Does Caste Matter for Social Disability of Dalit Women?

Abstract

A cross sectional study was conducted among 301 dalit women in rural Tamilnadu to examine the influence of caste on social identity, stigma, discrimination, social relations and quality of community life. Using multi-stage cluster sampling procedure, the present study used standardized scales to measure the variables of interest. Alongside descriptive analysis, univariate ANO VA was used to examine the caste-wise variance ofk ey variables observed. Results reveal that Parayar women internalized high level of ethnic or social identity, stigma, everyday life discrimination, frequent conflicts in social relations and reduced quality of community life. While women of other lower castes bettered on quality of community life. The study concludes that caste is a significant qualitative variable with substantial influence on ethnic or dalit identity internalization, perceptions of stigma, need for equity, discrimination, conflicts in social relations and quality cf community life. Thus social disability of dalits substantially differ caste wise; therefore developing caste wise systematic evidence on dalit social disability and exclusion are of critical importance to prioritize programmatic and policy interventions to better the life of dalits among dalits.