Caste and Territory in Malabar

Abstract

"The object of this paper is to illustrate the hypothesis that a necessary correlate of a rigid caste system is a system of territorial segmentation which has two functions: it promotes localized interdependent relations between castes, especially at the village level, by limiting the spatial range of intercaste relations for all castes; and it supports the hierarchical order of castes by permitting greater mobility and a greater spatial range of intracaste relations for those at the top of the scale than for those at the bottom. The larger and more inclusive the territorial unit in which members of a caste can move, the higher the rank of that caste."