Racism//
Adivasi

It's imp to understand the racism Adivasi people face in India

It's more imp to establish what constitutes #racism & why conflating it with other discriminations is a problem

There's a tendency to mix up things. Why & how racism is distinct from casteism?

1/n https://twitter.com/Pallavika18/status/1278257713084956673

Unlike caste which is primarily based on notions of purity/pollution & hindu varna system of discrimination, racism operates on a premise of racially derived notions of superiority/backwardness (evolutionary & civilizational)

Eg. Colonial racialisation of Adivasi or tribes

2/n

In India Adivasi, tribal, & some himalayan & NE ethnic groups have been subjects of racialisation; people who are viewed as primitive (temporally backward), uncivilized/barbaric/junglee/savage (socio-culturally backward/inferior), often exoticised as relics for museumisation

3/n

Structure of race & racism being challenged through #BlackLivesMatter operates through racialisation of coloured peoples in the West. What is less discussed is racism subjected to natives peoples in US

In India the structure of racial oppression assumes a different form

4/n

The predominance of hinduism & its caste structure makes it difficult to delineate racism from casteism because often actors & sources of both converge, with hindu UC dominating over oppressed castes as well as racialised communities

At the same time racism transcends caste

5/n

Racism in India is a pervasive discriminatory structure wherein actors can belong to any category including other marginalized sections

Of course the ones who benefit more from proliferating racialisation & race structure are the already dominant groups, i.e. hindu UC

6/n

Additionally, racism isn't limited to social behaviour. It often manifests within/through institutional setups of edu, polity, economy as well as militaristic processes like AFSPA

There's a need to interrogate larger processes & structures which sustain racism & its actors

7/n

Ending by reiterating, caste & race need to be understood in their respective structures, while being conscious of the pervasiveness of both

N.B. wokes who seek a ban on the word Adivasi (hoping that it'll end racism) I'd like to suggest: atleast ask an Adivasi first

8/8