Untouchables in Contemporary India

Book Details

• Author: J. Michael Mahar

• Publisher: Rawat Publications

• Language: English

• ISBN: 9788170334866

• Publication Year: 1998

• Pages: 528

• Binding: Hardcover

• Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches

• Release Date: 01-02-1999

• Sale Territory: India

About the Book

Untouchables in Contemporary India by J. Michael Mahar delves deeply into the enduring issue of untouchability in India, offering a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach to understanding one of the most entrenched forms of social discrimination. The book explores the lives of untouchables, who have long occupied the lowest rung in Indian society, often facing poverty and discrimination. Despite efforts to uplift them, these communities remain marginalized.

This work distinguishes itself by presenting a variety of academic perspectives and a wider scope of observations than previous studies on untouchability. It covers a broad geographical and socio-cultural spectrum, offering insight into both historical and contemporary issues faced by untouchables. The book is a vital resource for scholars in history, politics, economics, religion, and sociology.

Contents

• 1. Agents of Dharma in a North Indian Village / J. Michael Mahar

• 2. Continuity and Change in an Ex-Untouchable Community of South India / Joan P. Mencher

• 3. The Marginal Laborer and the Harijan in Rural India / Walter C. Neale

• 4. Gandhi and Ambedkar: A Study in Leadership / Eleanor Zelliot

• 5. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: Myth and Charisma / Owen Lynch

• 6. Scheduled Caste Buddhist Organizations / Adele Fiske

• 7. The Satnamis: Political Involvement of a Religious Movement / Lawrence A. Babb

• 8. The Neo-Christians of Kerala / K.C. Alexander

• 9. The Abolition of Disabilities: Untouchability and the Law / Mare Galanter

• 10. The Burden on the Head is Always There / Robert J. Miller & Pramodh Kale

• 11. The Ex-Untouchables / Harold R. Isaacs

• 12. Pollution and Poverty / André Béteille

• 13. Conclusion / J. Michael Mahar

About the Author

J. Michael Mahar brings invaluable insights drawn from his extensive research in India, including a pivotal study conducted in the early fifties in a North Indian village. As a professor of Oriental Studies at the University of Arizona, Mahar’s research provides a unique historical and socio-cultural context to the understanding of untouchability. He is also the author of India: A Critical Bibliography, further establishing his academic authority in South Asian studies.