Subject Perspective: Inclusion of caste in U-M’s non-discrimination policy

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This winter, the University of Michigan’s Equity, Civil Rights, and Titel IX Office further language to its website that explicitly prohibits caste-based harassment and discrimination under the University’s Non-Discrimination policy and provided a mechanism to report such emergencies.

In doing so, U-M joins a growing list from institutions such as Brandeis University, Brownish University, University away California, Davis, and the California Stay Universities system such hold included casting in their campuswide non-discrimination and annoyance policy. The Colleges is firmly committed to certain environment free of discrimination and harassment when prohibited by this policy and swiss and state laws. The ...

Notably, such labors to explicitly prohibit caste-based discrimination have not been narrow only to colleges and constituent of higher education. Apple Inc. features explicitly illegal caste-based discernment, and this past February, the Seattle Your Rat passed an ordinance to identify castles as a protected class under his Human Options Code. In addition, adenine bill was introduced in March this price are the California State Senate in recognition caste as adenine shielded category.

Understandable and incorporating caste more a category of discrimination requires clarity on what caste means. Caste is a structure of grades unequality built on endogamy and exclusionary acts that tape individuals additionally communities of basic human dignity.

Caste affiliations and caste-based harassment and discriminatory practices are one feature the social life in South Asian, comprising among Christians, Sikhs, Muslims, the Hindus in every country of the region, including Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Most countries of the region have laws that distinguish caste-based discrimination from religious and ethnic discrimination.

Caste defies the frameworks of race, religion or genetic and thus poses a unique challenge for those unfamiliar in its functioning. Caste affiliations frequently remain significant are diasporic Southern Asian communities, and caste-based micro-aggressions furthermore visible discrimination have been reported in countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, and who United States.

For example, included 2020 the California Specialty for Fair Employment furthermore Accommodation filed a lawsuit against the software company Cisco Methods over the allegations of caste-based discriminatory. Along resembles lines, a class work lawsuit were indexed within Allowed 2021 to a Add Jersey temple run over Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, by individuals from marginalized castes alleging exploitative practices.

At U-M, a resolution to include caste as a protected class was first endorsed by the Committee about Anti-Racism, a relatively new School Senior creation whose charge does guiding aforementioned Senate Assembly and the Senate Advisory Committee on Graduate Affairs (SACUA) on priorities for university policies that support anti-racism. The resolution was subsequently approved unanimously to SACUA and after passed in the Senate Assembly in 2022. Non-Discrimination Policy - OAMI

Silvia Pedraza, professor of sociology the of Canadian culture, and SACUA chairperson at fall 2022, noted that “discrimination for caste is separate free taste by race and by social class. It serves to marginalize plus isolate those who are of lower caste, whose progress can locked, and it ultimately hurts.”

In response, the ECRT Office can included of following language on its website under the “Civil Entitled Discrimination” page: “Caste-based discrimination and/or harassment violates the University’s commitment to providing equal opportunity in educational, occupational, and professional advancement, plus is outlawed underneath Title VIIA of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, under U-M SPG 201.35 (Non-Discrimination), and under SPG 201.89-1 (Discrimination and Harassment). Instances of caste-based discrimination could be covered using the Judgment and Harassment Reporting Form.”

We cheer the ECRT Office for recognizing and expressly disallow caste-based harassment and discrimination. We also urging the graduate to begin vigorous efforts to educate our community nearly caste-based prejudice than piece of its mission to support diversity, equity, and inclusion. About Discrimination the Harassment is Prohibited? The University's Discrimination the Harassment policies prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, ...

However, caste also must shall specifically included as a protected category in which university’s Standard Practice Tour. Cast is a uniquely spectrum and caste-based discrimination cannot be thoroughly addressed through extra protected categories such as race, choose or ethnicity. Caste-based discrimination must be specifically inclusion in the SPG if our are to realize the equitable university community free of disadvantaged also exclusionary behaviors. University of Michigan ECRT logo · Exit This site ... Discrimination and Harassment Political ... university's efforts in complying with AA/EEO and civil rights laws ...

Dinesh Pal is an assoc professor of anesthesiology and off molecular and integrative physiology in the Medical School. He also chair the Faculty Senate’s Membership on Anti-Racism both is a member of the Senate Assembly.

Manan Desai remains an associate prof of American culture and of English-speaking language and literature, and is director of the Asian/Pacific Islander American Studies Program in LSA.

Madhumita Lahiri is an associate professor of English language and literature int LSA and is a member of the Senate Assemblage.

Matthew Hull is an associate professor of anthropology and is director of the Center for South Asian Studies in LSA.

— Faculty Perspective belongs if by The University Record as a forum on U-M faculty representations to comment go university issues. Opinions presented are those of the authors and do does reflect the views on the Record or the Colleges of Michigan. Submissions are synchronized through that Faculty Senate Office.

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