Instructional Materials
Caste/Race RelationsCaste is a social category into which one is born and from which there is no escape. Casteism is discriminating on the basis of these hierarchically stratified social categories.
The caste system originating from the Hindu tradition in India is often glossed over as a mere division of labor, and hence not of much relevance in today's economically mobile globalized world. However, the reality is that caste is a rigid hierarchical socioeconomic stratification of society with related taboos and religious undertones having practical implications in maintaining and perpetuating a grossly unequal power structure in society.
The social hierarchy of the caste system is comprised of four castes of which the first three castes are considered the "upper castes" and the fourth caste is the "lower caste". The highest and most powerful caste in this social hierarchy is the Brahmin (priestly) caste. The caste system is the only known social stratification where, in addition to named groups, a sub-section of society is officially outcasted and considered "untouchable" (now referred to as Dalit - calling or thinking of someone as"untouchable" is unacceptable, and the creators of this site unequivocally condemn perceiving or addressing any individual, group or community as "untouchable" - usage of the term on this website is mindful and deliberate, only to bring home the unacceptable, discriminatory nature of the caste system & expose the reality of millions, and is meant without any disrespect). Ironically Dalit are the unofficial fifth caste, ironically because they are officially considered to be casteless outcasts, and hence outside the caste system.
The uniqueness of the caste system - which in turns explains the inherent discriminatory nature of the system - is that, the sheer accident of birth determines whether one has the privileged life of an upper caste or whether one is condemned to a life of degradation, humiliation and oppression of a lower caste, or even worse, an outcast not belonging to any caste and hence an "untouchable" (Dalit ). The term Dalit means "broken", split, oppressed, and is the chosen preferred term of self-identification by the community that was labelled "untouchable" within the caste system.
It is true that today there are legal ramifications associated with the caste system, in that, according to the Indian Constitution it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of caste. It is also true that there are affirmative action programs aimed to address the historical systemic discrimination of the lower castes and outcasts. However, as noted by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution, "Caste is a notion; it is a state of the mind.” [Annihilation of Caste, 1936]
Justified as having divine origins, this "notion", this "state of mind" filled with taboos and rituals that have been ingrained in society over centuries and internalized by both, the privileged oppressors and the oppressed, has been the biggest hurdle in dispelling the ills of the caste system.
As observed in the opening scenes of the Indian filmmaker Stalin K's documentary "India Untouched: Stories of a People Apart", when questioned, "who told you, you would get polluted?", (if they transgress certain boundaries of caste separation and untouchability), the telling response of the upper caste children, "No one, we know about it since we were small", bears witness to the indoctrination of casteism from an early age. By the same token, the fear of ostracism, exclusion and rejection from 'the other side of the street', ring loud and clear in the words of the Indian filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan (as quoted by the Indian Express), "In today’s politically correct world, caste discrimination doesn’t exist in the conventional way. But the fear of being outed is deep-seated,..." ".......Our ‘place in the society’ has been grilled into us from a very age [sic]. There is a constant fear of being seen as lowly by one’s friends and colleagues. The fear is so real and raw that, sometimes, I wonder what my upper-caste house help will think of me if she found out that I am a Dalit,...” [From a June 12, 2018 article in the Indian Express]
Voices questioning the purported divine origins of the caste system, or otherwise speaking up against caste based discrimination, often face vicious backlash from Hindu nationalist as being Hinduphobic. Oftentimes, for the oppressed lower castes or for Dalits who don't have a caste but are nonetheless expected to adhere to the taboos and rituals of untouchability of the Hindu caste system, the only way to break free of a life of humiliation is to break free from the religion.
Casteism and Racism are two very distinct, yet similar forms of discrimination and oppression. Racism is prejudice and discrimination on the basis of race. Casteism is prejudice and discrimination on the basis of caste.
Both forms of discrimination are based on attributes beyond one's control. No one has control over their race, nor over the family into which they are born.
In both forms of discrimination, the oppressed have historically been denied access to education, information, mobility and ownership, and to date in societies with a history of said systems of oppression, are still systemically discriminated against, even when such discrimination is illegal.
Recognizing the parallels between slavery and the caste system, though at first "a bit shocked and peeved" to be introduced to Dalit students in India as "... a fellow untouchable from the United States of America", Martin Luther King Jr. came to the conclusion, "Yes, I am an untouchable, and every Negro in the United States of America is an untouchable." [From a sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church, July 4, 1965]
No longer unique to India, the parent culture of Hindi, or to South Asia for that matter, casteism is alive and kicking in the South Asian diaspora. Discussing caste and race in the Hindi classroom opens a window into the lives of many speakers of Hindi, both in India and the diaspora, as well as affords a good segue into systems of oppression our students may encounter either personally, or in current affairs around them.
