Caste System Essays (Examples)

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Essay
Caste System in India Has
Pages: 1 Words: 371

I would also expect resistance from devout Hindus, since the caste system is ingrained in their religion. Their opposition would be to the perceived dismantling of one of their defining institutions. The higher castes in particular would oppose this move.
There are some similarities to the U.S. civil rights movement. The lower castes have at times worked to improve their conditions and to remove barriers to economic and political mobility. Moreover, the sources of resistance are much the same. Those in power view the removal of barriers to mobility for lower classes as a threat to their well-being. Lastly, this has affected the pace of change. In both the U.S. And in India, such social change requires generations of effort, including education and improved economic mobility, in order to bring about the needed changes to the broader society.

orks Cited:

No author. (2009). Country Profile: India. BBC. Retrieved September 14, 2009 from…...

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Works Cited:

No author. (2009). Country Profile: India. BBC. Retrieved September 14, 2009 from  http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/country_profiles/1154019.stm 

Ross, Kelley L. (2005). The Caste System and the Stages of Life in Hinduism. Friesian.com. Retrieved September 14, 2009 from  http://www.friesian.com/caste.htm

Essay
Caste System in India India's History Is
Pages: 6 Words: 1515

Caste System in India
India's history is remarkable. It boasts one of the oldest continuous civilizations on Earth, and its earliest religion, Hinduism, has its roots 2500 years before the birth of Christ, evolving gradually over time. For much of that time, one of the cornerstones of the Hindu religion was the concept of "caste," or the place an individual held in relation to others. Each person's place within the caste system was determined at birth, with no chance of moving out of it during one's lifetime. he word "caste" is Portuguese and means race or family.

he concept of caste, or Varna, permeated all aspects of Hindu life. Caste decided not only one's position in the larger culture, but what jobs the person could and could not do, who the person could and could not socialize with, and of course, who the individual could and could not marry. here were…...

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The beliefs of the Hindu religion combined with the practice of caste gave the Aryans excellent control over their conquered population. As many religions do, the Hindi believe that the soul never dies, but they believe further that the soul will be reborn into a new life, or reincarnation. They also believe that all living things have souls. The body one's soul receives for the next life depends on how one conducted oneself in the previous life. The religion also teaches the concept of Karma, meaning that everything one does for good or evil is taken into consideration when determining what the soul's next body will be. If a person lived a good life and performed its duties as required by its caste, its soul might be reincarnated into a higher caste. Living a good life, which including living within the rules of one's caste, was the only path for advancement. If a person did not live a good life, he could be reincarnated into a lower caste, or even into the body of an animal or insect.

Mohandas K. Gandhi is generally credited with weakening the hold the caste system had on India. While campaigning for Indian independence from the British Empire, he realized that the people of India emphasized their differences from each other and had a hard time working together for the goal of independence. He worked hard to bring Moslem and Hindi people together, and he also worked hard to encourage the Hindi to cross caste lines to work together for this goal. He disregarded the largest division, that between castes and outcastes (the Dalit), and would treat no human being as untouchable. To free the Indians from the economic tyranny of Great Britain, he taught people to make their own salt and to weave. He encouraged all Indians to weave their own cloth rather than buy fabric produced in England. This required another breakdown of the caste system, as the task of weaving was assigned to a specific subcaste.

When India wrote its constitution in 1950, the concept of untouchable people was outlawed, and in 1955 a law was passed forbidding discrimination against this group of people.

Essay
Slavery and Caste Systems When Repressive Policies
Pages: 7 Words: 1996

Slavery and Caste Systems
When epressive Policies Linger

Slavery in the United States, apartheid in South Africa, and the Indian caste system are now all illegal. However, this does not mean that the consequences of these systems of violence against people have vanished. This paper examines the ways in which these three systems continue to affect the lives of people today, even (as in the case of American slavery) the system itself has not been in existence for decades. Widespread institutions based on the power of one group over another group or other groups have significant staying power because even when the ideology that upholds such institutions end or become unpopular, the power structures remain. These power structures can welcome in new ideologies: The "new wine" in old bottles effect of such dynamics are one of the reasons that repressive institutions persist.

One of the key points of this essay is that effects…...

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References

Caste system in modern India. (2005).  http://adaniel.tripod.com/modernindia.htm 

Meredith, M. (1988). In the name of apartheid: South Africa in the postwar period. New York: Harper & Row.

