Practice of Caste in USA: Discussion Series

Introduction

The State of California Department of Fair Employment and Housing(DFEH)’s lawsuit against Cisco Systems for caste discrimination recognizes a long-hidden malaise in the Indian diaspora. Even after complaints by the victim in November 2016 to the Cisco HR about ‘the discriminatory behavior’ of his so-called upper caste managers and subsequent inquiry and discussions, Cisco failed to take action, arguing that ‘caste discrimination is not unlawful‘. It is clear that caste conceited Indians who practice caste in their day-to-day life – having learned and brought it to America – carefully conceal their practices of caste discrimination and bigotry. Such devious concealment is accomplished partly by portraying Indians in the USA as a monolithic entity. It also shows that American corporates are unaware of the endemic practice of caste among Indians – in India and the diaspora.

The aim of this series is to encourage anti-caste Indians to openly discuss the practice of caste in the USA and to educate the broader American public about the caste system and the discriminatory practices that surreptitiously continue, especially among those working in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).

Join the discussion via ZOOM: ZOOM MEETING ID: 850 7900 1150 URL: https://www.tinyurl.com/ConfAKSC

Facebook LIVE: https://www.tinyurl.com/AkscLive

Upcoming Discussion Series#9:

USA Pacific Time Zone: SAT SEP 12, 2020 — 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM PDT (INDIA Time Zone: SAT SEP 12, 2020 — 10:30 PM – 12:00 AM IST)

NAME	DESCRIPTION	TITLE	MORE INFO
Prof. David Mosse	Professor of Social Anthropology, Department of Anthropology, SOAS University of London, UK	CASTE & RELIGION: Caste discrimination and claims to castelessness in law and economy	click here to watch the recording More details about Prof. David Mosse

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Discussion Series#8:

USA Pacific Time Zone: THU AUG 27, 2020 — 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM PDT (INDIA Time Zone: FRI AUG 28, 2020 — 6:30 AM – 8:00 AM IST)

NAME	DESCRIPTION	TITLE	MORE INFO
Prof. Ram Mahalingam	Barger Leadership Institute Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Michigan	Dignity and Caste: A cultural psychological perspective	click here to watch the recording More details about Prof. Ram Mahalingam
Prof. Gaurav J. Pathania	Adjunct Professor, Department of Sociology, Georgetown University Washington DC	Cultural Resistance among Dalit-Bahujan Students in Indian Universities	click here to watch the recording More detail about Prof. Gaurav J. Pathania

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Discussion Series#7:

USA Pacific Time Zone: SAT AUG 22, 2020 — 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM PDT (INDIA Time Zone: SAT AUG 22, 2020 — 10:30 PM – 12:00 AM IST)

NAME	DESCRIPTION	TITLE	MORE INFO
Prof. Anupama Rao	Professor, History and MESAAS at Barnard College, Columbia University, USA	Race, Caste and Comradeship	click here to watch the recording More details about Prof.Anupama Rao
Dr. Gajendran Ayyathurai	Post-Doctoral Fellow, Center For Modern Indian Studies, Göttingen University, Germany	Resisting Global Brahmanism	click here to watch the recording More detail about Dr.Gajendran Ayyadurai

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Discussion Series#6:

USA Pacific Time Zone: THU AUG 13, 2020 — 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM PDT (INDIA Time Zone: FRI AUG 14, 2020 — 6:30 AM – 8:00 AM IST)

NAME	DESCRIPTION	TITLE	MORE INFO
Prof. Hari Bapuji	Professor, University of Melbourne, Australia	How the Caste System Maintains and Increases Economic Inequality	Click here to watch the recording More details: Hari Bapuji
Prof. Vamsi Vakulabharanam	Co-Director, Asian Political Economy Program and Associate Professor of Economics.	Caste and wealth in India	Click here to watch the recording More detail: Vamsi

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Discussion Series#5:

USA Pacific Time Zone: SAT AUG 8, 2020 — 11:00 AM – 12:30 AM PDT (INDIA Time Zone: SAT AUG 8, 2020 — 11:30 PM – 1:00 AM IST)

NAME	DESCRIPTION	TITLE	MORE INFO
Dr. Meena Dhanda	Professor of Philosophy and Cultural Politics, University of Wolverhampton, UK	An Unnameable Injustice: The Caste Problem in the UK	Click here to watch the recording More detail: Dr.Meena
Dr. Annapurna Waughray	Reader in Human Rights Law, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK	Caste, discrimination and legal change in the UK	Click here to watch the recording More Info: Dr.Annapurna

