First of all the Aryan invasion theory is a racist 19th century Euro opinion not based on fact. So, stating that higher caste is lighter skinned etc...in the Indian context is false, however it is true in the Portuguese construct in South America (caste or casta is a Portuguese word after all). I think in your quest to document fair skinned obsession in India, you need to study this globally. From my experience, East Asians are even more obsessed about light skin color, many Chinese people I know talk mockingly about dark skin color.
Here is a good website on the Latin American caste system. :
http://www.zonalatina.com/Zldata55.htm
Here is something on Japan's Untouchables:
http://japanfortheuninvited.com/article....=burakumin
Before we start attacking Indians for being rude to Black tourists, read these articles on Russia:
http://www.rferl.org/features/features_Art...D4-3CE52FF4BD4E
http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/...cae6a24c87.html
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Yeah thats another thing I'm trying to find out- whether this perception was actually around even before colonial rule- but from what ive heard, a lot of the goddesses and stuff were dark? And if you look at the really ancient myths etc. this perception isn't really evident at all. But then I remember reading something else about how the whole black=evil and white=purity view has always been around in most cultures, even in ancient Indian culture, so maybe the fair=superior perception was actually around even before the colonisation?
And also, I wonder if the bias for white skin is a more universal trend than i thought before? Perhaps even without all the white colonial rule and Aryan rulers etc it would still be prevalent? Because the majority of cultures around the world prefer a fairer complexion as an ideal of beauty, even the ones that haven't been colonised- maybe its not just brought about by specific social factors, but is also a cause of our biology? Something to do with our genetics and what we look for in a mate? For example, I read somewhere that fairness is almost universally preffered because its associated with infant like neonatal features that are generally seen as more healthy, and therefore a better quality in a mate as they would be more likely to produce offspring.
Thats basically what Im trying to do here with comparing the two countries- see if this ideal of fair skin is only based on ones cultural context and is completely malleable, or if its more universal and fixed, and to do with human biology. Or a combination of both, which is what I think it is.
[right][snapback]51403[/snapback][/right]
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Here is a good website on the Latin American caste system. :
http://www.zonalatina.com/Zldata55.htm
Here is something on Japan's Untouchables:
http://japanfortheuninvited.com/article....=burakumin
Before we start attacking Indians for being rude to Black tourists, read these articles on Russia:
http://www.rferl.org/features/features_Art...D4-3CE52FF4BD4E
http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/...cae6a24c87.html
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Yeah thats another thing I'm trying to find out- whether this perception was actually around even before colonial rule- but from what ive heard, a lot of the goddesses and stuff were dark? And if you look at the really ancient myths etc. this perception isn't really evident at all. But then I remember reading something else about how the whole black=evil and white=purity view has always been around in most cultures, even in ancient Indian culture, so maybe the fair=superior perception was actually around even before the colonisation?
And also, I wonder if the bias for white skin is a more universal trend than i thought before? Perhaps even without all the white colonial rule and Aryan rulers etc it would still be prevalent? Because the majority of cultures around the world prefer a fairer complexion as an ideal of beauty, even the ones that haven't been colonised- maybe its not just brought about by specific social factors, but is also a cause of our biology? Something to do with our genetics and what we look for in a mate? For example, I read somewhere that fairness is almost universally preffered because its associated with infant like neonatal features that are generally seen as more healthy, and therefore a better quality in a mate as they would be more likely to produce offspring.
Thats basically what Im trying to do here with comparing the two countries- see if this ideal of fair skin is only based on ones cultural context and is completely malleable, or if its more universal and fixed, and to do with human biology. Or a combination of both, which is what I think it is.
[right][snapback]51403[/snapback][/right]
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->