Political Economy of Caste in India presents the caste mode of production as an important analytical tool to understand the socio-economic and political dynamics of India. The book looks at caste from the economic base and also links it with the superstructure that includes judiciary, untouchability practices, caste atrocities against Dalits, social exclusion and so on. It presents empirical studies to show that the social habits of discrimination and crimes against the marginalized communities prevail even in the 21st century to physically alienate them from mainstream opportunities and ensure involuntary supply of labour at lower wages. It articulates that the economic intensity of caste can be discerned through the caste mode of production. The study brings out the limitations of some of the Marxists' understanding of caste. It also presents a distinct approach for comprehending caste and suggests that the human rights perspective is one of the ways to combat it.
K. S. Chalam is a well-known political economist and educationist, and a former member of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), New Delhi. He has been the Vice Chancellor of the Dravidian University in Andhra Pradesh and had taught in the Department of Economics, Andhra University, between 1976 and 2005. He is known as the founder of the Academic Staff College Scheme in the country and was its first director. Dr Chalam was on the Planning Board of the Madhya Pradesh government during 2002-04. He was the recipient of the UGC Young Social Scientist Award in Economics in 1984. Dr Chalam has authored Caste-Based Reservations and Human Development in India (2007, SAGE) and Economic Reforms and Social Exclusion (2011, SAGE), and edited Governance in South Asia: State of the Civil Services (2014, SAGE). He has travelled widely and has participated in and chaired sessions at various international conferences. Dr Chalam was associated with National Human Rights Commission, New Delhi, as a special rapporteur and is now Chairman, Institute for Economic and Social Justice.
Title: Political Economy of Caste in India
Author: Chalam, K S
ISBN: 9789353884079
Binding:
Publisher: SAGE Publications India Pvt Ltd
Publication Date: 2020-10-07
Number of Pages: 288
Weight: 0.5218 kg
For those who want to have a ring-side view of India's caste system vis-a-vis the political economy, this book is a must-read. -- CounterCurrents, 26 October 2020