Mahar, Buddhist, and dalit : religious conversion and socio-political emancipation
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
Mahar, Buddhist, and dalit : religious conversion and socio-political emancipation
Manohar Publishers & Distributors, 2005
- Other Title
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Mahar, bouddhiste et dalit
Available at 5 libraries
  Aomori
  Iwate
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  Gunma
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  Kanagawa
  Niigata
  Toyama
  Ishikawa
  Fukui
  Yamanashi
  Nagano
  Gifu
  Shizuoka
  Aichi
  Mie
  Shiga
  Kyoto
  Osaka
  Hyogo
  Nara
  Wakayama
  Tottori
  Shimane
  Okayama
  Hiroshima
  Yamaguchi
  Tokushima
  Kagawa
  Ehime
  Kochi
  Fukuoka
  Saga
  Nagasaki
  Kumamoto
  Oita
  Miyazaki
  Kagoshima
  Okinawa
  Korea
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Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies, Kyoto Universityグローバル専攻
COE-SA||162.25||Bel||70511178200013595064
Note
Originally presented as the author's thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Lausanne, 1999
Includes bibliographical references (p. [265]-301) and index
Description and Table of Contents
Description
Bhimrao Ambedkar, born in a Mahar (untouchable caste) family converted to Buddhism at Nagpur in Maharashtra in 1956. Buddhism was for him the only religion which could solve the problems of social inequality and caste. Thousands of untouchables in the state in support followed his example against their social exclusion. Today almost the majority of the Mahars (more than 5 million) consider themselves Buddhists. The objective of this book is to analyse the discourses, representations, ritual practices and institutions of this community. Two aspects of the conversion are to be distinguished: one, the attempt of the Mahar community to achieve social ascension and emancipation; and the other, a project of reform which addresses the Indian society in its totality. The traditional hierarchical and unequal social Hindu order is opposed by a Buddhist alternative of a society based on equality, justice and progress. Analysing discursive situations and interactions of Buddhists with other social groups, the author argues that Buddhism should be viewed more as an open camp of discursive practices than a fixed system of religious beliefs or dogmas.
The paradoxes and the singularity of this type of Buddhism seems to challenge the very category of Buddhism itself.
Table of Contents
- A Note on the Transliteration
- List of Abbreviations
- Introduction
- B R Ambedkar: Buddhism & Social Reconstruction
- The Buddhist Movement in Contemporary Maharashtra: Politics, Conflicts & Interactions
- Buddhism: Discourse of Revolt, Liberation & Emancipation
- (Re-)inventing Buddhist Rituals
- Institutionalizing Buddhism: Associations & Organizations
- Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Index.
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