Social groups or classes that a person belongs to by birth in some cultures, especially in India historically, which determined their job, status, and social connections.
From Portuguese 'casta,' meaning 'race' or 'lineage,' which came from Latin 'castus' meaning 'pure.' Portuguese colonizers used the term to describe the rigid social hierarchy they observed in India, and it became the standard English term.
The caste system is one of history's most persistent social structures—it lasted over 2,000 years in India, showing how powerfully a system can persist once it's baked into religion, law, and culture, even though it caused enormous human suffering.
Caste systems globally have enforced gender subordination within hierarchies; women in lower castes face compounded discrimination. Gender and caste oppression are structurally intertwined.
Use caste terminology accurately and acknowledge caste-gender intersections when discussing social structures or discrimination.
Dalit women's activism, particularly movements like the Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA), has pioneered intersectional resistance combining caste and gender justice.
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