Contemporary Voice of Dalit, Ahead of Print.
The Chinese adage goes: ‘Teach a person how to catch a fish but don’t catch one’. For a long time, Dalits have been represented or led by socio-economically dominant communities in all disciplines and walks of life. However, Dalits have been trying by their own means to maintain their autonomy in all domains. Specifically, in self-respect struggles or anti-caste movements, there are enough examples to reinforce the idea that isolated struggles led by Dalit-Bahujan’s must be acknowledged as autonomous. This article analyses Ambedkar’s engagement with parties led by caste elites, while maintaining his social/political/cultural autonomy. This article also draws attention to how caste elites have tried to appropriate Dalit-Bahujan movements. This article was presented at the South Asia Anthropologists Group (SAAG) Annual Conference. The main idea of this article is to register the autonomy and isolation of Dalit students’ struggle through a case study at the University of Hyderabad. The anti-caste ‘Rohith Vemula’ struggle provides an instance of how political representation was practiced and how autonomy can be maintained in future struggles. The article argues this case out through the author’s experiential opinions as a participant, Ambedkar’s views and the carefully carved out vision of Dalit-Bahujan political movements.
Book review: Bellapu Anuradha and Gita Ramaswamy (eds.), Prison Notes of a Woman Activist
Contemporary Voice of Dalit, Ahead of Print.
Bellapu Anuradha and Gita Ramaswamy (eds.), Prison Notes of a Woman Activist. Ratna Books, 2021, 195 pp., ₹399. ISBN-10: 9352907442, ISBN-13: 978-9352907441
Bellapu Anuradha and Gita Ramaswamy (eds.), Prison Notes of a Woman Activist. Ratna Books, 2021, 195 pp., ₹399. ISBN-10: 9352907442, ISBN-13: 978-9352907441
Housing Condition, Livelihood Pattern and Socio-cultural Life of Oraon, Munda and Santal Tribes in Dooars, Jalpaiguri District, West Bengal: The Migrants from Chota Nagpur Plateau Region
Contemporary Voice of Dalit, Ahead of Print.
The Oraon, Munda and Santal are the three major Scheduled Tribes of the Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal. During the colonial period (mainly between 1880 and 1930), their arrival from the Chota Nagpur region to the Dooars region (Jalpaiguri district) took place by the British. In the present article, an attempt has been made to assess housing condition, livelihood pattern and socio-cultural life of the concerned tribes. For this purpose, 650 household surveys were carried out with the help of semi-structured questionnaire, focus group discussion, informal interviews and field visits. The study finds that, after being displaced from their homeland (Chota Nagpur Plateau region) and settled for long in the Jalpaiguri district, they undergone many changes in their habitat, economic condition and society, but it did not bring any improvement in their quality of life. The deplorable residence, lack of housing amenities and necessities, inadequate income, illiteracy, loosening of social organization are the major features presently prevalent among them.
The Oraon, Munda and Santal are the three major Scheduled Tribes of the Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal. During the colonial period (mainly between 1880 and 1930), their arrival from the Chota Nagpur region to the Dooars region (Jalpaiguri district) took place by the British. In the present article, an attempt has been made to assess housing condition, livelihood pattern and socio-cultural life of the concerned tribes. For this purpose, 650 household surveys were carried out with the help of semi-structured questionnaire, focus group discussion, informal interviews and field visits. The study finds that, after being displaced from their homeland (Chota Nagpur Plateau region) and settled for long in the Jalpaiguri district, they undergone many changes in their habitat, economic condition and society, but it did not bring any improvement in their quality of life. The deplorable residence, lack of housing amenities and necessities, inadequate income, illiteracy, loosening of social organization are the major features presently prevalent among them.
The Biopolitics of Caste: Analysing the (Dis)honour Killings in South India
Contemporary Voice of Dalit, Ahead of Print.
