Place of subcaste (jati) identity in the discourse on caste: examination of caste in the diaspora

Caste as a social phenomenon has undergone many changes. The most important operative unit that has exemplified caste in its discourse is subcaste (jati) identity. Both within India and certainly in the diaspora, there is now increasing evidence of the dissolution of subcaste (jati) identities giving rise to various other formations of groups replacing the endogamous relationships with other arbitrary group formations. In this article, I examine some evidence from South Africa, the West Indies and the UK to analyse how caste has transformed in these places and what it means for a discourse on caste that is historically rooted in subcaste identity.