Editing Caste (section)

== Racial casteism ==
Racial casteism is a term used to identify the relationship between caste, race, and colorism. In modern-day India, the caste system has expanded to include groups and identities from diasporic groups as well such as the Africana [[Siddi|Siddis]] and Kaffirs. Siddis make up 40,000 of India's vast population and are perceived as untouchables under the caste framework.{{citation needed|date=December 2023}}This categorization is paired with anti-black ideology in the country, that is often adapted by broader uses of the term caste in western countries, most notably the United States. Like the Siddis, Africana caste [[Sri Lanka Kaffirs]] make up a small minority of the population with scholars noting that the exact number is hard to determine due to exclusion and lack of recognition from the government. Siddis and Kaffirs are considered untouchables due to their darker skin color alongside other physical factors that distinguish the group as lower caste.{{citation needed|date=December 2023}}

The migration of Africana groups such as the Siddis and Kaffirs to South Asia is widely considered to be a result of the [[Indian Ocean slave trade|Indian Ocean Slave Trade]], initiated by Muslim Arabs. During the trade, enslaved Africans were often brought as court servants, herbalists, midwives, or as bonded labor. The limited awareness of these groups can be attributed to caste-ideology fueled from this trade.{{citation needed|date=August 2024}}

The racial understanding of caste has largely been debated by scholars, with some like [[B. R. Ambedkar|Dr. B. R. Ambedkar]] arguing that caste differences between higher caste Aryans and lower cast native-Indians being more due to religious factors. While the term remains contended, it is widely understood that this racial assessment is based on the way lower-caste people are treated. Africana diasporic groups who do not fit the caste system reflected by the [[Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes|scheduled tribe]] are thus considered inferior for their darker skin and grouped in with the untouchables.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}  Since caste is inherited at birth and is inflexible to change throughout a lifetime, this can lead to a racial caste system where colorism largely influences the mobility one has in their lifetime. Terminology shifted away from race-conscious terms in South Asian antiquity, where Aryans had pre-conceived social hierarchies built off of race, to a caste framework during [[Buddhism]]'s rise in the [[3rd century BC|third century BCE]].<ref>Jayawardene, Sureshi M. (2016). "Racialized Casteism: Exposing the Relationship Between Race, Caste, and Colorism Through the Experiences of Africana People in India and Sri Lanka". ''[[Journal of African American Studies]]''. '''20''': 323–345 – via EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier.</ref>

Racial caste is embedded in the institutions that make up South Asia, particularly its governing bodies. When it comes to the electorate of India, voter preference is often based on race, caste, religion, alongside other attributing physical and political factors. This power imbalance alongside the rigid nature of caste can work against those of darker skin complexion to hold positions of power.<ref>Ahuja, Amit, Susan, Ashish (2016). "Is Only Fair Lovely in Indian Politics? Consequences of Skin Color in a Survey Experiment in Delhi". ''Journal of race, ethnicity, and politics''. '''1.2''': 227–252 – via Cambridge University Press Journals.</ref>