Trauma of Caste by Thenmozhi Soundararajan

This one was extra special because I created an embroidery piece to go with the review!

With poignant prose and a clear-eyed examination of the devastating effects of caste apartheid, “Trauma of Caste” is a meditation on the "soul wound" inflicted on generations of marginalized communities. Dalit rigghts activist Thenmozhi Soundararajan compels readers to abandon the compartmentalization of caste-based trauma and instead commit to healing. She explains that unlearning caste is not a one-time process but, instead, a practice.

She implores and guides readers through acknowledging the existence of caste, its source, and ways to combat caste violence. She challenges the notion that the diaspora ended casteism, exposing how caste underlies the prevalence of upper-caste influencers, promoters of "Tamil Brahmin" pride, and religious practices across Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Islam, and Christianity. Soundararajan goes on to explore the intersections of caste with gender and sexual violence, environment, genocide, as well as the parallels between caste apartheid and slavery in the U.S.

“Trauma of Caste” is a powerful, thought-provoking, and much needed book that combines theoretical analysis with practical insights. Soundararajan’s personal experiences add depth and nuance to the work, making it an important read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of casteism and its impact on individuals and our society. Soundararajan’s dedication to this issue exemplifies the definition she puts forward: that while one definition of “dalit” is broken, it can be also be read as “resilience.”

See review on BrownGirlBookshelf here