Adivasis: See Scheduled Tribes (ST)
Anthropometry: refers to the approach of measuring human individuals for the purposes of understanding human physical variations(Study of Race). The theory is that the caste system mapped a particular racial history. Its a very empirical approach, but its idea is by not looking at texts to find a racial link to castes.
Aryan
Ayodyah / Babri Masjid
Associational civic engagement: A formal organization in civil society. Ashutosh Varshney argues that associational civic engagment provides a "sturdier" bulwark against communal violence. Varshney provides the following examples of associational forms of civic engagement: business associations, professional organizations, reading clubs, film clubs, sports clubs, festival organizations, trade unions, and cadre-based political parties (see Varshney 2002, p. 3).
It should be noted that Varshney's argument is susceptible to reverse causality. In other words, the paucity of riots may promote the development of stronger forms of associational civic engagement.
See also: everyday civic engagement
Contributors: Vikash
Bajrang Dal:
Bhadralok:Bengali term that indicates upper caste respectability and a person in good standing
Contributor: Francesca
Bharat
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP): The Indian People's Party- Hindu Nationalism which in turn has adapted an organic conception of hinduism. Formed as a reaction against Congress Party and Janata Party.
Contributor: Sloane Whelan
British East India Company
Caste-a social hierarchy that originated in the Hindu religion but now everyone in India essentially is a member of a caste regardless of their religion. Caste was originally reified under British rule. Although caste has become associated in the eyes of westerners it traditionally is not related to ones socio-economic status.
Contributor: Sloane Whelan
Varna-Hierarchical 4 part system
Contributor: Sloane Whelan
Brahmins-priests
Kshatriyas-warriors
Vashyas ("Banias")-merchants
Shudras-menial workers
Contributor: Sloane Whelan
Jati- a different caste system which is loosely related to ones occupation
Contributor: Sloane Whelan
Caste Sabhas
Civil society: The social space between the formal state apparatus and the family. Civil society is populated by a wide range of organizations and characterized by a wide range of social activity. Civil society may be politicized or relatively apolitical. Ashutosh Varshney provides the following examples of apolitical and political civil society organizations. He says that apolitical examples include soccer leagues, playing-card societies, philately clubs. Political organizations in civil society include trade unions and political parties (see Varshney 2002, p. 4). Note that the political party in a one-party state is not considered to be a part of civil society but an extension of the state apparatus.
Critics of the concept of civil society generally note that states have porous boundaries and that states actively shape civil society to promote the state's ideological hegemony.
Contributors: Vikash
Communal:
Congress Party - secular group, organized drive for independence headed by Nehru, inclusive nationalist movement; dominated by Upper Caste & Zamindaris
Consociationalism: a form of government that takes turns and insures that each ethnic group recognized by the state is being represented-where minority rights are guarenteed by the majority. This form of government historically produces a great deal of stability in politics. For example; having street signs in every official language
Contributor: Sloane Whelan
Constructivism:
Cyber-coolie- a derogatory term used to describe the humiliating work of white-collar workers who were supervised in similar ways to blue collar workers but due to the fact that they are based in an office and not a factory they are considered white-collar workers.
Contributor: Francesca
Dalit- a term adapted by and for the untouchables, used as an alternative social acceptable name for their caste placement.
Contributor: Sloane Whelan
Dalit Panthers
Deccan Plateau
Dravidian
Enframing: This is when class is defined through multiple practices. For examples; What are they consuming and with what money are they consuming it?
Contributor: Sloane Whelan
Everyday civic engagement:
Ethnic: In common parlance the term "ethnic" usually connotes racial or linguage based social groupings. Social groups framed by religious commonality are generally classified as "communal" rather than ethnic. In the social sciences, however, all ascriptive identities are considered to be forms of "ethnic" identity (see Varshney 2002, p. 4). Examples of ethnic identity include race, language, religion, tribe, or caste.
It should be noted that social scientists believe that all identities are constructed (including race) given the dialectical relationship between the individual and their society. Non-ascriptive identies such as economic class may become ascriptive if the the ability of individuals to transcend their class status is relatively foreclosed (see Varshney 2002, p. 5).
Varshney, citing Horowitz, argues that in the Indian context, the "ranked ethnic system" of India merges ethnicity and class (Varshney 2002, p. 5). This observation is an oversimplification, since caste and class are often not aligned in a hierarchical manner that corresponds with the varna system.
Contributors: Vikash
Gandhi, Mohandas K.
IT Sector
Institutionalized riot system: Paul Brass argues that the institutionalized relationship between particular Indian politicians and criminal networks facilitate large scale urban riots and systematic killing of targeted minorities (see Varshney 2002, p. 11).
Contributors: Vikash
Institutionalism:
Lok Sabha
Mandal Commission
Mandalization
Mandir
Operation Bluestar:Indira Ghandi appointed Sik, a radical priest, who ended up killing Hindus and believed he did not need Indira. He turned his back on Indira and decided to form a separate country of Khalistan. Indira organized an operation to put down the terrrorists by instructing the army to attach the Golden Temple.
Contributor: Francesca
Other Backward Castes (OBC) - drawn from Shudras; constitute 52% of population but does not include tribals or untouchables
Contributor: Francesca
Orientalism: Is defined an approach to studying non-Western societies. It is a way of defining self by defining what one is not. In other words it is playing up differences in order to justify power(differences over similarities). Orientalist scholars rely on textual sources, but the problem with this approach is because in S.Asia there is more of a focus on practice rather than texts.
Post Modernism:
Prime Minister
Rajya Sabha
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS): The Organization of National Volunteers
shakha:
Riot prone cities: A riot prone city is defined as an urban area which has experienced a minimum of 50 deaths 10 riots over five-year periods (Varshney 2002, p. 7).
Contributors: Vikash
Sangh Parivar
Scheduled Castes (SC)
Scheduled Tribes (ST)
Shah Bano:A 62 year old divorce who wanted alimony from her husband who refused to pay. The Supreme Court ruled in her favor and decided that the government could override religious personal laws. Rajiv Ghandi decided to overrule the Supreme Court's decision which had upset a majority of Indian religious men. His decision undermined Secularism because he overruled the government's decision for religious reasons.
Contributor: Francesca
Short Leash Policy
Sikhism: A monotheistic faith founded by Guru Nanak in the 16th century. The religion's doctrines were shaped by nine gurus and a holy text, called the Guru Granth Sahib. Sikhs constitute an independent religion, although there has traditionally been an affinity between Hindu and Sikh communities, including inter-marriage.
There are 20 million Sikhs worldwide, the majority live in the state of Punjab in India. There are also large and historically well established Sikh communities in California, Ontario, and England.
Sumit Ganguly argues that Indira Gandhi's Machiavellian attempt to mute requests for greater autonomy by Sikh political organizations helped to undermine the institutions of secularism in India (see Ganguly 2003). Indira's supported a radical priest, Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, in order to challenge the legitimacy of established Sikh political representatives. This strategy backfired when the priest began to orchestrate a widespread campaign of terror throughout the Punjab in an effort to demand a separate Sikh homeland, Khalistan. Indira's decision to suppress the separatist-terrorist movement resulted in an assault on the Golden Temple complex, the holiest shrine in the Sikh community, where the radical priest was ensconced. The subsequent assasination of the Prime Minister by her Sikh bodyguards and a pogrom in New Delhi organized by the Indian National Congress party created the impression of a communal bias in the officially secular state.
External Links: BBC - Sikhism ; see also: Operation Bluestar
Contributors: Vikash
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP): The World Council of Hinduism
Vote Bank