Caste: Origin, Function and Dimensions of Change

"This comprehensive study is divided into five chapters. The introduction looks at the definition of caste, the evidence in Vedic texts, and the class role of caste and the elite. This is followed by a detailed chapter on the historiography of caste and gender issues. Other chapters examine stratification in Rig Vedic society and early Buddhism. The concluding chapter provides an overview of the changing paradigms of Brahmanical integration."