Download “Sociology of Caste” Discussion Questions:

ASIA 150: Introduction to Indian Religion
Instructor: Jennifer Lundin Ritchie
“Sociology of Caste” Discussion Questions:
1. Sociology always looks to see “who benefits” and “who loses” in a system.
a) Which ethnic group benefits the most from the Varna (class) system? Which class(es) do
they occupy?
IE (Aryan) elites. 1st class (Brahmin class)
b) Which ethnic group benefits the least? Which class(es) do they occupy?
All non-IE people (local people). 4th class (Shudras)
c) What are 3 possible reasons why the lower groups have agreed/accepted to be on the lowers
rung of the class system?
-
They had a lot less power and rights (too weak), so the other classes could force them
They were less educated, illiterate, so they can be convinced more easily
Varna system told them that they are low class because God(s) want them to be low class,
and they believe in God(s) and want to please them
They cannot study and teach the Vedas, so they can’t read the scriptures to see for
themselves what they say for sure
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?
men
women
Men have power over
women, force women
into marriage rules
Brahmins
Non-Brahmins,
especially Harijians
(“untouchables”)
Brahmins trying to stop
Sanskritization (stop
the lower castes rising
in power/status)
Upper class
Dalits
Upper classes trying to
exploit Dalits to get
labour
Ambedkar’s theory
Srinivas’ theory
Ilaiah’s theory
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. He talks about two separate mechanisms:
complex marriage rules and social status.
a) How are gender roles related to caste creation/membership?
The death of a spouse within a caste creates an imbalance in the sex ratio. There should be an
even ratio of men and women. But there are differences in how surplus men and women are
treated, because men are in power in society. For example, when her husband dies, a surplus
woman may be burned, but when a wife dies, the husband can’t be burned because he is a man.
So the men are in power and they set the marriage rules, including exogamy and endogamy,
which control “who” can marry “who” in society. For example, marriage between blood kin or
people of same class is prohibited. If it happens, penalties could be applied. This creates castes
due to exogamy and exogamy.
b) How is social status related to caste creation/membership?
 Neither group got this completely
Lower status people want to imitate higher status people. Higher status people do not want to
lose their status. So we see:
(1) Lower status people trying to imitate higher status people, to get the benefits of belonging
to the upper status group
(2) Higher status people trying to exclude lower status people from their group, which can
include: spreading ideology that reinforces exclusion, and even violent means of
oppression
c) Which of the two parts do you think is the most important? Why?
Both groups decided that social status was more important, in their view. One group pointed out
that the gender issues do not even apply to the lowest classes, according to the reading.
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).
Can you imagine some advantages to practicing endogamy?
-
Unites the family into a strong group, strengthens the group
Strengthens the mentality of the religious beliefs held by the group members, increases
stability, reduces potential for revolution
It’s easier to marry inside the familiar group, it’s easier to get along since they have
similar customs and belief systems
To ensure their blood purity
ASIA 150: Introduction to Indian Religion
Instructor: Jennifer Lundin Ritchie
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).
Can you imagine some advantages to practicing exogamy?
-
It will help reduce discrimination based on caste
It will help increase cooperation between different castes
The next generations could have knowledge about--and respect for--all castes as their
parents belong to different castes
 Both groups missed some important advantages of not marrying kin (relatives):
o reduced chance of birth defects and miscarriages (this is a big reason why incest is
normally frowned upon in societies all over the world).
o increased genetic variety in the population means it is more likely at least some of
your family will survive a disease or other biological hardship.
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. when there are surplus women: they may be burned on her husband’s funeral pyre (sati)
2. when there are surplus women: they may be subjected to enforced sidowhood
3. when there are surplus men: they find a wife from among girls below marriageable age (child
brides)
b) How are gender roles responsible for these mechanisms?
Males are dominant in society. Their roles are stronger than females. The men weild authority as
“makers of injunctions/laws/rules.” So men get to make unfair rules that favor themselves, for
example, they get to marry again, but the women do not.
c) What was Ambedkar’s solution to this problem? Do you think his solution is
possible/probable? Why or why not?
