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SUMMARY:Untouchability as systemic violence - Jésus Chairez (Hughes Hall)
DTSTART:20130226T173000Z
DTEND:20130226T190000Z
UID:TALK43679@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Gui Xi Young
DESCRIPTION:This paper explores the relationship between untouchability an
 d violence in India in B.R. Ambedkar’s writings from 1925 to 1956. Drawi
 ng on Slavoj Zizek’s analysis of violence\, it will be argued that Ambed
 kar saw the practice of untouchability against Dalit communities as a type
  of systemic violence. That is\, as violence inherent in a system that not
  only manifests itself as physical violence but also as subtle forms of co
 ercion that sustains relations of domination and exploitation\, including 
 the threat of violence. This vision allowed Ambedkar to challenge the Gand
 hian notion of untouchability as a socio-religious problem that belonged o
 utside the realm of politics. It will be shown that for Ambedkar\, the pra
 ctice of untouchability transcended aspects of ritual purity and pollution
  and it was the main cause of the economic exploitation and political supp
 ression of Dalits. Finally\, by thinking of untouchability as systemic vio
 lence\, this paper questions how peaceful was the Indian nationalist movem
 ent which struggled to achieve political independence from the British Emp
 ire\; while at the same time denying the political assertion of Dalits as 
 a political group outside the Hindu electorate.
LOCATION:Seminar Room S2 Alison Richard Building
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