LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 17:8 August 2017
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
         C. Subburaman, Ph.D. (Economics)
         N. Nadaraja Pillai, Ph.D.
         Renuga Devi, Ph.D.
         Soibam Rebika Devi, M.Sc., Ph.D.
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Social Exclusion and Caste Hegemony:
A Semiotic Understanding

Dr. Meti Mallikarjun

Abstract

The present paper intends to explore how caste hegemony played a major role in maintaining ‘social exclusion’ in India and particularly in Karnataka. The modes of social recognition and de-recognition models are generally represented through language. This representation obviously becomes a social reality. This politics of social recognition is always discriminatory and partial. However, language can be taken into consideration in this paper as one of the signifiers for bringing out the different modes of caste hierarchy and social exclusion.

The discourse of caste hierarchy and outcaste do not merely signify the oppressed conditions alone, they also the result in the phenomenon of ‘symbolic violence’. Consequently, socio-cultural sufferings and violent practices like untouchability are still prevailing despite democratic practices and social movements in India. Peter Burke defines symbolic violence in History and Social Theory as something different from the concept that is being discussed in this paper. According to Burke, “symbolic violence… refers to the imposition of the culture of the ruling class on dominated groups, and especially to the process by which these dominated groups are forced to recognize the ruling culture as legitimate and their own culture as illegitimate”. (1993:86) This argument appears to be general and linear at the outset. But as far as the underlying structures are concerned, this argument substantially brings out the semiotic realizations and conditions of caste and caste systems in India.

Keeping in mind these objectives, this paper thoroughly investigates the socio-cultural conditions of social exclusion and caste hegemony, specifically in Karnataka. It is true that social exclusion and caste hegemony have been crucial topics in human history. For this reason, instead of rehearsing the old debates that have been circulated across time and space, we try to place them in a new order and perspective. Further, it is necessary to understand their dimensions which could impact through semiotics.

Keywords: Social Exclusion, Caste Hierarchy, Symbolic Violence, Dominated Groups

Introduction

This paper does not focus on the historical wrongs done to the dalits and other depressed communities and how the dalits were deprived of sociocultural and political privileges for centuries. It only attempts to understand the politics of the social exclusion policy and caste hierarchy being represented in a semiotic condition throughout the history. Therefore, the paper would like to explore the trajectory of caste hegemony in the perspectives of semiotics from the periphery towards the centre.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Dr. Meti Mallikarjun
Associate Professor
Department of Linguistics
Sahyadri Arts College
Kuvempu University
Shimoga
Karnataka
India
meti.mallikarjun@gmail.com

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