Meredith, M. (2005). The State of Africa. New York: The Free Press.

Santana, M. (n.d.) One Way or the Other, the Black Family has Survived? http://www.blackpressusa.com/news/Article.asp?SID=3&Title=National+News&NewsID=12275

Essay
India's Caste System on Political
Pages: 2 Words: 818

Some of this welfare is built in to the system itself, as it is expected that the lowest class Indian citizens will sustain themselves on handouts, which are also built into the system itself (Pruthi, 2004). But the caste system was developed and originally implemented at a time where political considerations and representative democracies were not something to be considered, or have not even been invented as a form of government.
he political structure in India is arguably not very different from other western democracies in that a few people, whether democratically elected or not, are making decisions and changing politics of a large number of people. he culture of power and influence that revolves around the interests of corporations and money that has been built in the U.S. politically is an excellent reflection of how Indian politics are built around the influences and desires of the wealthy and powerful,…...

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The political structure in India is arguably not very different from other western democracies in that a few people, whether democratically elected or not, are making decisions and changing politics of a large number of people. The culture of power and influence that revolves around the interests of corporations and money that has been built in the U.S. politically is an excellent reflection of how Indian politics are built around the influences and desires of the wealthy and powerful, and not those of the rest of the society.

The Indian power and political structure does not face much opposition from the lower classes, at least relative to how the caste system currently functions and is set up as a propagator of the status quo. Author Bailey (2009) argues that the political stratification of society extends and renews the cultural stratification. In this way, a symbiosis of politics and culture has developed to help reinforce each other, and propagate the caste system. This is convenient for those in power, but leaves much to be desired for those who are born into the lower levels of the system. In many ways, the governments of other nations work similarly, except perhaps in not such a visible or culturally direct way. It is apparent that the caste system divides the Indian society quite dramatically, but these divisions of society are not unique or exclusive to this nation.

Over time the political climate in India will likely change as the Western democracies continue to exact a strong political influence in the nations that are affected. However, India is coming into a new era of self-development and definition and the question of whether or not the caste system will be included in the new path forward for the country remain unanswered. The cultural climate and restrictions put upon the people of India will continue to dictate the political landscape, since the caste system forms the overarching social stratification structure for the society.

Essay
System of Castas Latin American History
Pages: 5 Words: 1930

System of castas/Latin American History
Among many contributions of Mexico to the present American culture few are considered more significant than the concept of Mestizaje referring to the racial and cultural and synthesis. Mexico came out to be a fusion of the old and new world, particularly after the Spanish invasion during 16th century. Ever since the inception of the conquest the interracial sexual unions among Indians, Europeans, Africans and Asians appeared common, however, interracial marriage was allowed only during the later half of the 17th century. The frightened white elite treatened of the growing tide of Castas -- many racially mixed people- during 18th century formulated a caste system in order to institute status distinctions between the sub-groups so as to divide them and strengthen the Spaniards' sense of their own exclusivity. (An Unsettling acial Score Card)

The commissioned paintings of many groups of castas have remained to be the evidence…...

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References

Early Latin America. Retrieved from Accessed 7 November, 2005http://occawlonline.pearsoned.com/bookbind/pubbooks/stearns_awl/chapter25/objectives/deluxe-content.html

Fulopp, Tomas J. Latin America and the Concept of Social Race. Retrieved from   Accessed 7 November, 2005http://www.vacilando.org/index.php?x=810 

Montalvo, Frank. Danzon and Mexico's Caste System. Retrieved from   Accessed 7 November, 2005http://www.webcom.com/~intvoice/montalvo3.html 

Poverty alleviation program for minority communities in Latin America: Communities of African Ancestry in Latin America history, Population, Contributions and social attitudes social and economic conditions. Retrieved from Accessed 7 November, 2005http://enet.iadb.org/idbdocswebservices/idbdocsInternet/IADBPublicDoc.aspx?docnum=479869

Essay
Indian Caste an Ethnography of
Pages: 6 Words: 1668

However, the Kolenda text is somewhat prescient in identifying some of the ways that Indian society has adjusted to change as modernization has become a matter of inevitability. Indeed, Kolenda denotes entering into the discussion that "the shape of India emerging will be different from the shape of modern estern societies. Caste in its new transformations will be an important contributing factor to determining that shape." (Kolenda, i) as Kolenda's is a text which was composed in 1985, this renders it a particularly insightful set of predictions on how the desire of traditionalists and the culturally elite to maintain ancient systems of class demarcation will find balance with the push of the global community to assume a more democratically driven strategy for socioeconomic organization.
Conclusion:

Ultimately, one is left with the sense that a subject such as this would best be explored in a study with a more current context. That…...

