Author Profile

Dr. Narender Kumar is Professor at Centre for Political Studies, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He was Chairperson of the Centre during 2021-23. He has 24 years of teaching and research experience in various Central Universities including University of Delhi, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow. Professor Kumar has eight books to his credit, published by Oxford University Press, Routledge, Orient Blackswan and others. He has published several research papers in national and international journals. Professor Kumar is reviewer of manuscripts for Oxford University Press, Routledge, Springer, etc. and for various international journals. Among his works, he edited a volume on Ambedkar and Democracy with Christophe Jaffrelot on Dr. Ambedkar and Democracy published in 2018 by Oxford University Press. Recently a book titled “Reservation Policy in India: State, Social Justice and Afrmative Action” has been published. He has visited US, UK, France, etc. for academic engagements.

About The Book

The book provides a comprehensive narrative of the Dalit movements through sociopolitical, economic, and cultural struggles, as Dalits resist oppression and strive for justice, equality, and dignity. This study underscores the significance and emergence of Dalit consciousness, its implications for initiatives addressing their basic human needs, and its impact on contemporary democratic politics. It seeks to understand the politics of the oppressed sections through a search for identity and movements, seeking improvement in their socio-economic status, a share in political power, and, ultimately, the utopia of the destruction of the unequal caste order. The nature of the Dalit movement has not been uniform; there have been distinct shades in different regions and at different times, despite a common thread of facing untouchability of one kind or another and forming alliances. In the first chapter, the emergence of movements in different parts of the country in the colonial period has been discussed and analysed. The role of colonial rule and its implications for the Dalit movement have been explored. The emergence of various leaders across different regions has been discussed. The debates over reform v/s transformation, and the factors underlying various anti-caste movements in the colonial period, have also been highlighted. The second chapter focuses on the emergence of various political parties established to empower Dalits, highlighting their performance and limitations. Here, their emergence, ideology and strategies of mobilisation have been discussed. Finally, contemporary concerns and their challenges regarding reservations, caste atrocities, religious conversions, social media, and intersectionality are highlighted and discussed to underline the gaps in the movement's larger goals and their limitations.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Introduction
Chapter 1 Dalit Movements in the Colonial Period: Resistance against Oppression
1.1 Dalit Movements and Colonial Government
1.2 Dalit Movements in Colonial India
1.3 Reform versus Transformation: Phule, Gandhi and Ambedkar
Chapter 2 Dalit Movements in Post-Colonial India: Struggle for Power
2.1 The Republican Party of India: Nascent Endeavour
2.2 Dalit Panthers: Radical Resistance
2.3 Bahujan Samaj Party: Capturing Power
2.4 Dalit Movement in South India
2.5 Azad Samaj Party – New Promise?
Chapter 3 Contemporary Concerns and Challenges
3.1 Reservation Policy: (Un) Limited Empowerment
3.2 Caste Atrocities: Continuity with Change
3.3 Religious Conversion: Unfinished Solution
3.4 Social Media: Alternative Medium
3.5 Intersectionality : A New Challenge
Concluding Remarks
References
Index