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The Spirit of Caste

Caste is a concept used to explain persistent forms of social hierarchy and group domination. While it is often associated with India, feudal Europe, and Latin America, scholars in recent years have asked whether it also makes sense to conceptualize the United States as a caste system. This recent discourse overlooks a centuries-long tradition of American civil rights activism—from Frederick Douglass to W.E.B. Du Bois—that understands the United States as a caste system and seeks racial justice through constitutional reform. Returning to this tradition, this talk explores both what the concept of caste misses and what it captures about racial inequality in the United States today.

► this event is hybrid. Join in person at the Centre for Ethics (Larkin building, room 200) or online here.

Lucien Ferguson
Drinan Visiting Assistant Professor
Boston College Law School

Fri, Apr 19, 2024
04:00 PM - 06:00 PM
Centre for Ethics, University of Toronto
200 Larkin