Even after 75 years of independence, India witnesses the increasing violence unleashed by the upper caste families against the individuals for inter-caste love or marriage. The objective of this article is to critically engage with the operational aspects of Michel Foucault’s biopolitics of caste system in enforcing endogamy in the marital relationship between two individuals. Caste as a social institution governs every aspect of Dalit’s life, ranging from cradle to graveyard. As such, the increasing incidents of (dis)honour killings, from South India, reflect the idea of endogamy, with the ulterior motto of controlling the sexuality of the Dalits and women, thereby ensuring the purity of the caste Hindu society. Thus, the patriarchy is an inseparable element of caste system in controlling the freedom of women in choosing her partner and it is prevalent in sub-castes of Dalit folds also. The question of discrimination and practice of endogamy within Dalit communities should be addressed in marching towards annihilation of the caste.
Even after 75 years of independence, India witnesses the increasing violence unleashed by the upper caste families against the individuals for inter-caste love or marriage. The objective of this article is to critically engage with the operational aspects of Michel Foucault’s biopolitics of caste system in enforcing endogamy in the marital relationship between two individuals. Caste as a social institution governs every aspect of Dalit’s life, ranging from cradle to graveyard. As such, the increasing incidents of (dis)honour killings, from South India, reflect the idea of endogamy, with the ulterior motto of controlling the sexuality of the Dalits and women, thereby ensuring the purity of the caste Hindu society. Thus, the patriarchy is an inseparable element of caste system in controlling the freedom of women in choosing her partner and it is prevalent in sub-castes of Dalit folds also. The question of discrimination and practice of endogamy within Dalit communities should be addressed in marching towards annihilation of the caste.
Understanding Identity, Education and Multi-religiosity Among the Nat Tribe of Paschim Champaran in India
Contemporary Voice of Dalit, Ahead of Print.
Invisible social groups are systematically left out of the process of development and have to make choices that are predetermined. Research suggests that the tribal and nomadic communities have been majorly affected by such processes. Nat, a peripatetic nomadic tribe in India has undergone similar exclusionary process. However, they continue to survive as a social group and maintain their distinguishing character. This study, therefore, is an attempt to understand their survival within the mainstream society by systematically analysing the following sociocultural attributes: identity construction, education and mobility, and multi-religious belonging. The Nat of Paschim Champaran, in the state of Bihar in India, were the focus of the study. Data was collected from 30 respondents and analysed by applying narrative inquiry. The findings suggest that their professional identity as acrobats continues to define their distinctiveness even when a few have chosen to shift towards other forms of livelihood. This distinctiveness continues to negatively influence their access to education and as a result no major change is witnessed in terms of social mobility of the group. However, it is observed that they have intelligently assimilated themselves within the popular culture by adopting multiple identities with respect to religion and which are activated for diverse purposes and at different times.
Invisible social groups are systematically left out of the process of development and have to make choices that are predetermined. Research suggests that the tribal and nomadic communities have been majorly affected by such processes. Nat, a peripatetic nomadic tribe in India has undergone similar exclusionary process. However, they continue to survive as a social group and maintain their distinguishing character. This study, therefore, is an attempt to understand their survival within the mainstream society by systematically analysing the following sociocultural attributes: identity construction, education and mobility, and multi-religious belonging. The Nat of Paschim Champaran, in the state of Bihar in India, were the focus of the study. Data was collected from 30 respondents and analysed by applying narrative inquiry. The findings suggest that their professional identity as acrobats continues to define their distinctiveness even when a few have chosen to shift towards other forms of livelihood. This distinctiveness continues to negatively influence their access to education and as a result no major change is witnessed in terms of social mobility of the group. However, it is observed that they have intelligently assimilated themselves within the popular culture by adopting multiple identities with respect to religion and which are activated for diverse purposes and at different times.
Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme: ‘From Local to Vocal’
Contemporary Voice of Dalit, Ahead of Print.