 Neither group answered this question. He thinks men and women should have complete
equality.
 So do YOU think this is possible to achieve or not? Why?
ASIA 150: Introduction to Indian Religion
Instructor: Jennifer Lundin Ritchie
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?
An unequal sex ratio of men and women
b) Why are the solutions different for men than for women?
The men have the power in the group. He considers himself an “asset” to the group, and he gets
to make the rules, so he will make rules that benefits himself.
8. In the reading “Sociology of Caste” (by Kannabiran), we see two different theories about why
lower castes imitate higher castes:
a) Ambedkar says that lower castes try to “imitate higher castes” because the higher caste forces
them through threats of exclusion;
b) 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?
 The two groups came up with different opinions. However, I am not sure either answer
fully addresses the difference between the theories.
 This is basically an argument between dominance and prestige models of leadership (do
you remember our cognitive science lesson?).
 Ambedkar is saying the upper caste is using force, saying “If you don’t behave how we
want, you can’t be in our society. You have to leave.” That is dominance theory (rule by
force). On the other hand, Srinivas is saying the upper classes are so awesome that the
lower classes just want to copy them and be like them. This is prestige theory (rule by
virtue) theory.
 So what do YOU think?
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?
To prevent members of a caste from taking over the hereditary occupation of another caste,
whose interests would have been hurt by an inroad made into their monopoly.
b) What problem(s) does this system perpetrate?
Violence. For example, members of the lower caste were beaten by the Kshatriyas for wearing
a sacred thread, violence was used against Harijan castes for trying to act in ways that was
prohibited for their caste.
ASIA 150: Introduction to Indian Religion
Instructor: Jennifer Lundin Ritchie
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?
The British colonials wanted Indian constitution to reinforce Brahmins so that they could keep
Indian dominance. Brahmins were they highest class in society, so they had acquired the most
prestige and more power. So the British colonials wanted to reinforce the Brahmins so that they
could gain control over the majority of Hindus. Those who control the people in power truly hold
all the power.
11. In the reading “Sociology of Caste” (by Kannabiran), Srinivas claims that non-Brahmin
castes could go through “Sanskritization.”
a) What is Sanskritization?
A process by which Hindu lower caste/group perform certain activities in order to raise their
living standard and gain a higher status/caste.
b) What kinds of things could the lower castes do to achieve it? (give examples)
change their customs, rituals, ideology, way of life to match the higher caste
 For example:
e.g. copy the higher castes’ dress style, diet (become vegetarian),
e.g. copy the higher castes’ speech (use lots of words like karma, dharms, samsara, moshka, etc)
e.g. hypergamy (“marrying up”): marry someone from a higher caste/class
e.g. getting “twice born”: being adopted by someone from a higher caste/class (i.e. you become
“their son” instead of the son of your birth parents)
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 Moska in their speech.
a) Why would they use these terms more in their speech?
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.
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)
ASIA 150: Introduction to Indian Religion
Instructor: Jennifer Lundin Ritchie
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?
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?
Ilaiah claims that the Dalits are NOT completely trapped in a world of oppression and
exploitation. He says they have created a whole separate “utopian” social system that exists at
the same time as the “exploitative” system. He thinks the Dalit system is a kind of ideal system
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).
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?
-
The Dalit society is built around the ideas of collective living and human care concerns,
which are good things.
Dalits has a more productive environment, especially around agriculture
There is equality: between men and women, fathers and sons, in speech, property, labour
There is creativity
They have strong relationships
b) Do you believe the Dalits have a better system? Why or why not?
 Both groups agreed the Dalit system was better, based on the above advantages.
c) Is it reasonable to expect that the higher castes to get involved in productive labour? Why
or why not?
 Both groups agreed it was reasonable to believe the higher castes would be happy to start
doing hard labour and to give up their high status and its resulting advantages.
 Both groups appealed to the idea of “shared humanity” to try to convince the higher
castes to work hard and allow the lower classes to get some of the same advantages of the
higher caste.
 What do YOU think?