Untouchable (social system)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Untouchability is a social system in which people belonging to a particular group restrict people in other groups from interacting with them socially. The excluded group could be one that did not accept the norms of the excluding group and historically included foreigners, nomadic tribes, law-breakers and criminals. This exclusion was a method of punishing law-breakers and also protected against contagion from strangers. A member of the excluded group is known as an untouchable.[1]
The term is commonly associated with treatment of the Dalit class in India, Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Untouchability has been made illegal in post-Independence India. [2]
Other examples include the segregation and discrimination against the al-Akdham in Yemen, the Gypsies and Cagots in Europe and the Burakumin in Japan.
[edit] References
- ^ Untouchable definition from the Online Etymology Dictionary
- ^ India's "Untouchables" Face Violence, Discrimination. Hillary Mayell for National Geographic News. June 2, 2003
