UP Against Caste: Comparative Study of Ambedkar and Periyar

Book Details

• Author: Debi Chatterjee

• Edition: Second Edition

• Binding: Hardcover

• ISBN: 9788131610268

• Release Date: 01-12-2019

• Number of Pages: 304

• Package Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches

About the Book

The struggle for social justice and human rights in India is deeply intertwined with the issue of caste and the ongoing caste-based social structure. This book focuses on two pivotal figures in the history of India's fight against caste discrimination: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and E.V. Ramasami (Periyar), whose contributions remain central to the Dalit and Non-Brahmin movements in India.

The book provides a comparative discourse on the ideologies and actions of Ambedkar and Periyar, highlighting their shared commitment to challenging the Brahminical order and advocating for the rights and dignity of the marginalized and oppressed classes.

Key themes explored in the book include:

• Ambedkar's social and political struggles, which aimed to uplift the Dalits by teaching them how to use political power to fight oppression.

• Periyar's challenge to Brahminism through his promotion of a democratic, alternative culture, particularly in the Tamil region.

• The book also delves into the modern-day struggles of Dalits, examining how neoliberalism and right-wing politics in India and globally pose challenges, which are being met by drawing inspiration from the teachings of Ambedkar and Periyar.

Through its exploration of historical background, social movements, political struggles, economic ideas, and religious views, the book presents a comprehensive view of the Dalit Non-Brahmin Movement and its evolution from the time of Ambedkar and Periyar to contemporary times.

Contents:

• Part I: Historical Background

  1. Caste in Historical Perspective

• Part II: Social Movements
  2. Ambedkar: Mobilising Social Movements
  3. EVR: From Khadi to Self-Respect and Beyond

• Part III: Political Struggles
  4. Ambedkar’s Political Struggles
  5. Periyar and the Unfurling Non-Brahmin Identity in the Tamil Land

• Part IV: On Economics
  6. Ambedkar: A Socialist with a Difference
  7. Periyar, Samadharma and the Classical Marxists

• Part V: Interface with Religion
  8. Ambedkar and His Dhamma
  9. Periyar: A No-God Solution

• Part VI: Conclusion
  10. From Ambedkar and EVR: Unfolding of the Dalit Non-Brahmin Movement
  11. Dalits’ Search for Justice: From the National to the International
  12. Understanding the Caste-Class Link: Need for a Comprehensive Approach

About the Author

Debi Chatterjee is a former Professor in the Department of International Relations at Jadavpur University, Kolkata, and a Visiting Professor in the Department of Human Rights and Human Development at Rabindra Bharati University. She has also taught in the University of Calcutta. With an extensive academic career, she writes extensively on human rights, social marginality, and Dalit and caste oppression in both English and Bengali.

Her other notable works include Dalit Rights/Human Rights (2011), Ideas and Movements Against Caste in India: Ancient to Modern Times (1998, 2010), Sociology of National Integration (1993), and Marxist Thought in India (1985). She is also the Founder-Editor of the bi-annual journal Contemporary Voice of Dalit.