Negotiating Intrinsic Factions: A Study of Mang's in Maharashtra
Author: Anup Hiwrale, anupvimal.vimal1@gmail.com
Department: Centre for Study of Social Change and Development
University: Institute for Social and Economic Change, India
Supervisor: Manohar Yadav
Year of completion: In progress
Language of dissertation: India
Keywords:
Mang
, Dalit
, Caste
, Untouchability
Areas of Research:
Stratification
, Poverty, Social Welfare and Social Policy
, Social Movements, Collective Action and Social Change
Abstract
This study is focused on Mang’s in Maharashtra. They are considered to be one of the lowest among the Indian social classes within the caste system. They are systematically kept away from the domain of power and denied to access to control and power. Their resistance has been met with brutal atrocities in various parts of Maharashtra. Dalit movement has posed a challenged to the caste system and its very existence. It was discovered that a large number of communities including the tribals have not been part of the mainstream social development. Thus, information has to be generated about all communities particularly of those not studied, the Mangs is one of the social group has not studied extensively. It quite evident from the literature that there is a lot of literature and research has done on Dalits in general but not specific to the communities. Therefore, it is very important to study caste and communities within Dalits in order to understand there social, political situations to document nuances and negotiating spaces. Micro-studies provide insights while macro-studies yield perspectives and movement from one to the other is essential. Therefore, micro-studies on castes are very important to understand the larger domain of the caste system within society. The absence of systematic study on the various lower castes of India has led a lacuna in the vast sociological literature in order to understand caste from below. the aims of this study are to understand the factions and overall role of Mangs in the Dalit movement and institutional discriminatory process and their impact on socio-political development and how the State has responded to this process of power-sharing.