CASTEISM (and some RACISM) MATERIALS
Please note, some of the materials listed below may be visually and aurally disturbing and offensive. Many contain offensive and abusive language which is unacceptable and which we do not condone. Contents of some articles may also be offensive to read. Nonetheless, all materials have been mindfully included as it is necessary to tackle these issues in order to engage in meaningful and informed discussions about society, culture and language.
Hindi Films, Advertisements & Television Talk Shows
Films: Sujata, 1959; Article 15, 2019; Life of an Outcast, 2018; Ajeeb Dastaans: Geeli Pucchi, 2021; Masaan, 2015; Social Justice Advertisement: A Beautiful Short Story, 2021; TV Talk Show: Stayameva Jayate, 2012, Season 1 Episode 10.
The films suggested in this section, have been mindfully chosen, as each one throws light on a different facet of the caste system, its effects, and on casteism. In Sujata, we encounter the raw notion of "untouchability" as it exists in people's mind, in Article 15, the disconcerting realization that Dalit lives don't matter, in Geeli Pucchii from the anthology film Ajeeb dastaans, both, the hypocrisy of modern day casteists and the intersectionality between gender, caste and sexuality, in Life of an Outcast, the life lived by a multitude of "outcasts" and "outcastes",
It is important to note that most attempts to raise the issue of caste in Hindi language films are lacking, as caste representations either amount to tokenism or perpetuate stereotypes with simplistic, one-dimensional, oftentimes inadvertently dehumanizing portrayals of poverty & deprivation amongst, and rejection of, lower caste folks or Dalits, with the upper caste savior coming to the rescue. Unfortunately, the Hindi language film industry itself too is rife with caste-based discrimination. It is only in recent years we find a relatively more realistic, multidimensional portrayal of Dalits, sometimes with agency, as seen in Masaan and Life of an Outcast, and to a lesser extent, Article 15.
The TV talk show Stayameva Jayate's episode on "Caste and Untouchability", and the Social Justice Advertisement A Beautiful Short Story, bring home the fact that caste based discrimination and casteist practices are still alive, and kicking strong in contemporary India.
Many of the suggested films are a rich source for segues into discussions of timeless topics & themes not explicitly listed here. For example, both, Article 15 and Life of an Outcast have portions that naturally segue into the relevance and importance (or not) of the constitution of a country, to name one. Geeli Pucchi from Ajeeb Dastaans is a perfect segue into the intersectionality of identity, sexuality and LGBTGIA+ issues.
In some instances, transcripts are provided in both, pages and pdf format The pages format is provided to enable one convert it into a fill in the blanks, listening comprehension exercise, as well as add/delete notes and information to fit the needs of the instructor.
Sujata, 1959 / सुजाता, १९५९
Hindi language film available on Youtube
Produced & Directed by Bimal Roy; Story: Subodh Ghosh; Actors: Nutan, Sunil Dutt, Shashikala, Tarun Bose, Sulochana Latkar, Lalita Pawar, Baby Farida, Baby Shobha, Asit Sen.
Sujata is a Hindi language film about a orphaned "untouchable" (Dalit) girl being brought up in an upper caste Brahmin family household, alongside with the daughter of the Brahmin couple. While Sujata's adoptive "father" and sister unconditionally and genuinely accept Sujata as their part of the family, Sujata's adoptive "mother" cannot get herself to fully accept her as a "daughter" due to her birth in an "untouchable" family . The film revolves around the subtle and not so subtle discrimination Sujata faces on account of her being born an "untouchable".
1. Counter numbers 52:01-55:57: When visitors arrive at their place, Sujata who normally serves tea to her foster parents, is told not to serve tea that day, and instead have the "servant" (household help) make and serve tea to the visitors. On being questioned by her, Sujata's foster mother tells her that the visitors will not drink tea made or served by her. Not comprehending why it is okay for the help to make and serve tea to the visitors, but not for her to do so, Sujata confronts her foster mother with questions.
Below is a transcript in both, pages and pdf format, of part (54:40-55:34) of the clip described above. In this portion of the clip, Sujata learns of her identity.
