Historical Caste Based Cultural Baggage and Collective Amongst the Marginalised Caste In South Asian Diaspora

Background

The historical trajectory of culture, marked by the advent of caste, gender, ancestry, creed, and race, significantly shapes contemporary societal power structures. The South Asian diaspora makes up one of the most significant populations within the United States. The caste system exerts a significant influence in South Asia, characterized by its hierarchical structure and the inequitable treatment of individuals within the community. Caste-based societies are often characterized by the prevalence of untouchability, severe violence, and inhumane treatment. Individuals who have immigrated maintain advantages tied to the unequal treatment of lower castes, consequently perpetuating such behaviors within schools, colleges, workplaces, and community venues.

Method

An exploratory design incorporating both mix methodology was employed to investigate caste-based culturalization and collective mental trauma within the South Asian diaspora. The research comprised a survey of 250 individuals and FGDs involving 50 participants distributed among 7 groups, with findings further enriched by secondary data sourced from academic literature and research papers. The survey covered demographics, backgrounds in their home countries, immigration experiences, challenges faced in the United States, cultural trauma endured, and civic engagements undertaken to address caste-based trauma. Of those surveyed, 70% identified as male and 30% as female, encompassing individuals from both privileged and marginalized caste backgrounds across several South Asian nations.

Results: Among all respondents, 47% were employed in information technology, 12% in education, 8% in nonprofits, 3% in government, 7% in healthcare, and 7% in medicine. The caste distribution of participants were across castes. Each individual surveyed affirmed experiencing some form of prejudice tied to identifiers such as caste, gender, religion, or skin color. Marginalized caste individuals coped with caste-related and cultural trauma through their involvement in seeking mental health services, civic engagement, participation in community organizations, and utilization of social media. Responses from ScheduledCaste participants revealed discrimination by fellow community members both in their home countries and in the USA. Respondents from privileged castes who reject caste hierarchies reported experiencing secondary treatment from their own caste members as a result of challenging caste dominance. Participants noted that historical caste privileges persist in the US, including in access to scientific education and employment as highly skilled professionals in IT and other fields.

Conclusion and implication: This research underscores the substantial influence of social power structures, stemming from the caste system (circa 1500-800 BCE), on the psychological perspectives of individuals, especially within privileged caste-dominated environments. With the emerging nature of complexity of caste and other related intersectional identities, new forms of belonging and exclusionary spaces have been defined. Social work practitioners must familiarize themselves with the unique traumatic experiences encountered when working with South Asian participants. Despite the legal eradication of caste in their homelands, many immigrants keep caste-based perspectives. Multisystem social work interventions are crucial given recent litigation involving IT firms, workplace discrimination, and the exploitation of caste and labor in the construction of spiritual sites within the USA. Trauma-informed practices can mitigate the prevalence of trauma and its subsequent adverse effects on individuals and communities.