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Abstract / Description of output
In 1999 the largest Dalit movement in Tamil Nadu, the Liberation Panthers, ended their decade long boycott of elections and contested elections. In the 14 years since they have struggled to establish themselves as political players. During fieldwork in 2012, one of the main concerns of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK - Liberation Panther Party) was to become a ‘mainstream’ party. Thirumavalavan, the party leader, emphasised that the party tended to be marginalised and sidelined as a ‘Dalit’ party. He therefore outlined an ambitious attempt to change the constituency and make up of the party so that it was no longer perceived as a Dalit organisation. Institutionalisation, this reminds us, is not a simple step but an ongoing process. Entering elections has compelled the VCK to change in terms of structure, members, rules and tactics. Not all of these changes have been welcomed by cadres, nor have they necessarily benefited the party in obvious ways. Drawing on ethnographic work with party activists and affiliates this paper teases apart the complexities of institutionalisation for Dalit parties in South India.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | From the Margins to the Mainstream |
Editors | Hugo Gorringe, Roger Jeffery, Suryakant Waghmore |
Place of Publication | New Delhi |
Publisher | SAGE Publications |
Pages | 131-153 |
Number of pages | 22 |
Edition | 1 |
ISBN (Print) | 9789351506232 |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2016 |
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Dive into the research topics of 'From the Cheris to Chennai: Dalit politics in Tamil Nadu'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 2 Finished
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DALIT POLITICS AND DEMOCRATISATION IN TAMIL NADU: CHARTING THE IMPACT OF THE LIBERATION PANTHER PARTY
Jeffery, R. & Gorringe, H.
1/01/12 → 31/12/13
Project: Research