This presentation examines how people historically marginalized in caste society are improving their caste-based traditional works in the face of industrialization and the modernization.
In this case study, I examine the activities of the pubic cooperative meat processing company established by Khadgis, a caste group who are historically engaged in buffalo slaughtering and animal sacrifice. I show how the Khadgis came to terms with the meat modernization project promoted by the state and how they mobilize caste embedded social resources to uplift their community.
The Khadgis established the company in partnership with local government to provide customers healthy and hygienic meat. Khadgi has their caste association, and the association has nationwide networks. They utilized their nationwide caste network to construct a system that is compatible with both modern industrial slaughter in the plains and traditional hand slaughtering in the Kathmandu Valley.
Also, the caste association of Khadgis had been redefined caste as an attribute that does not involve a hierarchy through activities such as renaming campaign, and carefully monitoring discrimination in communities. In this way, they are transforming the caste into a network for economic mutual aid, which utilizes small-scale finance.
Ahmad wrote an ethnography of the Qureshi Muslim community in Delhi, who worked in the meat sector utilizing their network. She argued that the definition of “stigmatized” work is neither exhaustive nor static but changes over time and space (Ahmad 2018: 119). Moreover, Ashworth and Kreiner insisted that “it is precisely because of the salience of dirty work stigma that strong cultures tend to coalesce around the occupation as a whole and/or individual work groups” (Ashworth and Kreiner 1999: 419).
Following these studies, I argue the activities of the company which has been improved and networked caste embedded social resources creates a base that supports people's lives .
