Reading "race" into Indic text is Eurocentric scholarship.
19th century Europeans were obsessed with race. For "progressives" racism was a scientific theory. For the conservatives, racism came from the Bible.
So they manufactured "Aryan" race, "Dravidian" race and so on.
19th century Europeans were obsessed with race. For "progressives" racism was a scientific theory. For the conservatives, racism came from the Bible.
So they manufactured "Aryan" race, "Dravidian" race and so on.
https://twitter.com/Subhash194/status/1349197466386665475
Can someone tell me the translation of the word "race" into any Indian language?
"Race" is a construction of the European mind addled by Biblical error and prejudice. It does not have real existence other than in relation to how Europeans classified the world.
"Race" is a construction of the European mind addled by Biblical error and prejudice. It does not have real existence other than in relation to how Europeans classified the world.
In Risley's census of India, he mapped European "Scientific Racism" on Indian society, certain that different communities, "castes" and "tribes" had a "racial origin" could be "scientifically" measured by "nasal index" and such absurdities.
csas.ed.ac.uk/__data/assets/…
csas.ed.ac.uk/__data/assets/…
"Caste" is largely a construction of this racist British census process. It is an Orientalist projection of European racism onto Indian society. The British made lists of different communities. Some were even called "criminal tribes." An entire community was made "criminal."
These are not Indic words, but imports. Even then neither translates to race. One if appearance, the other is community. (In Abrahamic lens, religious community).
https://twitter.com/AqibKhan_/status/1349328632997670913?s=20
Europe's "Scientific Racism" is quite different from ideas and forms of community found in natural societies (which I distinguish from Abrahamic Societies). But European "progressive" intellectuals created scientific racism. European "enlightenment" thinkers are steeped in this.
Since we are all colonized by Europe, one way or another, it is difficult for us to grasp that "race" as we understand it today does not have real existence independent of the European mind. "Race theory" come from European Enlightenment, a heady cocktail of the Bible and Darwin.
It is not that academics in US "South Asian Studies" or the "Left" in India do not know that caste is a European construction. But it is such a convenient stick to beat Hindu society with that they are loathe to give up its value in creating a constant attack on Hindus & India.
In fact, varna is the most anti-racist idea there is. It helped in finding a place for very many different people into Indian society *without* reference to "racial" attributes but merely on the basis of their role in society.
https://twitter.com/sankrant/status/1294188669100650496?s=20
DNA studies tell us that the DNA of Indians is completely mixed. It would be well nigh impossible to tell the jati of anyone by a DNA test.
The very idea of these DNA tests is obsession with European theories. Jati is a knowledge-transmission system.
The very idea of these DNA tests is obsession with European theories. Jati is a knowledge-transmission system.
https://twitter.com/akshat_khan/status/1349343046270214144?s=20
The narrative of “fight against caste” is itself a new narrative. What specific thing did he address? There are always various debates and movements on how to organize society for better functioning. That does not mean there’s a “caste system.” Society was never static.
https://twitter.com/ajjuteja/status/1349531710099218434
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