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caste

Definitions of Caste

  1. (noun) A stratified system of categorization based on a status conferred at birth (ascribed status) based on descent, in which individuals do not have mobility due to custom or law.
  2. (noun) A group and the individual members of a group within a caste.

Examples of Caste

  • Definition 1:
  • Definition 2:
    • The Dalits, part of the untouchables in the Jāti caste system of India.

Caste Pronunciation

Pronunciation Usage Guide

Syllabification: caste

Audio Pronunciation

– American English
– British English

Phonetic Spelling

  • American English – /kAst/
  • British English – /kAHst/

International Phonetic Alphabet

  • American English – /kæst/
  • British English – /kɑːst/

Usage Notes

Related Quotations

  • “But it is not enough that rules exist, for sometimes these very rules are the cause of evil. This is what happens in class-wars. The institution of classes or castes constitutes one organization of the division of labour, one that is strictly regulated. Yet it is often a source of dissension. When the lower classes are not, or no longer satisfied with the role allotted to them through custom or law, they aspire to functions forbidden to them, and try to dispossess those who exercise these functions. From this arise civil wars, which are due to the way in which work is distributed” (Durkheim [1893] 2004:37).
  • “Caste and class systems of stratification are opposite, extreme points on a continuum. The two systems differ in the ease of social mobility, the relative importance of achieved and ascribed statuses, and the extent to which each restricts interaction among people considered unequal” (Ferrante 2011b:204).
  • “Where ethnic groups are racially defined, relations among them tend toward caste. Endogamy within castes is strictly enforced, and interaction between them in intimate social settings such as peer groups, clubs, neighborhoods, and so on are minimized. Subordinate castes are usually exploited occupationally by the dominant group and experience little or no change in their collective social position” (Marger 1985:37).

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Additional Information

Related Terms

References

Ferrante, Joan. 2011b. Sociology: A Global Perspective. 7th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Durkheim, Émile. [1893] 2004. “The Division of Labour in Society.” Pp. 19–38 in Readings from Emile Durkheim. Rev. ed., edited and translated by K. Thompson. New York: Routledge.

Marger, Martin. 1985. Race and Ethnic Relations: American and Global Perspectives. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Works Consulted

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Ferrante, Joan. 2011a. Seeing Sociology: An Introduction. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Ferris, Kerry, and Jill Stein. 2010. The Real World: An Introduction to Sociology. 2nd ed. New York: Norton.

Henslin, James M. 2012. Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach. 10th ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

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Macionis, John. 2012. Sociology. 14th ed. Boston: Pearson.

Macionis, John, and Kenneth Plummer. 2012. Sociology: A Global Introduction. 4th ed. Harlow, England: Pearson Education.

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Random House Webster’s College Dictionary. 1997. New York: Random House.

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Scott, John, and Gordon Marshall. 2005. A Dictionary of Sociology. New York: Oxford University Press.

Shepard, Jon M. 2010. Sociology. 11th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

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Wikipedia contributors. (N.d.) Wiktionary, The Free Dictionary. Wikimedia Foundation. (http://en.wiktionary.org).

Cite the Definition of Caste

ASA – American Sociological Association (5th edition)

Bell, Kenton, ed. 2013. “caste.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Retrieved April 18, 2024 (https://sociologydictionary.org/caste/).

APA – American Psychological Association (6th edition)

caste. (2013). In K. Bell (Ed.), Open education sociology dictionary. Retrieved from https://sociologydictionary.org/caste/

Chicago/Turabian: Author-Date – Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition)

Bell, Kenton, ed. 2013. “caste.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Accessed April 18, 2024. https://sociologydictionary.org/caste/.

MLA – Modern Language Association (7th edition)

“caste.” Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Ed. Kenton Bell. 2013. Web. 18 Apr. 2024. <https://sociologydictionary.org/caste/>.