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Works Cited:

Kolenda, P. (1985). Caste in Contemporary India. Waveland Press.

Essay
Scaling Caste Walls With Capitalism's
Pages: 2 Words: 552

By looking at the world from an individual perspective, some people actually managed to acknowledge that they were not really as inferior as some groups were inclined to believe they were and managed to surprise a whole world. By concentrating on his goals and on strategies he could use in order to achieve them, Khade practically reinforced his position in the business world and succeeded in spite of the fact that odds were against him.
Khade's story is inspirational for anyone who considers him or herself to be underprivileged as a result of coming from an obscure background. This makes it possible for people to understand that it is up to themselves to improve their general condition, as only by getting actively involved in trying to achieve their goals would they be able to truly succeed in accomplishing their dreams.

Instead of being influenced by cultural values that were meant to…...

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Works cited:

Polgreen, Lydia, "Scaling Caste Walls With Capitalism's Ladders in India"

Essay
Social Group and Slavery
Pages: 3 Words: 1055

Systems of Oppression
Oppression is a systematic way of treating other human beings in dehumanizing ways by subjecting them to suffering and deprivation of such important amenities that would otherwise make them lead a bearable and a comfortable life. It may involve denying them access to education, language, and healthcare. Oppression is orchestrated by government systems such as the police, the military, laws and customs and other practices that lead to inequality in the distribution of resources in society. Oppression systems target specific groups with social identities (Young, 2004).

Principles of Systems of Oppression

obinson (2010) points out that there are some habits and cultural practices which perpetuate the oppression of individuals and groups. Although they occur in varying forms, the systems assume similar characteristics and principles.

Power: here, the dominant group exercises authority over the subjects through exploitation. Usually, the party on the receiving end has no capacity to resist or ward off…...

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REFERENCES

Conway-Smith, E. (2015, October 19). 'Slaves by the will of God': Why Mauritania has the highest percentage of slaves in the world. Retrieved June 13, 2017, from:  https://www.pri.org/stories/2015-10-19/ 

Robinson, M. L. (2010, June 3). Systems of Oppression. Retrieved June 13, 2017, from Creative Commons: http://www.creativeconflictresolution.org/jc/systems-of-oppression.html

Young, I. (2004). Five Faces of Oppression. In L. Heldke & P. O'Connor, Oppression, Privilege, & Resistance. Boston: McGraw Hill.

Essay
Contemporary India
Pages: 8 Words: 2543

Women Status Contemporary India
The Status and ole of Women in Contemporary India

The women in contemporary India have a very significant role as they fulfill crucial responsibilities in almost every sector including family life, agricultural development and industrial development. However, it is unfortunate that such contributions have remained mostly indistinguishable to the planners and policy makers due to which the Indian women have always experienced an unstable status in the country. Even in this modern era of science and technology, women in India are still considered a disadvantaged group as there has been no change in the conventional structure of society as well as cultural and moral standards (Chakrapani and Kumar, 1994).

In addition, a majority of women are still unaware of the social laws that have been designed to alleviate the problems women face in the society. As a consequence, distressed situations influence Indian women more than Indian men as the…...

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References

Berman, B.J., Bhargava, R., & Laliberte?, A. (2013). Secular States and Religious Diversity. Vancouver: UBC Press. Print.

Chakrapani, C., & Kumar, S.V. (1994).Changing Status and Role of Women in Indian Society. New Delhi: MD Publications. Print.

Chowdhuri, J.P. (2012). Caste System, Social Inequalities and Reservation Policy in India: Class, Caste, Social Policy and Governance Through Social Justice. Saarbru-cken, Germany: Lambert Academic Publishing. Print.

Jain, T.R., & Ohri, V.K. (2006). Indian Economy: Issues in Economic Development and Planning in India and Sectoral Aspects of Indian Economy. New Delhi: V.K. Publications. Print.

