A decade after US-based Equality Labs released its first survey on caste discrimination in the United States, an Ambedkarite group in Canada has released the findings of a similar survey in that country, which shows that people of South Asian heritage—the majority of them Indians—practise discrimination against people of lowered castes and Dalits.
The South Asian Dalit Adivasi Network (SADAN) and researchers from four Canadian universities conducted the community-oriented survey and released the Caste Experiences in Ontario Survey report to coincide with Dalit History Month, which is observed in April, and Ambedkar Jayanti, which falls on April 14.
The survey received responses from 128 people, the majority of whom—85%—traced their roots to India, while the remaining had ancestry in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. 61% of the respondents were caste marginalised and 38% self-identified as Dalit or caste-oppressed.
The respondents also professed different faiths—Hinduism, Buddhism, Ravidassia, Dalit and Adivasi practices. The majority of respondents spoke Hindi (70%), while 37% spoke Punjabi and 27% Tamil.
Over 40% of respondents said they were discriminated against at the workplace and educational institutions. Discrimination also spilled over into social relationships such as friendships and marital alliances, as well as at places of worship and cultural gatherings.
The report was authored by Kavya Harshita Jidugu, Harshita Yalamarty, Vijay Puli, Jatin, Chinnaiah Jangam, and Sailaja Krishnamurti. Kavya is a PhD candidate at Queen’s University. Harshita is an assistant professor and Canada Research Chair in gender and migration (Tier 2) at Toronto Metropolitan University. Vijay Puli is a founder and executive director of SADAN. Jatin is a PhD scholar and co-founder of the Forum for Anti-Caste Activism at the University of Toronto. Chinnaiah is an associate professor at Carleton University of Toronto and co-founder of SADAN. Sailaja is an associate professor and HoD of gender studies at Queen’s University.
Kavya, who was a lead researcher in the project team, said in a press release: “The courage it took for community members to come forward and speak about caste-based discrimination is both powerful and essential to addressing casteism in Canada and we are grateful for the community’s leadership.”
Subtle biases
The report noted that South Asians formed the largest visible minority in Canada and while researchers had studied South Asians in terms of a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) framework, social relations within South Asians had not received much attention.
The survey asked 38 questions divided into four sections: demographic information, personal experiences of caste discrimination, discrimination in the community, and personal reflections. Participants were also allowed to record their views on certain questions.
Many respondents talked about caste discrimination being less overt compared to India. However, as one respondent put it, “subtle biases persist, making it harder at times to feel fully included or accepted. This has somewhat affected my sense of belonging, particularly within diaspora circles where caste consciousness continues to influence social relationships.”
One respondent spoke of Brahmins wearing a sacred thread in public places such as swimming pools as an example of practices that “don’t directly attack anyone but quietly establish superiority in society”. “On the surface, this appears to be a religious practice, but it actually serves as a way of signalling to others that they are superior to other Hindus… it’s an assertion of religious and caste superiority”.
Around 50% of the participants—of which 92% were from caste marginalised backgrounds—have experienced caste-based discrimination in their workplaces, educational institutions, while purchasing or renting homes, and in other social settings. More than half of these respondents said they had been subjected to discrimination more than once. Around 69% of respondents said that caste discrimination has impacted their mental health.
How casteism affects life in Canada
Casteism at the workplace included interviewers asking job aspirants for their caste because they couldn’t identify the candidate’s caste from their last name and paying lower wages to Dalits than others for the same work. More than 50% interviewees said that caste discrimination has prevented them from progressing in their career.
Several people spoke of being asked about their caste by roommates or neighbours, encountering rental listings that specified acceptable caste backgrounds and housing being denied at the last minute when the tenant’s caste was identified. One respondent stated that “(my) upper caste roommate called me impure because I was eating meat (sic).”
Many respondents described being bullied for their skin colour or meat diet in school. Students reportedly also face bias from their faculty during their vivas, assignments, or exams. A respondent noted the lack of diversity within university systems that work in the South Asian context, where there is “virtually no Dalit, Bahujan, Adivasi representation either at faculty-level or even in terms of the curriculum…”
Many respondents spoke of how they were excluded or segregated in social settings, particularly religious gatherings. One respondent said, “The so-called upper caste people don’t prefer to mingle with Dalits … they won’t be invited in family puja, ceremonies, even if invited, they will have separate area to eat (sic).”
One person spoke of how their family tried to ensure that their wedding was performed and “in contact” with only people from their caste (dominant). “Although this consideration was ultimately removed by me and my partner, we saw the initial hesitation (sic).”
The report notes that some forward caste parents tell their wards not to speak to their marginalised caste peers.
Dalit Muslim respondents drew connections between casteism and Islamophobia in both Canada and India. “I have witnessed behaviours that are exclusionary, oppressive, racist and sexist towards Christians, Dalits, Muslims and other groups,” said a respondent. Another spoke of being called slurs and names, and “even untouchability at times. Not willing to share food with us. Or not wanting to marry us.”
One queer and Dalit woman talked about being unable to trust an Indian in Canada for fear of being ill-treated. “I have always been scared to seek friendships with other Indians in Canada for fear of judgement and discrimination. I miss having cultural ties here, but I haven’t been able to trust any Indian immigrant with my personal life in my four years of living in Canada.”
While just about half of all respondents had had personal experience of discrimination, two-thirds of all respondents had witnessed caste discrimination being practised against others. About 64% of all respondents also agreed that caste affects social interactions and relationships among South Asians in Canada.
Similarly, over 80% of all respondents believed that casteism affected educational and employment opportunities for South Asians in Canada.
In a rare instance, some respondents acknowledged their caste privilege and its impact on their lives. One respondent said, “My last name indicates my high caste status which means I get automatic respect that I did not really earn. It’s like I am a part of a club that I have no idea about but others do and somehow think I am more deserving.”
Another person mentioned that they had asked their mother what ‘Jatt’ means—Jatt is a landowning caste in parts of north India. “She explained that it wasn’t important here and that there are specific teachings in Sikhi that make it so caste should not dictate who we hang out with or not. I also learned that my elders were taught to be very proud to be jatt… so there are contradictions galore,” the person said.
The survey report recommended that the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) and provincial human rights commissions should recognise caste as a distinct category of discrimination.
Further, it urged governments, public sector institutions and services, labour unions and private sector employers to address caste-based discrimination in hiring and formulate anti-discrimination policies.
It also suggested that the Canadian government’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) should recognise caste as grounds for discrimination and conduct caste awareness training for decision makers.
It urged educational institutions to incorporate caste awareness in curricula, policy and programming. Further, it recommended that Statistics Canada, the national statistical office, develop a strategy for the voluntary collection of data about caste amongst South Asians in Canada.
This article was written by a student interning with TNM.