A review by kceuler
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
4.5
This is an international investigation of how caste systems feature in three distinct countries and periods of time: the United States, Nazi Germany, and India.
The basic premise is that “caste” is a better tool to understand the United States than racism alone (since race is an aspect of the US system, noted in “Race does the heavy lifting for a caste system that demands a means of human division.”)
It’s rounded up, but honestly a 4.5 because it felt like it would be focused equally on the three countries in the introductory chapters and the structure of the thesis, but it is very heavily American in its focus. Which, makes sense given the aspect of unpacking racism vs caste systems, but I want to note this in case you are approaching it expecting a more balanced overview of the three selected caste systems that have “stood out” throughout human history.
I've noticed some reviews mentioning the superficial "next steps" or recommended, solutions, but Wilkerson explicitly notes that's not the purpose of this book in the epilogue. She notes, "The goal of this work has not been to resolve all of the problems of a millennia-old phenomenon, but to cast a light on its history, its consequences, and its presence in our everyday lives and to express hopes for its resolution. A housing inspector does not make the repairs on the building he has examined. It is for the owners, meaning each of us, to correct the ruptures we have inherited." (pg 380)
This is nonetheless a critical read and I’d recommend it for anyone who hasn’t read it yet.
The basic premise is that “caste” is a better tool to understand the United States than racism alone (since race is an aspect of the US system, noted in “Race does the heavy lifting for a caste system that demands a means of human division.”)
It’s rounded up, but honestly a 4.5 because it felt like it would be focused equally on the three countries in the introductory chapters and the structure of the thesis, but it is very heavily American in its focus. Which, makes sense given the aspect of unpacking racism vs caste systems, but I want to note this in case you are approaching it expecting a more balanced overview of the three selected caste systems that have “stood out” throughout human history.
I've noticed some reviews mentioning the superficial "next steps" or recommended, solutions, but Wilkerson explicitly notes that's not the purpose of this book in the epilogue. She notes, "The goal of this work has not been to resolve all of the problems of a millennia-old phenomenon, but to cast a light on its history, its consequences, and its presence in our everyday lives and to express hopes for its resolution. A housing inspector does not make the repairs on the building he has examined. It is for the owners, meaning each of us, to correct the ruptures we have inherited." (pg 380)
This is nonetheless a critical read and I’d recommend it for anyone who hasn’t read it yet.