KSMC Faculty Member Sheds Light on Casteism and Mockery Disguised as Humor in Rural India

Aniruddha Jena, Ph.D, a core faculty member of KIIT School of Mass Communication (KSMC), has co-authored a thought-provoking article with Dhirendra Kumar Sahoo, highlighting how casteism and mockery often disguise themselves as humor in rural India. The article, published in the Economic and Political Weekly, examines the popular romanticization of casteism and mockery through humor in the Amazon web series Panchayat.

The article sheds light on a prevalent issue in rural India, where casteism and mockery are disguised as humor, which often leads to further discrimination against marginalized communities. The authors delve deeper into the show Panchayat, pointing out how it portrays casteism and mockery as a form of humor, which can be detrimental to the progress of the country towards a more egalitarian society.

Through their article, the authors aim to bring attention to the harmful effects of such humor, which can perpetuate the deep-rooted caste-based discrimination prevalent in Indian society. By highlighting this issue, they hope to start a dialogue around it, which can lead to positive change and progress.

The article, titled “Panchayat, Casteism, and Mockery in the Name of Humour,” is an essential read for anyone interested in understanding the complex issue of casteism in India. It provides valuable insights into the ways in which caste-based discrimination can be perpetuated and disguised as humor in popular media.

The full article can be accessed on the Economic and Political Weekly website through the following link: https://www.epw.in/journal/2023/17/postscript/panchayat-casteism-and-mockery-namehumour.html?0=ip_login_no_cache%3Dd7ff27b553eec8d09882481cdfb32a6