Rural entrepreneurship is one of the most attention-seeker segments nowadays because if we want to solve the various problems in the third-most rising economy with rural composition at 68.8%, we need to open new rural ventures. So rural entrepreneurship defines itself by creating new employment opportunities and creating new ventures. Through this article, researchers want to stress readers on the current schemes for rural ventures and focus on the Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP), introduced by the Ministry of Rural Development and supported by the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), which provides sustainable employment to youths in villages. We have explained the whole process of SVEP by citing an example of two blocks of Chhattisgarh state then we measure the impact of this programme in 11 states on different social categories, gender-wise analysis in which female dominates, as well as overall impact among the different enterprise in India. It was found that the trading sector creates the highest overall impact among the new ventures. Among all the social categories we have, the list of beneficiaries includes OBC Category with the mean value of 475.90 in 2018, while 972.72 in 2019 followed by ST, SC, General and Minority. The result found could be a demographic dividend because of stratified random sampling.
Rural entrepreneurship is one of the most attention-seeker segments nowadays because if we want to solve the various problems in the third-most rising economy with rural composition at 68.8%, we need to open new rural ventures. So rural entrepreneurship defines itself by creating new employment opportunities and creating new ventures. Through this article, researchers want to stress readers on the current schemes for rural ventures and focus on the Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP), introduced by the Ministry of Rural Development and supported by the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), which provides sustainable employment to youths in villages. We have explained the whole process of SVEP by citing an example of two blocks of Chhattisgarh state then we measure the impact of this programme in 11 states on different social categories, gender-wise analysis in which female dominates, as well as overall impact among the different enterprise in India. It was found that the trading sector creates the highest overall impact among the new ventures. Among all the social categories we have, the list of beneficiaries includes OBC Category with the mean value of 475.90 in 2018, while 972.72 in 2019 followed by ST, SC, General and Minority. The result found could be a demographic dividend because of stratified random sampling.
Book review: Dwaipayan Sen, The Decline of the Caste Question: Jogendranath Mandal and the Defeat of the Dalit Politics in Bengal
Contemporary Voice of Dalit, Ahead of Print.
Dwaipayan Sen, The Decline of the Caste Question: Jogendranath Mandal and the Defeat of the Dalit Politics in Bengal. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2018, xii + 305 pp., ₹7725.00 (Hardcover). ISBN: 9781108417761.
Dwaipayan Sen, The Decline of the Caste Question: Jogendranath Mandal and the Defeat of the Dalit Politics in Bengal. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2018, xii + 305 pp., ₹7725.00 (Hardcover). ISBN: 9781108417761.
Dalit Middle Class and the Crisis of Colonial Modernity: A Study of Ajay Navaria’s Yes Sir
Contemporary Voice of Dalit, Ahead of Print.
This study attempts to understand the relatively new phenomenon of the rise of Dalit middle class by examining Ajay Navaria’s short story titled Yes Sir. The continued survival of caste in modern India compels one to ask if it is possible to enter modernity and achieve class mobility without shedding one’s caste identity as a Dalit. This study shall focus on how Narottam, a Dalit officer’s character, as a representative of the modern Dalit male, manages to renegotiate the very margins he comes from, as he is vested with the ultimate power of promoting Tiwari, his Brahmin clerk. To understand the contradictions inherent in the term ‘Dalit middle class’, the study traces the workings of caste and class since the British rule, to the contemporary notions of modern society driven by individuality and social mobility. It traces the emergence of the middle class, along with the transforming ideas of race and purity as they outlive the traditional understanding of caste as division of labour.
This study attempts to understand the relatively new phenomenon of the rise of Dalit middle class by examining Ajay Navaria’s short story titled Yes Sir. The continued survival of caste in modern India compels one to ask if it is possible to enter modernity and achieve class mobility without shedding one’s caste identity as a Dalit. This study shall focus on how Narottam, a Dalit officer’s character, as a representative of the modern Dalit male, manages to renegotiate the very margins he comes from, as he is vested with the ultimate power of promoting Tiwari, his Brahmin clerk. To understand the contradictions inherent in the term ‘Dalit middle class’, the study traces the workings of caste and class since the British rule, to the contemporary notions of modern society driven by individuality and social mobility. It traces the emergence of the middle class, along with the transforming ideas of race and purity as they outlive the traditional understanding of caste as division of labour.
