Introduction

The first chapter explains how caste is a decisive identity in social relationships between privileged castes and Dalits. It argues that neoliberal reforms and the rise of Hindu nationalism have not eradicated castes; they have in fact reinvented caste. It describes how caste is institutionalized in the Indian higher education system. This chapter discusses critical race theory (CRT) in North American educational contexts and how it is relevant to the study of the lived experience of Dalit students in Indian higher education. It explains the research methodology of the study and how data was approached in the analysis and writing process.