The India episode — tech and data in the Global South
Jun 12, 2024
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Delving into India's data economy impact, the podcast discusses caste discrimination, tech worker challenges, empowering marginalized populations, and the future of AI in sectors like agriculture and healthcare. It explores the intersection of technology, human rights, and global collaboration through UN initiatives, highlighting the need for data governance for positive societal impacts.
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Quick takeaways
The podcast emphasizes the importance of making invisible issues visible, including data privacy and societal harms, by shifting perspectives beyond the American viewpoint.
Exploring the intricate Indian caste system, researchers shed light on its historical significance, social hierarchy, and pervasive influence on labor roles and human rights access.
Addressing caste discrimination in the tech industry, particularly against South Asian workers, highlights the need to combat casteist behaviors, promote inclusivity, and ensure workplace equality.
Deep dives
Importance of Making the Invisible Visible
The podcast discusses how making the invisible visible is crucial in understanding and addressing various issues, such as data privacy and societal harms. It highlights the different ways things can be invisible, from being deliberately hidden to being overlooked due to perspective. The impact of American perspective on global tech and the need to shift perspectives to see beyond the familiar American viewpoint are emphasized. The significance of changing perspectives and exploring regions like India with its complex history and social dynamics is underlined.
Understanding the Indian Caste System and Its Impact
The podcast delves into the intricate Indian caste system, delving into its historical significance, social hierarchy, and impact on society. Researchers studying intersections of caste with digital technology shed light on how caste dictates social divisions, labor roles, and access to human rights. The complexity of the caste system, with thousands of distinct castes and sub-castes, extends beyond simplistic representations. Instances of caste discrimination, both in India and abroad, highlight its pervasive influence and challenges faced by marginalized groups.
Challenges of Caste Discrimination in the Tech Industry
The podcast explores the presence of caste discrimination in the tech industry, particularly affecting South Asian workers and creating hostile work environments. Instances of discrimination, demotions, and termination based on caste identities are discussed, emphasizing the unique challenges faced by Dalits and marginalized groups. The implications of caste dynamics in workplaces, especially in tech, highlight the need to address casteist behaviors and promote inclusion and equality.
Efforts Towards Combating Caste Discrimination
The podcast details legislative and advocacy efforts aimed at combating and addressing caste discrimination, specifically in tech workplaces. Initiatives such as the California cast discrimination bill and legal actions against discriminatory practices underscore the push for legal protections and accountability. The significance of amending anti-discrimination laws to include caste as a protected category is highlighted, showcasing ongoing challenges and the need for collective action to address caste-based discrimination.
Empowering Rural Indians Through Technology
The podcast discusses initiatives empowering rural Indians through AI-based digital work and educational platforms. Efforts by organizations like Karya and Polymath AI aim to uplift marginalized communities by providing economic opportunities and educational resources. By leveraging technology and data, these initiatives offer pathways out of poverty, focusing on social impact, and fostering diversity and inclusion in tech-driven solutions.
The data boom has had an outsized impact on India and the Global South. This episode explores how the data economy has changed life on the ground in South Asia — and for tech workers in the US. What does the future of caste look like for the South Asian diaspora, and in the tech world at large? What can be done to mitigate the harms of caste discrimination? How can tech help resource marginalized populations, enable social mobility, and design a more sustainable, empowered future?
Raffi speaks with caste and technology scholar Murali Shanmugavelan; anthropologist Sareeta Amrute; Manu Chopra, CEO of Karya; Pratik Rajurkar, educator and co-founder of Polymath AI; and United Nations under-secretary-general, Amandeep Singh Gill.
