A Global Sociology of Caste and Power

This book examines the complexities of global caste and status hierarchies from a historical-sociological perspective. Arguing that caste hierarchies are not a unique phenomenon in South Asia, the author offers a novel perspective on analogous behavioral patterns among elite status groups and castes in Bengal, India; Japan, and the West. A comparative analysis of the historical development of the political economies in these regions during the early modern period considers cultural variations and the persistent influence of caste on power dynamics and social inequalities. Besides exploring the enduring nature of South Asia's caste hierarchies compared to other nations, this monograph also highlights similarities between genealogical posturing, codes of masculine honor, membership in elite publish spheres, and caste discrimination, across these vastly different societies. Promoting a global sociology by combining micro-historical details with macro-institutional perspectives, it critiques dominant perspectives on caste, found in both popular and academic works, through an examination of caste both within and beyond South Asian societies. Appealing to experts in sociology, history, and anthropology, this book endeavors to position caste as a global concept, thereby enabling comparisons of complex premodern societies.