Rajni Kothari Caste In Indian Politics 15.pdf New! Jun 2026

– Edited by Kothari. The introductory chapter (sole-authored by Kothari) runs about 30 pages. Page 15 falls roughly in the section titled “The Secularization of Caste.” This is the most likely source for your PDF filename.

If you have a file named “Rajni Kothari Caste In Indian Politics 15.pdf,” you are holding a fragment of one of the most important intellectual breakthroughs in modern political science. Page 15 of Kothari’s work typically lands in the middle of his core thesis: that caste is not the opponent of democracy but its unlikely vehicle.

Kothari highlights the role of caste as a mobilizing force in Indian politics. She argues that caste provides a readily available identity for people to rally around, particularly in a context where economic and social inequalities are pronounced. The mobilization of castes as voting blocs has become a common phenomenon, with parties often using caste as a means to consolidate support and secure electoral victories. This process has contributed to the proliferation of caste-based politics, where parties prioritize the interests of specific castes over others. Rajni Kothari Caste In Indian Politics 15.pdf

In "Caste in Indian Politics" (1970), Rajni Kothari argues that the interaction between traditional caste structures and modern democracy leads to the "politicization of caste," where caste functions as a crucial organizing unit for political mobilization. Kothari contends that this process enables the secularization of caste, transforming traditional identities into interest groups seeking power, education, and representation within a democratic framework. A digital version of this work can be found at Internet Archive KOTHARI, (ed.), "Caste in Indian Politics" (Book Review)

If you're looking for the specific document "Rajni Kothari Caste In Indian Politics 15.pdf," you might find it through academic databases, digital libraries, or online repositories that host political science and sociology literature. Some platforms to check include Google Scholar, ResearchGate, Academia.edu, or institutional libraries. – Edited by Kothari

This is a counter-intuitive point in the article. Kothari argues that by entering politics, caste actually lost its religious/ritual significance and became secular.

: Kothari and other scholars have noted that caste serves as a significant political resource. Political parties often use caste as a mobilizing force to garner support from various caste groups. This is particularly evident in the way parties select their candidates and in the promises they make to specific caste groups. If you have a file named “Rajni Kothari

That is indeed a foundational text. If you have the PDF of (specifically referring to Rajni Kothari's seminal essay, often titled Caste and Politics or found as the introduction to his edited volume), you are looking at one of the most important explanations of how democracy transformed India.