Essay
Longstanding Tradition of Hindu and
Pages: 10 Words: 3703

Maharshtrian cuisine comprises of hot, aromatic meat and fish curries and subtle flavoring of vegetarian cuisine. Peanuts and cashew nuts are widely used in vegetables and the main cooking medium is peanut oil. Another feature is the use of a deep purple berry with a sweet and sour taste, otherwise called kokum, in sol kadhi, an appetizer-digestive, which is served chilled. Non-vegetarian and vegetarian dishes are served with boiled rice or rotis made from rice flour. Dessert is commonly comprises rotis (a type of bread) stuffed with a sweet mixture of jaggery and gram flour.
Goan cuisine boasts of delicacies like tangy pork 'vindaloo', spicy 'sorpotel' and the popular fish curry with rice. Most of their meals are accompanied with local wine or local liqueur, 'Feni'. Meals are simple but most are also chili hot, spicy and pungent. The basic components include rice, fish and coconut and delicacies made from…...

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Works cited

Audretsch, D.B. And Meyer, N.S. " Religion, Culture and Entrepreneurship in India." Indiana

University Public Affairs Conference. 2009. 17 Apr.2010.

"Cuisine." Cuisine Tours of India, Culinary Tour India, Indian Cuisines information,

Essay
Religious Values in War and Peace
Pages: 5 Words: 1789

Hinduism and People
Unlike most religions which ask their practitioners to prescribe to a designated set of behaviors wherein they shall all behave uniformly, Hinduism bears the motto that "People are different." Most religions begin from a dogma which is a written interpretation of what the creators of that religion state their God or Gods want from the followers of that religion. Because of this, the religions are slow to evolve and more or less stagnant. According to J.N. Nanda, "Hinduism is not limited by the view of a single founder, a single holy man or a single holy book" (106). That is to say, those that practice Hinduism understand that there is no one type of person. Individuality, by its very definition states that people will have singular ideas and singular personalities. There is no one type of person living in the world, just as there is no one type…...

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Works Cited:

Keene, Michael. Religion in Life and Society. Dublin, Ireland: Folens. 2004. Print.

Ketkar, Shridhar. The History of Caste in India: Evidence of the Laws of Manu. Ithaca, NY:

Taylor & Carpenter. 1909. Print.

Lipner, Julius. Hindus: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices. Chatham. 1994. Print.

Essay
Separation of the Society Into Different Segments
Pages: 2 Words: 931

separation of the society into different segments by the use of castes or classes. Social stratification indicates a hierarchy of social groups and emphasizes social inequality. Social stratification refers to social groups, which are ranked one above another in terms of the power, prestige and wealth, which the members of the group possess. The members of the same group share common interests and have common identity and share a life style, which is similar to some extent, which ultimately distinguishes them from other members of the social strata. The Indian caste system is an example of the system of social stratification.
The system of caste has historically been an Indian concept and was designed to keep different castes of groups of individuals in their designed places in society. Similarly, the class system is a modern day device for use for the same purpose. Since the caste system is an Indian…...

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Bibliography

Srinivas, M.N. "Social change in modern India" California: University of California Press (1966)

Bougle, C., "The essence and Reality of the Caste System." In D. Gupta, ed., Social Stratification. Delhi: Oxford University Press (1992).

Kocher, Robert L

Political Economy 301: The American Class System; Prerequisite: Healthy Realistic Iconoclasm 300 Fundamental Issues, Part 2 The Laissez Faire City Times, Vol 3, No 13, March 29, 1999

Essay
Elvis and Black Music the
Pages: 15 Words: 4658

Blues music however did not cross racial lines, with the majority of famous blues musicians still residing in New Orleans and various other well-known black music entertainment venues of the South.
Gospel music has been an African-American church tradition with influences from traditional African music and especially prevalent during the slavery era. Later (most likely because of those particular ignominious associations and all they implied, especially in the South) gospel music was strongly discouraged within mainstream society and actively suppressed.

Similarly, blues music represented a blending of black musical traditions with a centuries-long history originating from the earliest days of American slavery. Sammy Davis Jr. And Nat King Cole, were and remain today among the best-known of early black entertainers within the (then) up-and-coming rock 'n roll genre of the 1940's. Each had a heavy influence upon Elvis himself.

Obviously, though, the blending of Southern musical traditions was not started by Elvis…...

