Defining Bodies, Health, and Work of Dalits: The Decisive Role of Caste in Kerala, India
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Abstract
Caste discrimination affects the health of Dalits beyond limited access to health services or wider determinants like education, employment, income, and housing. Kerala is a good example for this, despite social development changes in the state, caste still plays a significant psychological role in defining health and work for lower castes. However, psychological research often exhibited a strong conformity bias ending up in victim blaming by articulating lack of personal responsibility, ignoring Dalit efforts. Despite being labeled as apathetic, Dalits in Kerala have actively participated in employment, government programs, and public events, demonstrating their resistance and empowerment. The objective of this study is to investigate Dalit resistance efforts against being labeled as “less able-bodied” by upper caste and subsequent exclusion from daily wage labor. A qualitative study was conducted among Dalits in a rural village in Kerala using case study method. The data collected were analyzed thematically using an inductive method and a phenomenological approach by allowing themes to emerge from the data and identifying patterns, similarities and differences. The study findings indicate that Dalits strongly resist being labeled as “less able-bodied,” which leads them to eschew labor. This resistance stems from their understanding of health as the absence of disease and functionality, and their resulting active maintenance of good health and active engagement in daily wage labour. For them absence of disease is the way to express availability for labor and being able to work without any difficulties is their way to express fitness for work.
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