Contours of ‘Naming’ and ‘Renaming’: Mapping the Identity Discourse Among Scheduled Castes
Contemporary Voice of Dalit, Ahead of Print.
Scheduled Caste (SC) is an administrative term comprising touchable and untouchable groups of people. SCs are defined as ‘homogeneous’ classes under Article 341 for all constitutional purposes. It emerged as an official term for the recognition of groups to have preferential treatment in the form of compensatory measurements in the educational, governmental and legislative sectors. The emergence of the term ‘Scheduled Castes’ ignores the viable differentiation among them, existing on the basis of their status and identity. On the other hand, the problem of nomenclature among SCs is indirectly related to their social identification at the societal and community levels. The article will delve into the discourses of naming and renaming of SCs/Dalits/untouchables and various other terminologies that emerged as an imperative to represent them. Therefore, it is significant to understand the dilemma of homogeneity versus the heterogeneous nature of the identity of SCs.
Scheduled Caste (SC) is an administrative term comprising touchable and untouchable groups of people. SCs are defined as ‘homogeneous’ classes under Article 341 for all constitutional purposes. It emerged as an official term for the recognition of groups to have preferential treatment in the form of compensatory measurements in the educational, governmental and legislative sectors. The emergence of the term ‘Scheduled Castes’ ignores the viable differentiation among them, existing on the basis of their status and identity. On the other hand, the problem of nomenclature among SCs is indirectly related to their social identification at the societal and community levels. The article will delve into the discourses of naming and renaming of SCs/Dalits/untouchables and various other terminologies that emerged as an imperative to represent them. Therefore, it is significant to understand the dilemma of homogeneity versus the heterogeneous nature of the identity of SCs.
Successful remunicipalization processes in Italian waste management: Triggers, key success factors, and results
International Review of Administrative Sciences, Volume 89, Issue 3, Page 648-666, September 2023.
In recent years, many countries have experienced remunicipalization in the public service sector, especially in the fields of water and urban waste management. Using a multiple-case design, examining five successful urban waste management remunicipalizations in Italy, this study investigates the triggers, key success factors, and results of this process. We find that remunicipalization is triggered by the simultaneous occurrence of motivations and opportunities, and the presence of one or a few fully committed actors. This process, in turn, results in significant improvements in a company’s performance from a triple bottom line perspective, provided that certain key success factors—regarding the municipality, the utility and its management, and stakeholder relationships—are met. The external context provides legal and institutional conditions that affect the overall process, triggers, and results.Points for practitionersRemunicipalization debate needs an in-depth analysis of municipalities that have experienced this process and insights into the triggers, processes, and impact of remunicipalisation. Experiences unfold through three main phases. Efficiency and meeting performance targets are important but should be balanced with other values linked with the well-being of communities. The process is triggered by simultaneous motivations and opportunities and by one or a few fully committed key actors. Remunicipalization induces significant firm performance improvements from a triple bottom line perspective.
In recent years, many countries have experienced remunicipalization in the public service sector, especially in the fields of water and urban waste management. Using a multiple-case design, examining five successful urban waste management remunicipalizations in Italy, this study investigates the triggers, key success factors, and results of this process. We find that remunicipalization is triggered by the simultaneous occurrence of motivations and opportunities, and the presence of one or a few fully committed actors. This process, in turn, results in significant improvements in a company’s performance from a triple bottom line perspective, provided that certain key success factors—regarding the municipality, the utility and its management, and stakeholder relationships—are met. The external context provides legal and institutional conditions that affect the overall process, triggers, and results.Points for practitionersRemunicipalization debate needs an in-depth analysis of municipalities that have experienced this process and insights into the triggers, processes, and impact of remunicipalisation. Experiences unfold through three main phases. Efficiency and meeting performance targets are important but should be balanced with other values linked with the well-being of communities. The process is triggered by simultaneous motivations and opportunities and by one or a few fully committed key actors. Remunicipalization induces significant firm performance improvements from a triple bottom line perspective.