Aspects of Caste in South India, Ceylon and North-West Pakistan by E R Leach

Aspects of Caste in South India, Ceylon and North-West Pakistan by E R Leach

Regular price
Checking stock...
Regular price
Checking stock...
Summary

When this book was originally published in paperback in 1971, one of the most debated themes in Indian sociology was the meaning of the term caste. At one extreme was the argument that caste cannot be isolated from its religious matrix; on the other, that it is a rigid form of social class hierarchy. This book tested these two hypotheses against the data.

The feel-good place to buy books
  • Free US shipping over $15
  • Buying preloved emits 41% less CO2 than new
  • Millions of affordable books
  • Give your books a new home - sell them back to us!

Aspects of Caste in South India, Ceylon and North-West Pakistan by E R Leach

When this book was originally published in paperback in 1971, one of the most hotly debated themes in Indian sociology was the meaning of the term caste. At one extreme Professor Dumont argued caste is an aspect of Hinduism that cannot be isolated from its religious matrix; on the other, certain American-trained sociologists represented the caste order as a specially rigid form of social class hierarchy. Aspects of Caste endeavoured to test these two hypotheses against the data. The first paper, by E. Kathleen Gough, describes the caste order of a village in Tanjore that corresponds closely to Dumont's ideal type. The second paper, by Michael Banks, relates to a Jaffna Tamil community in Northern Ceylon. Nur Yalman's paper describes a Buddhist Sinhalese community in Central Ceylon. Fredrik Barth's study of Swat in Northwestern Pakistan exhibits an even more divergent case. Edmund Leach's introductory essay discusses the general theoretical issues raised by these examples and their importance for an understanding of social issues in South Asia.
SKU Unavailable
ISBN 13 9780521096645
ISBN 10 0521096642
Title Aspects of Caste in South India, Ceylon and North-West Pakistan
Author E R Leach
Series Cambridge Papers In Social Anthropology
Condition Unavailable
Binding Type Paperback
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Year published 1971-10-31
Number of pages 160
Cover note Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.