Sujata asks "Who am I ?" in pdf format
Sujata asks "Who am I ?" in pages format
2. Counter numbers 23:13-26:00: Here we get to observe Sujata and her "foster sister" Rama's upbringing. Although, on the surface both children have the same privileges (both play together, are told to drink their daily milk at the same time), it is obvious that Sujata faces both, subtle discrimination as observed in the way she is dressed, the different type of glass in which she is served her milk and her demeanor in front of her foster parents, and not so subtle discrimination in the fact that her foster mother admonishes her husband for eating from the same spoon with which he fed Sujata a bite of the halwa he was eating.
Below is a transcript in both, pages and pdf format, of part (25:03-26:00) of the clip described above. In this scene both Rama (Sujata's "foster sister") and Sujata ask their "father" for a bite of his breakfast.
Halwa Scene Transcript & Glossary in pdf format
Halwa Scene Transcript & Glossary in pages format
3. Counter number 14:11- 15:57: In this visually powerful (and disturbing) scene, we witness the visceral reaction of a casteist - Sujata's foster father's aunt - towards one year old Sujata when she learns Sujata parents were "untouchables".
Article 15, 2019 / आर्टिकल १५, २०१९
Hindi language film currently available on Netflix
Directed by Anubhav Sinha; Written by Anubhav Sinha & Gaurav Solanki; Actors: Ayushamann Khurana, Nasser, Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra, Isha Talwar, Sayani Gupta, Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, Shubrajyoti Barat, Sushil Pandey.
Article 15 is a powerful Hindi language film that exposes the inherent oppressive, brutal nature of the caste system. Through the eyes of young, privileged, city-bred Ayan Ranjan, who is posted as Additional Superintendent of Police in country-side India, one witnesses the dark realities of the caste system at play. While investigating the death of two minor girls, and disappearance of one, as clueless Ayan navigates the caste-ridden existence of the local people, he realizes that Article 15 of the Constitution of India, the Article that guarantees a citizen of India, protection against discrimination based on "religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them", is meaningless to and non-existent in their reality. Realizing present day reality, he embarks on a mission to make sure that Dalit lives matter.
1. Counter numbers 5:17-6:41: A telling scene where, being personally oblivious to realities of the caste system, Ayan is amused to learn from his driver that the village where he requested the driver to stop and buy a bottle of water is inhabited by lower caste people who rear pigs and who are considered to be "untouchable", to the extent that their reflection is also considered to be impure and "untouchable". On relaying his amusement and disbelief to his wife via text message, he is given a small dose of reality in her reply which points out that such sentiments were also prevalent till recently in their own surroundings and homes.
Aricle 15: water buying scene transcript & glossary in pdf format
Article 15: water buying scene transcript & glossary in pages format
2. Counter numbers 47:38-47:41 and 49:17-49:31 : These clips are graphic, visually disturbing and offensive. In the first scene three lower caste young men are being beaten with wooden boards, publicly in the market, for allegedly eating at the "temple". In the second clip, they plead their innocence while being "questioned" by the police at the hospital.
Article 15: Everyday market scene + boys in the hospital transcripts in pdf format
Article 15: Everyday market scene + boys in the hospital transcripts in pdf format
3. Counter numbers 44:10-44:56: By quoting his mother and posing the question, "If all are equal, who will be the king?", Ayan's driver Chandrabhan, in what was meant to be his caution to Ayan about upsetting the "equilibrium" in society, inadvertently brings to the forefront the inherent inequality of power structures created by the caste system.
Article 15: Why disturb the equilibrium? in pdf format
Article 15: Why disturb the equilibrium? in pages format
4. Counter numbers 1:44:49-1:46:18: In his last moments, Nishad, a dalit activist reminisces about his dreams as a student. To quote Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, "Dalit aspirations are a breach of peace. Annihilation of Caste is a breach of peace."
Article 15: Dreams of a dalit in pdf format
Article 15: Dreams of a dalit in pages format
5. Additional Scenes worth exploring, that bring out the essence of the oppressive, and oftentimes illogical nature of the caste system:
(i) Counter numbers 50:18-51:54: Here we witness Ayan's frustration when he tries to understand how the caste system works in terms of the complex hierarchy and relationship, not only between and within the various castes, but also amongst dalits ;(ii) Counter numbers 52:41-54:58: In his pursuit of trying to figure out the landscape in the area where the two girls were found hanging, Ayan comes across a mud shack where dead animals are skinned in preparation for the tannery. He is told the foul smell is because dalits have gone on a strike called by Nishad, a young dalit activist and leader. Nishad's call for a strike, brings home the bitter truth about how the caste system shuns those without whom society would not be able to function; (iii) Counter numbers: 58:15- 58:26, 1:05:33-1:05:48, 1:18-51-1:19:26: give visual credence to the young activist Nishad's words we hear in the scene described above; (iv) Counter numbers: 59:02- 1:01:10 A disturbed Ayan finally understands, recognizes and acknowledges the oppressive reality of millions of lives living in a country he loves and was proud of.
