Critical Perspective on Communalism and Casteism in Nepal

This paper attempts to deal with the contemporary social issues of Nepal, particularly, communalism, and casteism from the critical perspectives propounded by the Frankfurt School of Critical Theory, namely, Max Horkheimer in “Traditional and Critical Theory” (1937) and Herbert Marcuse in “Critical Theory” (1968). Its main objective is to challenge the ways communalism, casteism, and even the feminine issues are described as ideologies that seek to divide people from their society and their value systems. The theoretical tool used for it is the analytical approach to the critical theories of Horkheimer and Marcuse. Casteism and communalism have been the principal cause of social discrimination in Nepal. The chief finding of the study is that the so-called untouchable people of Nepal suffer from their livelihood problems and identity problems because of the majority’s indifference toward them. The significance of the research lies in the attempt to reconstruct the identity of Dalits, untouchables, and exploited women in relation to the constitutional provisions of inclusion in Nepal. It is believed that this paper stands as a reference to the scholars interested to research the topic further.