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Works Cited

African-American Musical Tradition." (June 9, 1998). Retrieved January 9, 2007,

From:  http://www.questia.com/html .

Bane, Michael. White Boy Singin' the Blues: The Black Roots of White Rock.

Harmondsworth, Eng: Penguin, 1982.

Essay
Formation of Ancient Societies the
Pages: 7 Words: 2084

Both Spartan men and women exercised together in the nude, and both were "encouraged to improve their intellectual skills" ("omen in Ancient Greece"). Being a woman in Sparta certainly ensured a greater sense of gender equality -- but that does not necessarily mean Sparta was the preferred residence of women in Greece. After all, Sparta did without a lot of the creature comforts that other city-states like Athens took for granted as essential to civilization. There is a reason the phrase "Spartan living" has come to be synonymous with the bare necessities.
As for variance in the social structure of the various states, democracy prevailed in Athens for a time (but so did tyranny and corruption as well). Thebes also had its monarchy and later on its heroic warrior citizens. Sparta had two kings who ruled simultaneously. But its social structure was also more slave-based than anywhere else. In fact,…...

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Works Cited

Haaren, John. Famous Men of Rome. NY: American Book Company, 1904.

Johnston, Sarah. Religions of the Ancient World. Harvard University Press, 2004.

Kyziridis, Theocharis. "Notes on the History of Schizophrenia." German Journal of Psychiatry, vol 8, 42-48, 2005.

Sikora, Jack. Religions of India. Lincoln, NE: Writer's Club Press, 2002.

Essay
National Geographic 160 Million of the Indian
Pages: 4 Words: 1160

National Geographic, 160 million of the Indian population is considered untouchables[footnoteRef:1]. The Untouchables are, according to the caste system in India, individuals that are deemed to be impure and, as a consequence, individuals against whom human rights violations are committed on a regular basis. These human rights abuses range from discrimination, to relegation to the lowest possible jobs and to outright violence. [1: Mayell, Hillary. 2003. India's "Untouchables" Face Violence, Discrimination. National Geographic News. On the Internet at http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/06/0602_030602_untouchables.html. Last retrieved on March 14, 2013]
IM hiring untouchables in India presents a complicated situation for the company, in many ways. The main dimensions that will need to be examined are the ethical and social responsibility component, as opposed to the cultural differences component. It is easier to start with the latter in order to better understand the potential dilemma in which IM is placed when recruiting untouchables in India.

The cultural…...

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Bibliography

1. Mayell, Hillary. 2003. India's "Untouchables" Face Violence, Discrimination. National Geographic News. On the Internet at   Last retrieved on March 14, 2013http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/06/0602_030602_untouchables.html .

2. Associated Press. December 2007. About 1 in 5 IBM Employees Now in India. On the Internet at   Last retrieved on March 14, 2013http://www.accessnorthga.com/detail.php?n=205230 .

3. Sujit, John. August 2012. If Cognizant is Indian, so are IBM and Accenture. The Times of India. On the Internet at   Last retrieved on March 14, 2013http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Tech-a-tete/entry/if-cognizant-is-indian-so-are-ibm-and-accenture .

Q/A
How does having a strong family title or surname help shape one\'s sense of identity and belonging?
Words: 665

The Profound Influence of Family Title and Surname on Identity and Belonging

A family title or surname, an enduring legacy passed down through generations, holds immense significance in shaping an individual's sense of identity and belonging. It serves as a potent symbol that anchors one's lineage and connects them to a broader collective.

A Sense of Heritage and Continuity

A strong family title or surname instills a deep sense of heritage and continuity. It embodies the history, traditions, and values that have been passed down through countless ancestors. By carrying this title, an individual feels a profound connection to those who came before....

Q/A
How have Dalit coinages shaped Bengal politics from 1947-1977?
Words: 438

Dalit coinages played a significant role in shaping Bengal politics from 1947 to 1977 by giving a voice to the marginalized Dalit communities, advocating for their rights and challenging the hegemony of upper-caste elites. The term Dalit itself, which means oppressed or downtrodden, was coined to unite people from various backgrounds who faced discrimination and oppression based on their caste. During this period, the Dalit coinages helped to mobilize Dalit communities in Bengal, providing them with a sense of identity, pride, and solidarity. They also challenged the traditional power structures within the state, pushing for social and political reform to....

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