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14 Wash. U. Global Stud. L. Rev. 725 (2015)
India and Colorism: The Finer Nuances

handle is hein.journals/wasglo14 and id is 746 raw text is: INDIA AND COLORISM: THE FINER NUANCES NEHA MISHRA* ABSTRACT Most Indians show apparent ignorance about the practice of exclusion and discrimination based on the skin tone of a person although it is a deep-rooted problematic practice embraced by both the oppressor and the victim. This single practice has become so widespread in India, more so in the past four decades, that it has taken shape along the same lines as colorism of the Western world. However, the manifestation of the color discrimination in India differs as it hides behind various other variables. I The questions that are still unclear and remain unanswered are: Whether colorism was prevalent in ancient India; whether it is prevalent in Indian society now; how and when colorism found its roots in the Indian society; how deeply it influences the mass consciousness; and what are the reasons behind the prejudice and bias toward dark skin? Since India is a very complex and diversified society, the derivatives that play a role in the discrimination are also as diversified. These derivatives become the variables that in turn affect the overall premise that darker skin color results in discrimination. Caste, class, religion, region, gender and economics are a few of these variables. Through this study I will explore how all of the variables are connected and got connected over the period of time with the skin tone preference. * Neha Mishra, Head, School of Legal Studies, REVA University, Bangalore. 1. Colorism in the western countries emerged with the belief of alleged attached superiority of white skin of European race who were the power holder for a very long time as against the subverted class with a darker skin, who were taken as slaves. India however consists of varied color tones of its subjects ranging from very dark to very fair skin owing to the very different climatic and geographic conditions. Again, in Indian scenario, power was determined by more than just skin color- factors like caste and class played vital role in determining the acceptability of a person. See COLE ET AL., infra note 63. Still, last 4 to 5 decades show that fair color of the skin is becoming more and more acceptable. Id. at 34-35.

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