Dipankar Gupta

I took this book to do something productive in my free-time. I have a summary of this, if you want, do ask me. I grew up in Tamil Nadu, India and social-questions fascinate me at times during my free time. Someday, I might contribute to Computational Social Sciences.

Consider reading other scholars worked who work in this area:
- Robert Caldwell (Scholar, Linguist, Missionary, author of comparative grammar of Dravidian Languages)
- Robert Hardgrave, UT Austin Professor (Anthropoligist, author of Nadars of Tamil Nad)
- David West Rudner (Anthropologist, author of Chettiar i.e Nattukottai Chettiar)
- Louis Dumont (French Academic, author of Homos Hierachichus, i.e idea of caste system is against egalitarianism)
- Dennis Templeton (Anthropologist, author of northern nadars of tamil nad)
- Edgar Thurston (1900’s, civil servant, author of two volumes, castes and tribes in south India, chief librarian of Connemera Public Library, Chennai, India)


Overall, the book contributes discussion of caste as hierarchy or identity. It seems that there are many variables within this social identity and marker, which could be pursued further.

Ritual dominance is not necessarily dominate attribute of Caste (Sanskritization i.e emulating Brahmin priest rituals). Many lower castes have asserted their self-hold through mobilizing politically; once supine and docile, now militant and aggressive.

All the field examples could be applied to other societies in India i.e Tamil Nadu, which I am primarily concerned about.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Caste, Indian History, Politics. The Book is written in anthropological jargon, which is not technically hard to understand

--Deus Vult
Gottfried… (más)

I read this book last year during my musings of Sociology, Wealth, Tamil Nadu.

Overall, the book contributes discussion of caste as hierarchy or identity. Caste is considered to be fundamentally hierarchical by Dumont.

It seems that there are many variables within this social identity and marker, which could be pursued further.

Ritual dominance is not necessarily dominate attribute of Caste (Sanskritization i.e emulating Brahmin priest rituals) Many lower castes have asserted their self-hold through mobilizing politically; once supine and docile, now militant and aggressive.

I have a review of this book with me, Message me if you desire to read it.

Deus Vult,
Gottfried.
… (más)