Life of an Outcast, 2018
Written & Directed by: Pawan K Shrivastava; Actors: Ravi Sah, Shalini Mohan, Bhaskar Jha, Siddharth Bharadwaj, Manohar Pandey, Govind V. Pai, Pankaj Kashyap, Komal Singh, Ram Krishna Yadav, Divyanshu Singh.
Life of an Outcast depicts the grim reality of Dalit family in contemporary rural India. It bears witness to the truism that "one may leave one's caste, but one's caste never leaves one". A mathematics teacher in a village near the city of Lucknow ((capital of the state of Uttar Pradesh) is arrested because he is a Dalit who refuses to write the sacred Hindu symbol "OM" on the blackboard before he starts his lessons. His parents were forced out of the village because his mother refused to spend her wedding night with the upper caste headman of the village. When young he was denied same access to education as the upper caste students. In spite of overcoming odds encountered at every turn in life, the stigma of caste and/or being an "outcast", and the oppression that accompanies that stigma, does not leave them, begging him to come to the conclusion that "the question (problem set) posed by caste is much more difficult to answer than a math questions (problem sets)".
Many of the transcripts below have disturbing, graphic and offensive language that has not been censored as this is the reality faced by many on a daily basis.
1. Counter numbers 50:22- 56:29: In a flashback into his younger days, the Dalit mathematics teacher recollects how in school, during the English class period he was asked to do menial chores like sweeping the backyard, his teacher's rationale being, that on reaching adulthood, he (the Dalit student) would anyways land up doing menial chores for the upper caste folk.
Life of an Outcast - Flashback to at school transcript in pdf format
Life of an Outcast - Flashback to at school transcript in pages format
2. Counter numbers 12:19- 14:36: When the police officer learns that the mathematics teacher who refuses to write "OM" on the blackboard belongs to the Dalit community, his (the police officer's) tone becomes aggressive, abusive and vulgar.
Below is a transcript of portion (12:19-13:22) of the suggested clip.
Life of an Outcast - At the police station Part 1 in pdf format
Life of an Outcast - At the police station Part 1 in pages format
3. Counter numbers 17:33- 23:59:00 (dialog from 22:16): A newly married couple is forced to leave the village and live in exile as they refuse to follow the tradition of the bride spending her first night with the headman of the village.
Life of an Outcast - Wedding night transcript in pdf format
Life of an Outcast - Wedding night transcript in pages format
4. Counter numbers 41:053-48:38: Brindavan me jeena hai, to Radhe Radhe kahanaa hogaa, bears witness to the fact of Hindu supremacist . Through this Hindi equivalent of "when in Rome do as the Romans do" the jail-keeper tries to explain how, the mathematics teacher needs to accept "his place in society", as determined first and foremost by the caste he is born into. Having had the opportunity to rise professionally or economically, he should be grateful, and not have the audacity to think of himself as equal to the folk form in upper caste, as education, achievements, accomplishments, money, power, position, all are irrelevant and meaningless in face of caste.
45:00-45:08: The one-liner "You have left your caste, but caste has not left you"
Life of an Outcast - policeman's oneliner about leaving one's caste in pdf format
Life of an Outcast - policeman's oneliner about leaving one's caste in pages format
In addition to the above, there is a lot of rich material to generate discussions about the constitution, Dr. Ambedkar, and the Dalit struggle against Hindu supremacy and oppression.
Ajeeb Dastaans: Geeli Pucchi, 2021/अजीब दास्तान्स: गीली पूच्ची, २०२१ Counter numbers 1:04:51-1:47:29
Written & Directed by:Neeraj Ghaywan; Actors: Konkona Sensharma, Aditi Rao Hydari, Gyan Prakash, Bachan Pachehra, Anita Kanwal, Swapna Raghuwansi, Rakesh Sharma, Shreedhar Dubey.
