Does caste really matter today beyond electoral politics? What has changed and what remains of it? Do caste-based quotas and reservations strengthen divisions in society or do they help bridge them? How does the reality of caste play out in modern-day labour markets, social life, and popular culture? This short introduction provides an engaging account of the contemporary manifestations of caste as well as the changing perspectives on caste in social science writing and popular discourse. The book covers the many themes and issues around the lived reality of caste in India—caste as tradition, as a constitutive element in power politics, its manifestation in everyday violence and humiliation, and its contestation by movements ‘from below’ and policies ‘from above’. Accessible and thought-provoking, this is a must-read for scholars, students, activists, policymakers, and general readers interested in this all-pervasive aspect of Indian social life.
