Rajni Kothari Caste In Indian — Politics 15.pdf

Document Write-Up: Rajni Kothari – Caste in Indian Politics

The Context: Caste and Politics in India Rajni Kothari Caste In Indian Politics 15.pdf

How to use Kothari’s ideas in research or teaching

• Comparative case studies: Compare two districts or states to see how caste shapes local politics differently.
• Electoral analysis: Map vote shares and candidate caste to test Kothari’s claims about caste blocs.
• Classroom assignment: Ask students to trace a local political issue showing patron-client linkages and caste influence.
• Policy discussion: Use his insights to critique one-size-fits-all governance reforms that ignore local caste dynamics.

Kothari challenged the Western modernist view that politics would simply erase caste. Instead, he argued that caste became the primary vehicle for democratic mobilization. Document Write-Up: Rajni Kothari – Caste in Indian

2. Core Thesis
Kothari posits that far from fading under democracy, caste has been politicized while politics has been caste-ized. He introduces the concept of the “caste association” (such as the Kshatriya Sabha, Yadav Mahasabha) – a modern, horizontally organized caste group that transcends local jati divisions to function as a pressure group and vote bank in electoral politics. Comparative case studies: Compare two districts or states

What Page 15 Actually Says: The Core Arguments

While the exact text varies by edition, Page 15 of Kothari’s essay typically introduces four revolutionary propositions: