@techreport{a86cee25006b4027b4a9627e923c8923,
title = "Dumont{\textquoteright}s hierarchy among the Nuosu of China",
abstract = "In this article we consider whether Dumont{\textquoteright}s theory of hierarchy in the Indian caste system (or elements thereof) might be applicable to the hierarchal distinctions of Nuosu society in south-west China and vice versa. Nuosu society is characterized as both a {\textquoteleft}slave society{\textquoteright} and a caste society. It is the categories of {\textquoteleft}slavery{\textquoteright} and {\textquoteleft}caste{\textquoteright} that deserve our attention here. Like slaves in Nuosu society, Hindu society in India sees untouchables as {\textquoteleft}outsiders{\textquoteright}. They live outside the village and have to use their own wells for drinking water. At the same time, they are in fact the slaves of the dominant {\textquoteleft}pure{\textquoteright} caste in the village and depend entirely on it. They have to show deference when they encounter a member of the dominant caste, and in some regions, such as Kerala, there were slave markets where they could be bought and sold. We do not produce a point-by-point comparison between Indian society and Nuosu society here, but examine Dumont{\textquoteright}s theory of hierarchy in the light of what we know of Nuosu society.",
keywords = "Hierarchy, Nuosu, untouchables, slavery, Dumont, internet",
author = "{van der Veer}, P.T. and D. Wu",
year = "2017",
month = mar,
language = "English",
series = "MMG Working Papers",
publisher = "MMG Working Paper",
number = "4",
type = "WorkingPaper",
institution = "MMG Working Paper",
}