Geeli Pucchi, the 3rd of 4 shorts in the anthology film ajeeb dastaans, brings to the forefront the complexities of identity, as seen in the inetrsectionalities of caste, gender and sexuality. The film revolves around the conflicted relationship between marginalized Bharati, a Dalit factory floor worker, and priviliged Priya, a Brahmin who lands Bharati's dream desk job of a data operator in the same factory. As a friendship develops between them, both women are attracted to each other. In ensuing interactions between Priya and Bharati we see delicate balance between love and betrayal, the conflicted relationship between acceptance of one's sexuality on the one hand and the barrier of caste on the other, where eventually casteism wins the day.
1. Counter numbers 1:04:51-1:09:03: Bharati, a young educated Dalit woman, cannot come to terms with the fact that because of her origins, viz. being born into a Dalit family, she is expected to be content working on the factory floor as an assembly line machine operator, albeit being qualified, and passing, with flying colors, the interview for a data operator position in the same factory. After the interview Bharati was told that there was no current opening for a desk-job as a data operator, only to later on find out that Priya, an upper caste Brahmin woman, was hired for the same, prompting her friend to point out the obvious, that qualified or not, Bharati would never be offered a "desk-job" because she was a Dalit.
2. Counter numbers 1:18:15-1:19:15: What Priya tells Bharati about her interview for the data operator job, belies the reasons given by the upper caste factory manager for not hiring Bharati as a data operator in the factory, viz. her lack of expertise in Tally and Excel.
Ajeeb Dastaans: Geeli Pucchi - Priya tells Bharati all about her job interview in pdf format
Ajeeb Dastaans: Geeli Pucchi - Priya tells Bharati all about her job interview in pages format
3. Counter numbers 1:07:00-1:10:07: Bharati's gender identity takes a blow. Smarting from the office manager's blinders to her gender and qualifications, she refuses to accept that these blinders are a manifestation of the manager's casteism, where lower caste people and Dalits are no more than laborers and should be content to climb up the hierarchy of manual labor.
4. Counter numbers 1:12:37-1:13:16: Although overtly Bharati seems reluctant to accept that caste is the factor that is preventing her from advancing in life, when Priya asks Bharati for her surname, the fear of yet another rejection compels Bharati to lie. Priya's obvious relief on hearing the name Banerjee (a Brahmin surname) seems to justify Bharati's fear.
5. Counter numbers 1:25:53-1:26:24: Priya's reassures her mother-in-law that Banerjees, the last name Bharati claimed was hers, are from the Brahmin caste.
6. Additional Scenes that address the intersectionalities of gender, caste and sexuality, bring out the fears and vulnerabilities of the marginalized and expose the hypocrisies of casteism and casteists: (i) Counter numbers 1:21:17-1:23:59: Priya's "comes out" at Bharati's home while drooling over the forbidden food "chicken" cooked by Bharati; (ii) Counter numbers 1:27:48- :30:15 (1:29:09-1:30:15): When Priya tells Bharati that she loves her more than she loved her college friend Kavita, feeling confident of their relationship, Bharati finally reveals that she is in fact a Dalit and not an upper caste Brahmin as Priya believed, only to once again become "untouchable" through Priya's non-verbal rejection; (iii) Counter numbers 1:29:36-1:34:26: With her caste revealed to her lover, Bharati is once again "othered" during a birthday celebration for Priya in the office manager's office; (iv) Counter numbers 1:39:10- 1:35:00 ; 1:36:48-1:38:02 and 1:44:54-1:45:58: Expose the hypocrisy of and betrayal by Priya's ingrained casteism.
Masaan, 2015/मसान, २०१५
Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan; Written by Varun Grover; Actors: Richa Chadda, Vicky Kaushal, Shweta Tripathi, Sanjay Mishra.
Masaan, offers a humanizing glimpse into the dreams and aspirations of a young Dalit man, intertwined with a subtle portrayal of the realities of a casteist society that surround him, without explicitly expounding on it. The forbidden love between a yound Dalit boy and an upper-caste girl, and forbidden physical intimacy between another unmarried couple are central to the story.
1. Counter numbers 50:35-1:00:28: Deepak, a young Dalit boy, and Shaalu, a young girl from an upper caste family spend an enchanting day together, getting to know each other and finally sharing their first kiss, a subtle non-verbal declaration of love. However when it is time to part, Deepak, being sensitive to the fact that his family belongs to the Dom community, a community cremators, explodes when Shaluu innocently teases him about the side of the city where he lives, shattering the magic in the air.
2. Counter numbers 1:03:58-1:07:00: While on a family trip, Shaalu reflects on what Deepak told her about his background.
