To Be Cared For: The Power of Conversion and Foreignness of Belonging in an Indian SlumTo Be Cared For offers a unique view into the conceptual and moral world of slum-bound Dalits (ÒuntouchablesÓ) in the South Indian city of Chennai. Focusing on the decision by many women to embrace locally specific forms of Pentecostal Christianity, Nathaniel Roberts challenges dominant anthropological understandings of religion as a matter of culture and identity, as well as Indian nationalist narratives of Christianity as a ÒforeignÓ ideology that disrupts local communities. Far from being a divisive force,ÊconversionÊintegrates the slum communityÑChristians and Hindus alikeÑby addressing hidden moral fault lines that subtly pitÊresidentsÊagainst one another in a national context that renders Dalits outsiders in their own land." |
Contents
Introduction I | 1 |
Outsiders | 13 |
Typical church interior | 14 |
Sewage channel alongside house | 36 |
Flies on my helmet | 38 |
Garbage removal | 39 |
Heaped garbage | 40 |
Women at water tank relaxed | 44 |
two views | 79 |
A ninetypound laborer after a long shift | 85 |
An act of faith | 180 |
Alis dancing | 203 |
The Holy Spirit washes over women | 207 |
Spiritfilled praises | 208 |
Inspired prayer | 209 |
Umbrella Preacher | 229 |
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Common terms and phrases
Ambedkar Anbu Nagar anticonversion laws asked basic believed Brahminical caste Celvi cēri chapter Chennai claim congregation context culture CWMG Dalits debt deities described divine dominant drinking elite endogamy example explained fact faith foreign money friends Gandhi Harijan Hindu and Christian Hindu gods Hindu nationalist Hinduism Hindutva household human husband idea identity India intraslum jāti Jesus Kalaivani Kanakam Kashtappattinam lived loan LOGIC OF SLUM marriage matter means middle-class MIRACLES OF CHRIST missionary moral community Muslims NATIONAL FRAME neighbors never non-Dalit nonslum Palani Paraiyars PASTORAL POWER Pentecostal poor practice pray prayer problems referred relationship religious conversion residents rich ritual Sagayaraj SALVATION sense shared Shraddhanand simply slum Christians slum church slum dwellers slum pastors SLUM RELIGION slum women social spiritual stōttirōm suffering SUPERNATURAL ATTACK talk Tamil Nadu things threat tion told trash true understood untouchables vankaņāvi Viswanath wife woman words worldly worship Yesudasan