Foregrounding differences and diversity: dalit youth of India

Abstract

This paper attempts to focus on the changing dalit youth culture in India tracing the socio-historical factors which facilitated the development of the contemporary youth identity among dalits. It focuses on the diverse kinds of motivations and ideologies which are now mostly continued by the youth of the contemporary society. The paper also tries to draw attention towards the fact that youth of India are taking prominent collective action guided and provoked by the changing social institutions (which are more politically active and mobile now) that are creating contradictions and new form of discriminations/exclusivist trends in the Indian society. The paper narrates how youth of contemporary India is getting involved in the new age caste-discriminations based on politics by using their cultural baggage. The rationale provided to the youth, either Dalit or non- Dalit is reasoned on the basis of cultural tools in order to gain a leading role in Indian political system. This paper examines this dichotomy, contradictions and the logic of Dalit politics and the involvement of youth.