A Beautiful Short Story, 2021 (Social Justice Message Advertisement)
A Beautiful Short Story produced by Roca, a manufacturer of bathroom products and spaces, brings to light the irony and hypocrisy behind the discrimination faced by millions employed to do menial household chores in India, in a 1:37mins short film.
Satyameva Jayate, 2012/सत्यमेव जयते २०१२: Season 1 Episode 10 “Untouchability: Dignity for All”
Directed by: Sayajit Bhatkal; Produced and Hosted by: Aamir Khan; Guests: Dr. Kaushal Panwar, Stalin.
Satyameva Jayate is a popular Hindi talk show hosted by Bollywood actor Aamir Khan.
1. Counter numbers 3:34-5:06: The introduction of and to Dr. Kaushal Panwar, a professor of Sanskrit at Delhi University, whose parents, being Dalit, never had access to an education.
Satyameva Jayate-Episode on Untouchability: Dr. Kaushal Panwar's introduction in pdf format
Satyameva Jayate-Episode on Untouchability: Dr Kaushal Panwar's introduction in pages format
2. Counter numbers 5:25-6:21: Dr. Kaushal Panwar describes some of her experiences as a child from a Dalit community at school.
3. Counter numbers 12:55-13:22: Dr. Kaushal Panwar shares her school teacher's reaction when she told him she wanted to learn Sanskrit as her elective.
Satyameva Jayate-Episode on Untouchability: Dr. Kaushal Panwar wants to learn Sanskrit in pdf format
4. Counter numbers 15:54-16:42: Dr. Kaushal Panwar relates her experience as a student at the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi.
5. Counter numbers 18:56-20:03 (part 1) and 20:09-20:28 (part2) Indignities endured by Dr. Kaushal Panwar while renting an apartment in Delhi.
6. Counter numbers 32:43-36:48: Discussion of and scene regarding caste in other religions from Stalin's documentary India Untouched: Stories of a People Apart.
7. Additional Scenes discussing Stalin's documentary Stalin's documentary India Untouched: Stories of a People Apart, that bring out the horrors and oppressive nature of the caste system: (i) Counter numbers 37:00-37:56: A Dalit child chooses not to lunch at school as nobody sits with him during lunch time since he is 'untouchable", confesses that he doesn't quite understand the meaning of "untouchability"; (ii) Counter numbers 39:03-40:48: Dalit children across schools are made to clean the school and toilets in the school on a regular schedule - a real life rendition of the scene from the film Life of an Outcaste.
8. Counter numbers 15:54-16:42: Aamir Khan's welcome salutations and introduction to the topic of the day, "untouchability"
Current Affairs, Newspaper Articles & Podcasts
(i) One India online: a news article on California State University (CSU) adding caste as a protected category in its anti-discriminatory policy: अमेरिका के शीर्ष विश्वविद्यालय ने भेदभाव विरोधी नीति में जाति को भी जोड़ा
(ii) Navbharat Times news article on opposition to CSU adding caste as a protected category in its system-wide anti-discrimination policy अमेरिकी विश्वविद्यालय के संकाय सदस्यों ने भेदभाव रोधी नीति में जाति को शामिल करने का विरोध किया
(iii) Navbharat Times (Gold) podcast on caste discrimination in the US: जात पीछा नहीं छोड़ती सात समंदर पार भी
(iv) Amar Ujala news article on slavery in the US: अफ्रीका से गुलाम बनाकर अमेरिका लाए गए थे लाखों लोग, हैरान कर देगी इनकी कहानी
(v) Jagran: news article on Trump's announcement of his intention to forgive rioters who attacked the U.S. Capitol building 2020, if he is elected President in 2024: US Capitol Attack: ट्रम्प ने 2024 में चुनाव जीतने पर कैपिटल दंगाइयों को माफ करने का किया ऐलान
(vi) Navbharat news article on Biden's promise to appoint a Black woman to the US Supreme Court: अमेरिकी सुप्रीम कोर्ट को मिलेगी पहली काली महिला न्यायाधीश: बाइडेन
(vii) Dainik Bhaskar news article and review in Hindi on the re-release of the 1991 film Mississippi Masala, full of racial undertones triggered by attraction between a young Ugandan woman of Indian descent and an African American young man in Mississippi: इंडियन लड़की-अफ्रीकी लड़के की लव स्टोरी, जिसे कॉलेज बंक कर देखने जाते थे अमेरिकी युवा
Example of a module on caste/race relations
All the materials listed above can be used meaningfully across various levels of proficiency. Below is an example of how they were used in the second semester of a first year Hindi class at UT-Austin.