Reinventing Caste: Changing Identities and Associational Forms in India
Introduction The caste system has been one of the most enduring social institutions in India. Rooted in ancient occupational divisions and later rigidified into hereditary hierarchies, caste has historically structured social relationships, economic opportunities, and political power. After Independence, the Indian Constitution sought to dismantle caste-based discrimination through legal safeguards, affirmative action, and the promotion…