CLST 030. Caste and Power

In this course, we will critically analyze caste as a hierarchy of human beings through a study of theory, history, religion, and law in South Asia and the South Asian diaspora. We will approach caste from an intersectional perspective, understanding its relationship with other modes of oppression such as race, gender, color, and class. We will understand its religious underpinnings in Hinduism, but also how it permeates into other religious traditions in the South Asian context, which is then translated to communities in the diaspora.

We will proceed to study the relationship between caste and race in America, challenging our own preconceived notions about racial injustice and developing a lexicon for articulating its relationship to caste injustice, as well as engaging with the meaning of allyship.

Through this course students will learn to be more critical in their readings and articulations of their positions on power in general, particularly in the context of caste. This course aims to foster an inclusive environment in which to discuss, in as open a way, crucial issues related to caste, power, and justice.
Arts and Humanities.
1 credit.
Eligible for ASAM, ASIA, GLBL, PEAC
Fall 2024. Khanna.
Catalog chapter: Classics
Department website: http://www.swarthmore.edu/classics

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