Author: John C B Webster
Publisher: ISPCK
Year: 2009
Language: English
Pages: 361
ISBN/UPC (if available): 81-8465-002-7
Description
This widely read book remains the only history of the Dalit Christians as a whole since it first appeared in 1992. Now, in this third edition, it has been thoroughly revised to incorporate recent research. In addition, it has also been expanded to cover important events and developments since 1990, including the important case affecting all Dalit Christians now before the Supreme Court.
This edition continues to set the history of the Dalit Christians within the context of the modern Dalit movement, to compare Christian and other Dalits on a variety of social indicators, and to maintain a balance between North and South India. Moreover, thanks to recent research on the subject, it now incorporates more information on Roman Catholic Dalits than earlier editions had been able to do.
Estimates vary on the proportion of Dalits who are Christians, but few would disagree that the majority of Christians in India are Dalits. This first attempt to write their history has set it within the context of the history of the modern Dalit movement. This third edition brings that history up to date by including developments which have occurred over the past two decades.
After a brief discussion of the origins of caste and untouchability, Webster traces this history from the late 19th century up to the present. He sees the Dalit movement and Dalit Christian history passing through three stages.
The first was characterized by Dalit mass conversion, especially to Christianity. Then came the politics of numbers during the 1920s and 1930s when Dr. Ambedkar was the central Dalit figure. The third is the post-Independence stage of compensatory compensation during which Dalit Christians have come into their own as a distinct entity within the churches and Indian society at large. The book concludes with a chapter on the history of Christian theological reflection vis-à-vis the Dalits.
Contents
Preface to the Third Edition
Preface to the First Edition
Preface to the Second Edition
1. THE DALIT BACKGROUND
The Origins of Caste and Untouchability
The Nineteenth Century
The Chuhras of the Punjab
The Chamars of North India
The Mahars of Central and Western India
The Paraiyar of South India
Conclusions
2. THE MASS MOVEMENTS
The Missionaries and the Dalits
Dalit Mass Movements
The Madiga Movement around Ongole
The Chuhra Movement in the Punjab
The Pattern of the Mass Movements
The Impact of the Mass Movements
The Churches
The Dalit Converts
The Dalit Movement
Conclusions
3. THE POLITICS OF NUMBERS
The Dalit Movement in the 1920s
The Simon Commission and Round Table Conferences
Gandhi’s Fast
Ambedkar’s Declaration
The Provincial Governments
Conclusions
4. COMENSATORY DISCRIMINATION
The Constitution and Compensatory Discrimination
Compensatory Discrimination and its Dalit Beneficiaries
Reservations
Social Change
Self-Assertion and Political Action
Christian Dalits and Compensatory and Churches
Self-Assertion and Political Action
Conclusion
5. GOOD NEWS FOR DALITS
The Mass Movements
The Politics of Numbers
Compensatory Discrimination
Conclusions
Glossary of Indian Terms
Bibliography
Index