The contemporary Indian scenario is characterised by increasing reflections and deliberations on the development question. These debates in general acknowledge that the development path that India has followed since independence has not been successful in ensuring social equality or empowering
the weaker sections of India in general and dalits are in particular. The process
of globalisation has made the scenario even more complex and its impact on various sections of society in India is yet to be comprehended fully- both theoretically and empirically. The Dalit question assumes significance in this context because there is a more or less scholarly consensus that as a social group, the Dalits are one of the most discriminated and disadvantageous groups in contemporary India. Practices of discriminations and exclusion process exist in the social, economic, political spheres of society, irrespective of the existence of constitutional legal safeguards. A number of policies and programmes implemented by the state within the framework of affirmative action and positive discrimination have only been partially successful. In this context, the study proposes to look at the question of Dalit development in Karnataka through the frame-work of social exclusion. This frame work of social exclusion would help to comprehend the Dalit scenario in a more comprehensive manner by including the issues of social, economic and political empowerment, meaningful participation and the questions of equality and justice. Mere economic growth measured in terms of per capita and national incomes are proven utterly insufficient to understand the overall development of different social sections of Indian society. The overall well-being, political and social empowerment, removal of historically rooted discriminations, effective implementation of specific affirmative actions etc are widely understood as integral parts of a comprehensive notion of development. In such a context, the concept of social exclusion has emerged as a significant theoretical framework to understand the current Indian situation of uneven development and continuing state of inequality among different social groups. The significance of this frame work is that it emphasises a network of social relations that have bearing on the economic and political spheres of a community and explains the reasons of inequality and discrimination in a more comprehensive manner. As a part of ongoing study sponsored by ICSSR, a two-day national seminar is organised on the theme ‘Discrimination and Social Exclusion: Development Experience of Dalits in India” on 18th and 19th October, 2012. The seminar intends to deliberate on the following issues concerned with dalit empowerment with special focus on Karnataka state. ICSSR Sponsored National Seminar Call for Papers "Discrimination and Social Exclusion: Development Experience of Dalits in India" The Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy in Mangalore University is organising a two-day National Seminar on 18th and 19th of October 2012. Sub themes of the seminar include
- Poverty, unemployment and access to resources among dalits,
- Political participation and empowerment – panchayath
raj institution and dalits
- Dalits, primary education and discrimination, 4) Practice of untouchability, discrimination and violence and atrocities against dalits,
- Dalit movement and empowerment.
For the concept note and other details of the
seminar, please visit www.mangaloreuniversity.ac.in Contact-E-mail: vishwanathak@yahoo.com, ramakrishna_vin@yahoo.com
Phone: Mobile: 09448503417/09448209078.
Office: 0824-2287205.
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