Chapter 7 Flashcards
(9 cards)
What is the main message of Chapter 7, “Through the Fog of Delhi to the Parallels in India and America”?
Wilkerson explores the parallels between the caste systems of India and the U.S., highlighting their similar methods of oppression despite cultural differences. She argues that both systems persist through social norms and institutional structures, long after being legally abolished.
What are some major parallels between the Indian and American caste systems?
Both marginalized groups (Dalits and African Americans) were relegated to bottom-caste status.
Both systems used violence, laws, and segregation to maintain hierarchy.
Both have seen resistance despite assumptions of passivity.
Both face backlash to policies like affirmative action (“reservations” in India)
How were indigenous peoples treated in both countries?
Both Native Americans in the U.S. and Adivasis in India were exiled to remote areas and rendered invisible in society.
What are the similarities between Dalits and African Americans in their historical labor roles?
Both groups were used for agricultural labor under oppressive systems: African Americans in sharecropping, Dalits in saldari (bonded labor). Both were trapped in poverty and denied autonomy.
How does the structure of the caste system differ between India and the U.S.?
India: Complex system with thousands of subcastes (jatis) under five varnas.
U.S.: Bipolar system primarily defined by white and Black identities, with immigrants forming middle castes.
How are caste identities identified in India versus the U.S.?
India: Through surnames, ancestral occupations, village origins, accents, and appearance.
U.S.: Primarily through physical features like skin color.
Why is it wrong to assume Dalits or African Americans were compliant or content?
It disregards centuries of resistance and implies consent to oppression, which dehumanizes them further. Wilkerson argues that all humans want to be free
What was the Dalit Panthers movement?
A civil rights movement in India inspired by the U.S. Black Panther Party, formed in the 1970s to resist caste oppression and advocate for Dalit rights.
Despite legal changes, why do caste systems persist in both countries?
Because they are ingrained in culture, habits, and institutions. The formal structures may be gone, but the social expectations and biases remain deeply rooted.
