In anthropology, “caste” refers to a rigid system of social stratification where individuals are born into fixed groups that determine their occupation, social status, and marriage options. It is most famously associated with South Asia, but anthropologists also use the concept comparatively to study hierarchy and inequality in other societies.
🌍 Definition
- Caste: A hereditary, endogamous social group, often ranked in a hierarchy, with rules governing marriage, occupation, and ritual status.
- Key Features:
- Endogamy (marriage within the group).
- Hereditary status (born into caste, not chosen).
- Occupational specialization.
- Ritual hierarchy (purity/pollution concepts).
🔑 Anthropological Contexts
- India as Paradigm:
- The Indian caste system is structured by varna (four broad categories: Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra) and jati (thousands of localized, occupationally defined groups).
- Those excluded from varna were historically labeled “untouchables” or Dalits.
- Comparative Studies:
- Anthropologists have identified caste-like systems in other regions (e.g., occupational guilds in Africa, hereditary artisan groups in Japan).
- These systems share features of endogamy and hierarchy but differ in ideology.
- Colonial & Modern Impact:
- Colonial administrators codified caste categories, often rigidifying fluid social identities.
- Today, caste continues to shape politics, economics, and identity in South Asia, despite legal reforms.
📚 Importance in Anthropology
- Social Stratification: Caste is a key example of how inequality is institutionalized.
- Cultural Identity: It structures ritual life, kinship, and community belonging.
- Comparative Value: Studying caste helps anthropologists analyze hierarchy alongside class, race, and ethnicity.
- Resistance & Reform: Movements led by figures like B.R. Ambedkar challenged caste oppression, linking anthropology to social justice.
In short: In anthropology, caste is a hereditary, endogamous system of social stratification, exemplified by India but studied comparatively worldwide as a model of institutionalized hierarchy.
Sources: Anthroholic – Indian Caste System; Oxford Bibliographies – Caste in Anthropology.
