A QUESTION OF RECOGNITION AND REDISTRIBUTION: UNDERSTANDING DOM AND MUSAHAR CASTES OF BIHAR

Abstract

The paper attempts to look into the issues of marginalisation and exclusion of Dom and Musahar castes of Bihar from the perspective of recognition and redistribution as argued by political theorist Nancy Fraser. She explains that a theory of social justice must be constructed and articulated in a way in which redistribution and recognition play equal and interwoven parts. Issues of marginalisation and exclusion of Dom and Musahar castes are discussed here as denial of recognition for these groups that have been subordinated for centuries by the caste structures, and, as disparities in redistribution, that has resulted in gross inequality of opportunities, wealth and income. Non-recognition/misrecognition and mal-distribution are the typical experience of Dom and Musahar that are marginalized and excluded. The data and discussion of this paper is based on the research entitled “Social Psychology of Marginalisation and Exclusion: A Study of Dom and Musahar Communities of Bihar” (2016-18)