Discrimination against individuals based on caste would seem to be a relic of the past. Even in India, where the caste system was most rigid, the practice has been officially banned since 1950.

Vikki Velasquez is a researcher and writer who has managed, coordinated, and directed various community and nonprofit organizations. She has conducted in-depth research on social and economic issues ...

Why do people defend social systems that oppress them? Why do the marginalized sometimes work to uphold structures and arrangements that limit their potential? These questions are not just ...

Caste is an ancient system of social hierarchy based on one’s birth that is tied to concepts of purity and social status. Its history, evolution and current state are complicated. A move to outlaw ...

In Plessy v. Ferguson, the landmark civil rights case whose 7-2 defeat in the Supreme Court codified the principle of “separate but equal” in United States law for 58 years, Albion Tourgée, the lead ...

The debate over how, or even whether, to fight discrimination based on caste — an ancient social ranking system associated with the Hindu religion — is heating up in California. As Governor Newsom is ...