Beings and beasts : human-animal relations at the 'margins' / edited by Ambika Aiyadurai, Prashant Ingole.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

The pig, the national anthem and anti-caste belonging in Fandry / Purnachandra Naik -- Without a pig, a Bodo life is incomplete / Rachan Daimary -- Animals in poems : Dalits and their relations with non-humans / Gautam Vegda

"A lot has been written about the need to 'decolonise' animal studies. However, there has not been any attempts to 'de-brahminise' them. Some animals and birds are positioned as superior in the Brahminical social order, while others seem to be subordinated and are associated with certain 'inferior' caste groups. Beings and Beasts discusses the relations between humans and animals of marginalised communities, especially Dalits and tribals. It analyses the various ways of perceiving their 'conjoint' living by examining texts, artwork, images, symbols and icons related to human-animal relations among marginalised groups, investigating their meaning-making processes to highlight differences in the social and natural orders. Its focus is on how social beliefs prioritise 'sacred' animals over oppressed communities, leading to exclusion and social injustice"-- Provided by publisher.