannabiran), Ilaiah claims that the caste system
(including division of labour) operates under “extremely exploitative conditions.”
a) What is he talking about?
Ilaiah is talking about social discrimination and exploitation. He talks about human relations
built up despite of hostile treatment.
 Other ideas to consider: He is talking about how the lower classes are dominated and treated
poorly by the upper classes. Lower classes are treated with violence, forced into certain
degrading jobs and working conditions, forced to accept low wages, excluded from certain
social interactions and benefits, and have no power to change the system.
b) He also claims this description “does not describe the whole truth.” What other factor is he
talking about?
The feeling of oneness among the people being exploited. The values such as sharing and caring
among the Dalitbahujan society. He claims that women and men are treated equal in lower
classes, while upper-class women are mal-treated. There are equal rights and full engagement in
productivity.
 Other ideas to consider: Ilaiah claims that the Dalits are NOT completely trapped in a world
of oppression and exploitation. He says they have created a whole separate social system that
exists at the same time as the “exploitative” system. He thinks the Dalit system is a kind of
“utopia” that encourages equality (e.g. between men and women, fathers and sons, etc) and
practical artisanry (where “high class” things like knowledge/ideas and “low class” things like
physical labour enrich each other).
ASIA 150: Introduction to Indian Religion
Instructor: Jennifer Lundin Ritchie
14. In the reading “Sociology of Caste” (by Kannabiran), Ilaiah tries to invert Srinivas’ theory
about “lower castes wanting to imitate higher castes” by describing several advantages to the
Dalit (“Untouchable”) lifestyle.
a) What are some of these advantages?
 see above (question 13)
b) Do you believe the Dalits have a better system? Why or why not?
c) Is it reasonable to expect that the higher castes to get involved in productive labour? Why
or why not?