COURS TER 11

lesson
ter 11/12
Tuesday the 23rd of March
Task :
vocabulary : the caste system.
training session on a quiz from the « Grandes ecoles »

CATCHING UP :
a)remember our topics from last week : India/ arranged marriage/ forced marriage/ bollywood.
b)Distribution of my notes on last session.

THE CASTE SYSTEM:

Word of the day :
the oppressed= the downtrodden
the excluded = the outcast

THE DALITS
a) read the document a nd answer the questions:
b) the answers :
 the sudras do not own any land and have low- paid jobs
 the Brahmans are well -educated and often have religious responsibilities
 the vaisas own their land and work on it or are tradesmen ( a trademan = un commerçant)
 the Kshatriyas can fight and often get involved ( get involved = être impliqué) in politics
the Dalits or Untouchables are missing from that list because they are outcasts/ rejected and are not considered as part of human society.
 the caste system can be viewed as restritive, strict,hereditary,inflexible and rigid
 the Hindus are said to be fatalistic, patient,obedient,docile,dutiful,law-abiding and resigned.
 The system goes on / is perpetuated because to be reincarnated in a higher caste in your next life you have to be obedient to the rules of the caste system in this life

WATCHING A VIDEO ON THE DALITS :
the caste system is a form of apartheid in which the Untouchables or downcasts who also called themselves the Dalits are demied basic rights.They are regarded as being so vile that their shadows cannot follow the shadow of a higher caste.
they composed two hundred and fifty million of the population that is one fourth of the total Indian population.
the caste system is religiously sanctioned.Indeed Hindouism preaches that men are not created equal and some are better than others.
the caste system is based on profession: the higher castes have the thinking jobs whereas the low castes are doing what keeps society alive.Then we have the Dalits who are doing everything dirty such as cleaning the toilets.You are born into a caste.
The down-todden must even drink in clay (argile) cups that can be destroyed afterwards to prevent their uncleanliness to contaminate the other castes.A charity:The Dalit Fredom Network is fighting to put an end to the plight/ doom/ destiny/predicament of the dalits .They are on a quest/ mission to obtain social justice.At the grassroot level (grassroot= à la racine) they are trying to empower the dalits to allow them to lift themselves from poverty.

QUIZ FROM THE IVY LEAGUE

hOMEWORK :
annabac next friday ( work)

absents: emmanuel B.