Laying the Ground for a Critical Psychology of Caste

Main Article Content

Yashpal Jogdand - Guest Editor
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2672-8564

Abstract

The psychological underpinnings and processes of caste have remained obscure. This special issue of Caste: A Global Journal on Social Exclusion focusing on Caste and Psychology is an initial contribution that lays the ground for developing a critical psychology of caste. In this introductory article, I situate the special issue in the historical and contemporary context. I show that the historical roots of psychological approach to caste go deep. The revolutionary thinking and activism of Mahatma Jotirao Phule and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar provided a useful foundation for a critical psychology of caste to flourish. Unfortunately, this foundation remained under-appreciated in the subsequent academic and social engagement on caste. Next, I review the contemporary research on the psychological dimension of caste and highlight emerging themes that illustrate contemporary approaches. I argue that there is need of a collective endeavor in the form of a new field of study, namely, ‘critical psychology of caste’, to integrate divergent perspectives and contributions addressing the psychological dimension of caste. The special issue is a small step in that direction.

Article Details

How to Cite
Jogdand, Y. (2024). Laying the Ground for a Critical Psychology of Caste. CASTE A Global Journal on Social Exclusion, 5(2), 49–72. https://doi.org/10.26812/caste.v5i2.2288
Section
Editorial and Symposium Introduction