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01652pab a2200169 454500 |
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180718b2001 xxu||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d |
| 100 ## - MAIN ENTRY--PERSONAL NAME |
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| Personal name |
Sharma, Mahesh |
| 245 ## - TITLE STATEMENT |
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| Title |
Power of pollution: social and ritual dimensions of conflict and protest |
| 260 ## - PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION, ETC. |
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| Date of publication, distribution, etc. |
2001 |
| 300 ## - PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION |
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| Extent |
p.393-421. |
| 362 ## - DATES OF PUBLICATION AND/OR SEQUENTIAL DESIGNATION |
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| Dates of publication and/or sequential designation |
Jul-Dec |
| 520 ## - SUMMARY, ETC. |
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| Summary, etc. |
The article contextualises the dissent and protest, specifically in the western Himalayan ruralscape, of the ritually low and untouchable castes in social mobility movements and the role of popular ritual experts (shamans, oracles and exorcists in particular) in empowering the members of the low castes. Even though the concept of power is located in pollution and purity, it is argued that the top rung of the hierarchy is fragile as it is constantly threatened by polluting agents, and if the low castes become conscious of this power of pollution they can render the hierarchy systematically meaningless. While the ritually low castes and untouchables as a community, were engaged in economic conflict at various levels with the ritually high caste landowners, which resulted in occasional uprisings, the popular belief system was used as a catbarsis as well as an assertion of their power against social coercion. The article argues that the social and ritual protest aimed at diluting, or subverting, the caste hierarchy in a stratified society is a more effective threat to the power of the high castes, and that the hope of social revision becomes an alternative to economic subordination. - Reproduced. |
| 650 ## - SUBJECT ADDED ENTRY--TOPICAL TERM |
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| Topical term or geographic name entry element |
Social problems |
| 650 ## - SUBJECT ADDED ENTRY--TOPICAL TERM |
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| Topical term or geographic name entry element |
Caste |
| 773 ## - HOST ITEM ENTRY |
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| Main entry heading |
Indian Social Science Review |
| 909 ## - |
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| -- |
52233 |
