Social Construction of Caste: Nepali Dalits’ Higher Education Experiences from Nepal to the U.S.

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 4:15 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Intersectional Racializations, Gendering, and Caste Across Schooling Contexts

Abstract

This qualitative study explores the higher education experiences and social mobility of Dalits, historically known as “untouchables.” With an estimated 260 million people facing caste-based discrimination globally, Dalits likely represent the world’s largest marginalized and socially excluded population. Despite this significant demographic, their access to higher education remains critically low, with only 1.4% of Nepali Dalits enrolled in higher education.

The study, framed within social constructionism and critical theory, and uses the narrative inquiry approach to uncover the complex dynamics of Nepali Dalits' educational experiences, how system has been constructed and reconstructed, and the potential impact of higher education in their lives. Data have been collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic and narrative configuration approaches.

Author

• Khem Sedhai, University at Albany - SUNY