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Discussion Series#4:

USA Pacific Time Zone: SAT AUG 1, 2020 — 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM PDT (INDIA Time Zone: SAT AUG 1, 2020 — 10:30 PM – 12:00 AM IST)

NAME	DESCRIPTION	TITLE	RECORDING
Prof. Shailaja D. Paik	Associate Professor – Department of History University of Cincinnati, OH	Building bridges: Dalit and African American women’s solidarity	Click here to watch the recording Author of the book Dalit Women’s Education in Modern India: Double Discrimination.
Prof. Kevin D. Brown	Richard S. Melvin Professor, Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Bloomington, IN	History of the African-American Relationship to Oppression on the Indian Subcontinent and Where Dalits and Black Go from Here?	Click here to watch the recording Discuss the 200 years history and make suggestions for where Dalits and Blacks in the US should go from here.

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Discussion Series#3:

USA Pacific Time Zone: SAT JUL 25, 2020 — 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM PDT (INDIA Time Zone: SAT JUL 25, 2020 — 10:30 PM – 12:00 AM IST)

NAME	DESCRIPTION	TITLE	RECORDING
Mr. Aditya Chatterjee	Advocate, Delhi High Court & Supreme Court of India	Treatment of Caste in Judicial Decisions	click here to watch the recording
Mr. C.Jagdish	Senior Standing Counsel of Social Welfare Department, Karnataka, India	Caste Discrimination Everywhere	click here to watch the recording

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Discussion Series#2:

USA Pacific Time Zone: THU JUL 23, 2020 — 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
(INDIA Time Zone: FRI JUL 24, 2020 — 6:30 AM – 8:00 AM)

NAME	DESCRIPTION	TITLE	RECORDING
Dr. Ajantha Subramanian	Professor of Anthropology and of South Asian Studies. Chair – Department of Anthropology, Harvard University	How Caste Travels?	Click here to watch the recording Dr.Ajantha is also author of “Shorelines: Space and Rights in South India” and “The Caste of Merit: Engineering Education in India” books published by Harvard University Press
Dr. Suraj Yengde	Post-Doc, Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, MA	California State vs Cisco – Caste Discrimination Lawsuit: American Brahminic Fiasco	Click here to watch the recording Dr. Suraj is an author of the bestseller book “Caste Matters”. Co-editor of “The Radical in Ambedkar – Critical Reflection” book

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Discussion Series#1:

USA Pacific Time Zone: SAT JUL 18, 2020 — 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
INDIA Time Zone: SAT JUL 18, 2020 — 10:30 PM – 12:00 AM

NAME	DESCRIPTION	TITLE	RECORDING
Dr. Balmurli Natrajan	Professor of Anthropology at William Paterson University of New Jersey, USA.	Conceptualizing Casteism: Cause and Effect	Click here to watch the recording Dr. Natrajan’s books include “Culturalization of Caste in India: Identity and Inequality in a Multicultural Age” (London: Routledge, 2011) on the persistence of caste in India today.
Dr. Murali Shanmugavelan	Researcher and consultant, London, UK	Everyday Caste – Speech, Practice, and Discrimination	Click here to watch the recording

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Discussion Series# Started with Dr.Kancha Ilaiah:

USA Pacific Time Zone: FRI JUL 10, 2020 — 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM
INDIA Time Zone: SAT JUL 11, 2020 — 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

Click here to Watch the Recording

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Organizer:

Ambedkar King Study Circle (AKSC)

Co-Sponsors:

Ambedkar Association of North America (AANA) Association for India’s Development (AID) Boston Coalition (BC) Coalition of Seattle of Indian-Americans (CSIA) Global Indians Progressive Alliance (GIPA) India Civil Watch International (ICWI)

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MORE WAYS TO PARTICIPATE IN ANNIHILATING PRACTICE OF CASTE

Sign Solidarity Statement	Share Your Experience
SOLIDARITY STATEMENT TO END CASTE PRACTICES IN SILICON VALLEY AND THE USA: https://tinyurl.com/sol2ENDCaste	YOUR EXPERIENCE OR OBSERVATION OF CASTE PRACTICE IN THE USA: https://akscusa.org/share-your-testimonies/

YouTube Playlist of this discussion series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcNyR-6AAKejc5JHYS3Z8h7nUBoUSnPoG