(Image courtesy The Market Place)
Operation Mooknayak recently had the opportunity to engage with Dr. Pinky Hota, an Associate Professor of Anthropology at Smith College, to discuss her groundbreaking work on caste dynamics, indigenous rights, and socio-political movements in India. Dr. Hota, who holds a BA from the University of Delhi and a master's and PhD from the University of Chicago, has dedicated her career to examining how caste and religion intersect to shape the lives of marginalized communities. Her forthcoming book, "The Violence of Recognition: Adivasi Indigeneity and Anti-Dalitness in India," published by the University of Pennsylvania Press, delves into the interplay between Adivasi indigeneity and anti-Dalit sentiments, particularly under the influence of Hindu nationalism.
In her book, Dr. Hota explores the 2008 violence in Kandhamal, Odisha, where large-scale attacks targeted Pana Christian Dalits, a community that had converted from Hinduism to Christianity. This violence, fueled by Hindu nationalist mobilization, was not an isolated incident but a reflection of a broader trend: the global rise of right-wing ethnonationalist politics in response to the gains made by minorities amidst widespread economic uncertainty. Dr. Hota's research focuses on how the conversion of Dalits to Christianity—a common escape route from the oppressive caste system—has left them vulnerable due to the loss of legal protections associated with their Scheduled Caste status.
As an urban Indian, she was initially sheltered from the harsh realities of caste in rural India. However, spending over two years living among Adivasi and Dalit communities provided her with an education of how casteism treats the lower stratum of society. Dr. Hota is also part of the Oregon Caste Abolition Collective (OCAC), a community of South Asian Oregonians dedicated to social justice and the abolition of caste. In her current research, Dr. Hota is examining how marginalized caste groups are displaced for various economic projects, highlighting the structural inequalities perpetuated by caste in capitalist endeavors. Her exploration of "caste capitalism" extends to Silicon Valley, where she is investigating how commodified empathy is operationalized and deployed, often reinforcing caste hierarchies. This work is part of her broader project, titled "Dark Empathy," which examines the deployment of empathy in economic and technological contexts.
Dr. Hota’s insights also touch on the ongoing debate over reservations and affirmative action in India. She argues that while reservations are necessary to address caste inequalities, they are not sufficient on their own. The implementation of these policies is often flawed, leading to institutional discrimination and harassment that can drive Dalit students to suicide. Dr. Hota refers to these tragic outcomes as "institutional murders," emphasizing the need for real support for marginalized students within educational institutions to ensure that affirmative action can achieve its intended goals.
For Dr. Hota, education is a key tool in the fight against caste-based discrimination. Drawing from her own experience as a member of a Brahmin family that leveraged its educational immersion into financially profitable careers, she highlights the stark contrast with many Dalit families who lack access to quality education. Bridging this gap is crucial, she argues, and creating awareness and dialogue about caste in the diaspora, particularly in the United States, can help build solidarity and foster a better understanding of these issues.
Thank you,
Krishiv Shah -- on behalf of Operation Mooknayak and the constant fight for ending caste-based discrimination.
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