Dalits in Modern India - Vision and Values

Author: S M MichaelEditor(s): S M MichaelPublisher: Sage PublicationsYear: 1998Language: EnglishPages: 353ISBN/UPC (if available): 8170367514 DescriptionThis volume explores the social, economic, political and cultural content of the Dalit articulation and its relevance for the nation, both today and in the future.One of the profound changes in contemporary Indian society has been the emergence of a new sense of identity among the Dalits. The Dalit movement not only rejects the very ideas of pollution, impurity and untouchability but in the process is forging a new vision for Indian society which is different from that espoused by the higher castes. The first section addresses the contentious issue of the origins and development of untouchability in Indian civilization. The next section discusses the manner in which Dalits have confronted Brahmanic Hinduism, not just in its virulent form of Hindutva but also the more liberal forms which have provided the dominant interpretations of Ind