Casted Lives: Biographic and Ethnographic Perspectives

It has often been said that in many parts of South Asia, belonging to a religious and caste group is understood as something given, inescapable, and a moral necessity. Johannes Quack's long-term research project (2012 - ongoing) seeks to explore how and why this vague but palpable sense of belonging is maintained and transformed in contemporary India. To do so, it combines biographic and ethnographic perspectives on how individuals try to navigate their “casted lives" (Lebensführung) in the context of larger transformation processes of caste and religion in contemporary India. The publication of a monograph on this topic is scheduled for 2026.

Related recent activities and people:

Katyayani Dalmia
Minee Pratiksha
Research Project Dalit Refugees in Post-1947 Delhi
Workshop Revisiting India's Silent Revolution
Event Casted Lives: Biographic and Ethnographic Perspectives