Publication detail

Towards Refuting Degenerate Theories of the Caste System

Authors: Jalki Dunkin

Year: 2014

Type of publication: ostatní - konference, koncert

Publisher name: Department of Law, Queen Mary, University of London

Page from-to: nestránkováno

Titles:

Language	Name	Abstract	Keywords
eng	Towards Refuting Degenerate Theories of the Caste System	"Caste: Critiquing Colonial and Contemporary Constructions" - The mid-19th century empirical turn in the research on the caste system resulted in a new problem for the classical theory of the caste system, rather than strengthening it. It has to now bear the burden of enormous amount of anomalous data from the field. This raises a question: Why have we not refuted the caste theory over the years and gone on to reconceptualise Indian culture and society? Answer lies in the way the caste theories are placed within the knowledge produced by the West about the East. This knowledge has established itself in the form a research program, at the core of which lies a stereotypical view about the East. This stereotypical view gives expression to the way the West experienced the East. Refuting one part of this research programme, caste system theories in this case, does not alter the status of the programme itself. What we need, minimally, is an alternative research programme. Do we have such a research programme? The paper is an attempt to dwells on these issues.	Caste system; colonialism; crime

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