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CASTE IN GLOBALISATION CONTEXT: THE PERCEPTION OF INTERNATIONAL AID AGENCIES

Year 2015, Volume: 1 Issue: 2, 213 - 225, 31.08.2015
https://doi.org/10.18769/ijasos.55820

Abstract

The present paper is an attempt to understand the working of international aid agencies with the marginalized groups of India.  I argue that the functioning of these agencies is not innocent and the same can be revealed by critical understanding of the internal dynamics of their operation, particularly in the broader field of empowerment of marginalized communities that they are engaged with. Despite the fact that the International aid agencies have their imprints in India for decades, there is no visible or substantial change in lives of the communities they seek to change. Those, particularly the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, other marginalized communities continue to be at the lower strata of the society devoid of socio- political, economic and welfare measures of the so-called egalitarian state.  One reason that led to the failure of these agencies is their un(conscious) inability to understand the socio, political and cultural dynamics of Indian caste system. Without proper understanding of the caste system, one cannot comprehend the resultant systematic exclusion, which in fact led to the perennial poverty of these communities. Furthermore, the paper seeks to understand the institutional setup of these aid agencies in India and argues thereby that any developmental, reformist and empowerment agenda adopted by such agencies is inherently ‘exclusive’ and therefore bound to fail in the promises that they make. This paper critically views the aid agencies’ mainstream perception of caste discourse, their lack of will to include the members of the marginalized communities into their policymaking bodies. Moreover, I argue that any developmental intervention without the active participation of marginalized communities will be a charade in the name of charity. The paper divided into 6 sections. In the first section, I look at the role of caste in modern context, synthesizing the views of scholars such as K Sathyanarayana, Susie Tharu, G Aloysius, Gopal Guru, Sundar Sarukai, N. Sukumar and AS Ajith Kumar and argue that caste is reconfigured and more rampant in modern times. In the second section, I argue that, with the formation of Brahmanical caste based organizations across the countries, caste has become a world problem; third section is about understanding of caste in international aid agencies. In the fourth section, I draw your attention on the caste diversity and staffing practices of international aid agencies in India, which disproportionately occupied and operated by privileged sections with Brahmanic cultural capital. In the fifth section, I argue for the need of challenging the caste in conscious level to symbolic boundaries. The sixth chapter is the conclusion and seventh one is the annexure, list out the Brahmanical caste based organizations formed in the countries across the world, eighth one is the table that indicates the No diversity and No accountability in the aid agencies in India      

Keywords: Caste, India, Aid Agencies, Modernity, Globalization, Discrimination, Diversity

References

  • Aloysius G., Identity & Politics among the Scheduled Castes in Contemporary India: Some critical reflections Paper Presented at RINDAS International Symposium Series 1 “Voice for Equity Minority and Majority in South Asia”.
  • Aloysius G, Brahmanical inscribed Body politic, p.8, Critical Quest, New Delhi, 2010
  • Ajit Kumar AS, Dalitizing cinema: A critique of Rupesh Kumar's 'Don't be our fathers, available at 'http: //roundtableindia.co.in/index.php? option=com_content&view=article&id=6888:dalitizing-cinema-acritique-of-rupesh-kumar-s-don-t-be-our-fathers&catid=119:feature&Itemid=132 Ambedkar BR, Annihilation of Caste, Critical quest, 2007, New Delhi, p. 52.
  • Ambedkar BR, Annihilation of caste, critical quest, 2007, Delhi, p. 37. Ambedkar BR Castes in India: Their Mechanism, Genesis and Development, Paper presented at an
  • Anthropology Seminar, taught by Dr. A. A. Goldenweizer Columbia University 9th May 1916, Text first printed in: Indian Antiquary Vol. XLI (May 1917)
  • Ambedkar BR, A Plea to foreigner, available at http://www.ambedkar.org/ambcd/43.%20A%20Plea%20to%20the%20Foreigner.htm, viewed on 1st march 2015
  • Ambedkar BR, “Prospects of Democracy in India” the voice of America 20th may 1956
  • Ambedkar BR, Thus Spoke Ambedkar, Quotations of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, available at - http://www.ambedkar.org/Babasaheb/quotations.htm, viewed on 16 April 2015
  • Dhanda, Meena Caste discrimination and harassment in Great Britain, Government Equalities office, Research Finding Paper No 2010/08 http://www.wlv.ac.uk/default.aspx?page=39321
  • Divya Trivedi, Hindu News Paper Dated 15 December 2013, available at http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/caste-discrimination-a-global-evil-says-europeanparliament/article5234387.ece
  • Debjani Ganguly, Caste, Colonialism and counter modernity notes on a postcolonial hermeneutics of caste, p.43, Routledge, 2009
  • Frankenberg, R. White women, race matters: The social construction of whiteness, Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 1993.p 236
  • Gramsci Antonio, chapter 22: Antonio Gramsci – theories of hegemony, civil society and revolution, 1971 p.234, available at-http://marxisttheory.org/antonio-gramsci-theories-of-hegemony-civil-society-andrevolution/#note-635-11
  • Gopal Guru and Sundar Sarukai, Available at http://barefootphilosophers.wordpress.com/tag/gopal-guru/ Gopal Guru, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 37, No. 50 (Dec. 14-20, 2002), pp. 5003-5009
  • Hadwa Dom, Myth of One Hindu Religion PT 2, available at http://www.raceandhistory.com/historicalviews/NoDefinitionofHinduism2.htm, viewed on 21st November 2014
  • Mahendra reply to the article, Does ActionAid International Support Caste Discrimination email dated 26th March 2015
  • Meredith J. Green, Christopher C. Sonn, Jabulane Matsebula, Reviewing whiteness: Theory, research, and possibilities, South African Journal of Psychology, 37(3), 2007, pp. 389–419
  • Sathyanarayana K and Susi Tharu (Eds.) No Alphabet insight, New Delhi, Penguin Books, 2011, p.11 Monica Davey, The New York times, Published: January 3, 2008, available at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/03/us/03chicago.html?_r=0
  • Sukumar N, Living a Concept: Semiotics of Everyday Exclusion EPW Vol - XLIII No. 46, November 15, 2008
Year 2015, Volume: 1 Issue: 2, 213 - 225, 31.08.2015
https://doi.org/10.18769/ijasos.55820

