Education and Social Mobility in South Asia: A Sociological Crucible

Education and Social Mobility in South Asia: A Sociological Crucible

Introduction on Education and Social Mobility Education is universally heralded as the great equalizer, the most potent vehicle for social mobility, capable of lifting individuals from the confines of their birth and granting them access to better opportunities. In the diverse and densely populated region of South Asia—encompassing Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka—this … Read more

Mobility in the Caste System: The Mechanism of Sanskritization

Mobility in the Caste System: The Mechanism of Sanskritization

The caste system in India has long been perceived by both observers and its subjects as a rigid, hierarchical, and immutable structure. The varna model—dividing society into the fourfold hierarchy of Brahmins (priests), Kshatriyas (warriors), Vaishyas (traders), and Shudras (servants), with the Dalits (untouchables) existing outside its pale—presents an image of eternal, divinely ordained social … Read more