Sociology of Exclusion: Dalits in East Uttar Pradesh

Abstract

Social reality in India is pre-determined by a hierarchy of caste and class that denies rights to people living at the bottom of the Hindu social order. In this micro-regional study, we attempt to show how continuing caste rigidity hinders social interaction, which, in turn, strengthens social exclusion, thus preventing the growth and development of certain communities. We set out to examine and analyse how social interaction, and its effect on social exclusion, historically exists amongst the Dalits in Varanasi district of East Uttar Pradesh. The article, developed out of extensive empirical fieldwork and based on a primary data interview schedule, focused interviews and a quasi-participatory observation method, initially contextualises linkages between social interaction and social exclusion. Then, we observe the proximity and locations of different communities in the surveyed villages. Next, we examine the kinds of village activities the lower caste Dalits participate in or do not have access to, and the reasons for their non-participation. Finally, through some observations, we outline how equal access to services and society are imperative for democratic participation and the overall development of society.