2022/06/22 by Prema Kurien · 12 citations
Social Sciences · Arts and Humanities · #Labor Movements and Unions #South Asian Studies and Diaspora #Race, History, and American Society #Caste #Norm (philosophy) #Sociology #Gender studies #Political science #Lawsuit #Law
paper · doi:10.1093/socpro/spac035
published in Social Problems 70(3), 717-734 (Oxford University Press)
openalex publication_date 2022/06/22 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21
Abstract Based on interviews, some field research, and an analysis of online material, this paper focuses on the rights struggles of diasporic Indian caste groups formerly considered “Untouchable” whose self-chosen descriptor is “Dalit.” It examines Dalit activism in the United States around caste discrimination in both India and the U.S. The goal of this study is to demonstrate how Dalit American leaders use racial analogies in their international activism, and why race is a contested frame within the community. It makes clear that “universalistic” frames can obscure crucial particularities, making it harder to address the issue at hand. But it also reveals that dogmatic, particularistic frames can compromise the unity and mission of transnational movements. A 2020 lawsuit against Cisco Systems alleging caste discrimination toward a Dalit employee by Brahmin supervisors has opened the opportunity for anti-caste activists to develop a global norm specifically around how to address caste-based discrimination.