'I am Dalit, How are You?': Identity Representations in Dalit Human Rights Movement

Dalit social movement has gained attention from social science scholars because of its increasing political and social relevance in India and some other South Asian countries. The varied nature of the movement itself, its social, political and developmental trends are discussed within different disciplines. This work looks at the Dalit transnational activism that advocates Dalit human rights and is concerned with the the representation of the collective Dalit identity. It discusses mainly two organizations: National Campaign of Dalit Human Rights and International Dalit Solidarity Network. It draws attention to the ways Dalits use their collective identity while employing transnational advocacy strategies. The work problematizes the twofold mode of this movement: on the one hand, there lays a quest for human rights as an international and universal value system; on the other, locally-embedded discourse of untouchability and anti-caste narratives are prevalent. The work is relevant for students interested in South Asia, social movement and transnational advocacy.