Jaipur • New Delhi • Bengaluru • Guwahati • Kolkata
Caste and Class Ideology in Contemporary India begins with an
overview of major theoretical considerations of caste to elaborate on the
genesis, mechanism and the function of the caste system in India. It critically
examines the persistence of caste in modern Indian society, challenging the
notion that caste is an archaic system compensated for by affirmative action.
The book argues that caste continues to function as both a source of
discrimination and a structure of advantage, especially in the
post-liberalization economy. Drawing on recent research from anthropology,
economics, history, and political science, it explores caste’s role in social
hierarchies, rural inequality, urban labour markets, and the business sector.
The author contends that caste perpetuates socio-economic disparities and
influences subjective well-being, with its effects travelling from rural to
urban areas and across various markets. Despite economic reforms, caste endures
due to its role in opportunity hoarding and the resistance to the advancement
of marginalized groups. The book calls for policy reforms to address
caste-based discrimination, particularly in informal and private sectors, and
emphasizes the need for caste to be integrated into global development
discussions.
Caste in modern India is not only a social phenomenon but an
inseparable part of the political process. It is increasingly becoming a
powerful tool of electoral mobilization in the organized domain of politics.
The work challenges traditional theories of class and identity by
highlighting the complexities of caste’s interaction with other social
categories and questioning whether the caste system will eventually evolve or
disappear.
Introduction
Discourse
on Caste System
Caste
and Politics in India
Defence
of Caste System and Hindu Nationalists
Caste-Based
Oppression and Class Struggle
Intersections
of Caste and Gender
Caste
and its Economic Implications
Caste
in Modern India
Conclusion
Vikramendra Kumar is an Assistant Professor in the Department of
Sociology at the Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi. He previously
taught at the Department of Anthropology, University of Hyderabad, Telangana.
His research interest includes Sociology of Religion, Sociology of Education,
Sociology of Development, Social Movements and Conflicts, Sociology of Cultural
Studies and Identity, Theory and Research Methodology in Anthropology/Sociology
and Economic Anthropology/Sociology, Environment and Development, Reproduction
of Gender, Caste and Class Inequalities through Social and Cultural Capital. He
has published widely in national and international journals and serves as an
editorial board member and reviewer. He is the author of book titled Religion
and Politics in the Modern World.
