ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with a brief discussion on the thoughts of Ambedkar, one of the intellectual references essential to understanding the Dalits’ struggle in India and the role of religion as a factor for domination. It analyzes the claim for the term “Dalit” to be recognized as identity politics, as a form of resistance to the logics of domination and oppression. The chapter deals with the repercussions of Gopal Guru’s proposals, viewing humiliation as a political category. It addresses the theme of democracy in a post-colonial context, highlighting the importance of meeting head-on the caste system and its incumbent domination over the Dalits. The caste system in India and the Dalits’ struggle for equality and dignity highlights the central importance of the symbolic component in the constituting of the social, of the theological-political imaginary institution in producing and reproducing domination.
