A Question of Caste: Including Dalits in Global Politics

Vivek Kumar

Exclusion on the basis of caste – and marginalisation of Dalits in particular – tends to be understood as a national problem of India or as a regional problem of South Asia. Yet caste politics also have important global aspects. Exclusion of Dalits extends beyond the local to the global arena, and strivings for Dalit empowerment have important global components.

Caste is a system of hierarchically arranged closed groups which marry within themselves. There are thousands of castes, but they can be encapsulated in a fivefold social structure called the Varna system. Four of the five Varnas find mention in the Rigveda, one of the sacred texts of Hinduism. These are the Brahmin (preacher), the Rajnya (ruler), the Vaishya (trader), and the Shudra (service provider). The fifth group, which is not mentioned in the religious writings, has been called by different names: for example, Achuts (untouchables – those who cannot be touched by others); Antvasin (the last to reside); and Panchama (the fifth order). The self-designated name ‘Dalit’ arose in the 1970s with the Dalit Panther movement (inspired by the Black Panthers in the USA). ‘Dalit’ in Hindi means ‘broken’ or ‘ground to pieces’, because of exclusion and exploitation by so-called upper castes.

Dalits were denied every right – social, economic, political, educational, religious – for several thousand years. After long struggle, the Constitution of independent India passed in 1950 abolished untouchability. Thereafter Dalits were accorded equal citizen’s rights, giving them access to political, bureaucratic and educational institutions. Government enacted legislation to punish those guilty of ill treatment to former untouchables, and special official schemes were instituted for their uplift.

In practice, however, much exclusion of Dalits has continued. Although Dalits constitute approximately 200 million of the total population of India, they have but a meagre presence in the bureaucracy, judiciary, university, industry, and media. Moreover, so-called upper castes still commit widespread violence against Dalits. In the period 1991-2001 the Government of India registered 323,072 cases of atrocity against Dalits. On average two Dalits are murdered and three Dalit women are raped every day.

Caste-based exclusion of Dalits has extended to the worldwide Indian Diaspora as well. Here, too, caste discrimination exists in the workplace, educational institutions and everyday interactions. So-called upper castes have refused to employ or work under Dalits in senior positions. Dalits have suffered ridicule of their caste-based names in schools, places of worship, and neighbourhoods. Indian matrimonial centres and websites that cater specially for the Indian Diaspora have classified prospective brides and grooms on the basis of castes and sub-castes.

Dalits have had mixed fortunes in contemporary globalization. On the negative side they have been marginalised in multinational corporations, international NGOs, global governance institutions, and the globally oriented information technology industry. Dalits have generally lacked the educational foundations and international exposure to gain access to these global arenas. Dalits have also lost jobs in the 1990s when neoliberal global restructuring in India brought a withdrawal of the state, their largest employer.

Yet other aspects of globalization have brought more visibility to Dalit struggles. Through the International Dalit Solidarity Network, established in 2000, NGOs have highlighted the plight of Dalits at global forums. Literate Dalit professionals have globally promoted several Dalit icons, including Buddha, Guru Ravidas (a 14th century Dalit Saint poet who challenged idol worship and revered a formless god), and B.R. Ambedkar (a Dalit who chaired the Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution). Ambedkar is now celebrated through named lecture series and busts at Columbia University, the London School of Economics, San Fraser University, Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Calgary. Dalit movements have also exploited global communications technologies and lower costs of global transportation in order to raise awareness of their issues. Dalit solidarity groups have taken their case to global governance institutions like the United Nations Human Rights Council and global civil society gatherings like the World Social Forum.

In sum, exclusion of Dalits is based on an age-old specific social structure which has extended beyond its origins in India to a global Diaspora. Countering this marginalisation requires recognition of legitimate and special rights for Dalits, as well as their self-representation in institutions of governance and production at national and global levels. Policies of protective discrimination for Dalits should be extended from the public sector to the private sector as well. Dalit studies should be included in university curricula and research. All such steps must be undertaken not as patronising charity, but to ensure Dalit dignity.

Watch video footage of Vivek Kumar introducing his paper on 'including Dalits in global politics' at our international workshop in Rio de Janeiro.

The workshop brought together academics, activitists and policymakers from around the world and generated lively debates and new understanding on how to understand and overcome exclusion.

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including the exluded | rio workshop |   workshop findings

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