Abstract

References

  • Aloysius G., Identity & Politics among the Scheduled Castes in Contemporary India: Some critical reflections Paper Presented at RINDAS International Symposium Series 1 “Voice for Equity Minority and Majority in South Asia”.
  • Aloysius G, Brahmanical inscribed Body politic, p.8, Critical Quest, New Delhi, 2010
  • Ajit Kumar AS, Dalitizing cinema: A critique of Rupesh Kumar's 'Don't be our fathers, available at 'http: //roundtableindia.co.in/index.php? option=com_content&view=article&id=6888:dalitizing-cinema-acritique-of-rupesh-kumar-s-don-t-be-our-fathers&catid=119:feature&Itemid=132 Ambedkar BR, Annihilation of Caste, Critical quest, 2007, New Delhi, p. 52.
  • Ambedkar BR, Annihilation of caste, critical quest, 2007, Delhi, p. 37. Ambedkar BR Castes in India: Their Mechanism, Genesis and Development, Paper presented at an
  • Anthropology Seminar, taught by Dr. A. A. Goldenweizer Columbia University 9th May 1916, Text first printed in: Indian Antiquary Vol. XLI (May 1917)
  • Ambedkar BR, A Plea to foreigner, available at http://www.ambedkar.org/ambcd/43.%20A%20Plea%20to%20the%20Foreigner.htm, viewed on 1st march 2015
  • Ambedkar BR, “Prospects of Democracy in India” the voice of America 20th may 1956
  • Ambedkar BR, Thus Spoke Ambedkar, Quotations of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, available at - http://www.ambedkar.org/Babasaheb/quotations.htm, viewed on 16 April 2015
  • Dhanda, Meena Caste discrimination and harassment in Great Britain, Government Equalities office, Research Finding Paper No 2010/08 http://www.wlv.ac.uk/default.aspx?page=39321
  • Divya Trivedi, Hindu News Paper Dated 15 December 2013, available at http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/caste-discrimination-a-global-evil-says-europeanparliament/article5234387.ece
  • Debjani Ganguly, Caste, Colonialism and counter modernity notes on a postcolonial hermeneutics of caste, p.43, Routledge, 2009
  • Frankenberg, R. White women, race matters: The social construction of whiteness, Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 1993.p 236
  • Gramsci Antonio, chapter 22: Antonio Gramsci – theories of hegemony, civil society and revolution, 1971 p.234, available at-http://marxisttheory.org/antonio-gramsci-theories-of-hegemony-civil-society-andrevolution/#note-635-11
  • Gopal Guru and Sundar Sarukai, Available at http://barefootphilosophers.wordpress.com/tag/gopal-guru/ Gopal Guru, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 37, No. 50 (Dec. 14-20, 2002), pp. 5003-5009
  • Hadwa Dom, Myth of One Hindu Religion PT 2, available at http://www.raceandhistory.com/historicalviews/NoDefinitionofHinduism2.htm, viewed on 21st November 2014
  • Mahendra reply to the article, Does ActionAid International Support Caste Discrimination email dated 26th March 2015
  • Meredith J. Green, Christopher C. Sonn, Jabulane Matsebula, Reviewing whiteness: Theory, research, and possibilities, South African Journal of Psychology, 37(3), 2007, pp. 389–419
  • Sathyanarayana K and Susi Tharu (Eds.) No Alphabet insight, New Delhi, Penguin Books, 2011, p.11 Monica Davey, The New York times, Published: January 3, 2008, available at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/03/us/03chicago.html?_r=0
  • Sukumar N, Living a Concept: Semiotics of Everyday Exclusion EPW Vol - XLIII No. 46, November 15, 2008
There are 19 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Journal Section Articles
Authors

B. Navayan

Publication Date August 31, 2015
Submission Date August 30, 2015
Published in Issue Year 2015Volume: 1 Issue: 2

Cite

EndNote Navayan B (August 1, 2015) CASTE IN GLOBALISATION CONTEXT: THE PERCEPTION OF INTERNATIONAL AID AGENCIES. IJASOS- International E-journal of Advances in Social Sciences 1 2 213–225.

Contact: ijasosjournal@hotmail.com

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