DALIT WOMEN: From Exclusion to Integration

Book Details:

• Author: Sunita Sharma

• Publisher: Rawat Publications

• Language: English

• Edition: 2022

• ISBN: 9788131611463

• Pages: 254

• Cover: Hardcover

• Dimensions: Not Provided

About the Book:
This insightful volume explores the layered and complex realities of exclusion experienced by Dalit women in India. Far from being a homogenous group, Dalit women face compounded marginalization—both within their community and in the broader social structure. Drawing from a Dalit feminist standpoint, the author investigates their persistent marginality, despite being a subject of concern for 19th-century political philosophers.

The book delves into the historical and contemporary social dynamics that continue to isolate Dalit women. It emphasizes the pivotal role of education as a transformative tool for integration into mainstream society, while critically analyzing the impact of state policies and social attitudes. A significant portion of the study is devoted to empirical research conducted in Bihar, highlighting the ground realities of Dalit girl child education and institutional challenges.

From theorizing caste to examining the writings of major political and sociological thinkers, the book covers a broad spectrum of themes. It critically assesses governmental commissions, rights-based policies like RTE, and the evolving role of Dalit women’s organizations in reshaping their identity and agency.

Contents:

1. Theorising Caste in India

2. Political Thinkers

3. Sociological and Religious Perspective of Contemporary Thinkers

4. Socio-Economic and Political Trajectories in the Writings of Contemporary Thinkers

5. Crucial Role of Education in Integration of Dalit Women

6. Education of Dalit Girl Child: An Empirical Study of Educational Institutions in Bihar

7. Right to Education: A Milestone or a Missed Opportunity

8. Commissions for Dalits

9. Dalit Women’s Organisations

About the Author:
Sunita Sharma is an academician and gender expert affiliated with Patliputra University, Patna. Formerly with the Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, Patna University, she played a key role in developing courses for the Women’s Studies Centre at Patna Women’s College. As Vice President of the Centre for Gender Studies in Patna, her research focuses on gender history and the experiences of marginalized women, with over fifty publications in reputed journals to her credit.