Understanding the Dynamics of Caste through Foucault's 'Power' and Bourdieu's 'Symbolic Systems' Perspectives
Seminar with Prof. Prashant Bansode, GIPE Pune
Wednesday, 18 June 202510-12 c.t.
KWZ 0.602
Abstract
The atomistic theory of caste as propounded by Louis Dumont has been limited to explain caste system as if it were a static system. In the same vein the cultural approach of M.N. Srinivas explaining the imitation theory i.e. Sanskritisation although builds on a ‘field view’ but this does not incorporate the dynamic functioning of caste. The structural explanation of ‘caste’ conceives it as part of the superstructure of institutions without any connection to the base (in Marxian terms). Marxist also saw ‘caste’ oppression as part of the larger ‘class’ oppression and ignored the specificities of ‘caste’ as to how it operates and subordinates the lower rung of the society—the Shudra and Untouchables. It would be erroneous to construe ‘field view’ as a view from ‘below’. The dynamics of ‘caste’ can be better understood in the above context with the ‘power’ ‘knowledge’ inter-play and ‘symbolic systems’ perspectives in order to understand how systems of subordination are not only produced but also enforced with guile, coercion and use of institutional and state apparatus.The researcher’s engagement with the study of Dalit—earlier untouchable castes—and their embodiment and resistance of caste emphasises the importance of Bourdieu’s symbolic systems and Foucault’s power discourse perspectives to understand how caste system operates in a dynamic fashion. As far as Dalit communities are concerned there exists a contradiction as to a section of it protest, resists and challenges the hegemony of ‘caste system’ while another section ‘embodies’ the burden of being lowly in the caste and succumb to caste oppression. Interestingly, the symbolic systems of subordination exemplify how ‘power’ and ‘knowledge’ interplay to produce and sustain these systems. The researcher dwells on the analytical utility of the construction from Foucault and Bourdieu’s to enrich our understanding on social structural features of caste system.