Isabel Wilkerson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "Caste: The Lies That Divide Us," joins author and broadcaster Yassmin Abdel-Magied for an illuminating discussion on the hidden power of caste in society. They delve into the nuances of caste systems and their historical roots, exploring how they shape identity and social status today. The conversation highlights the insidious nature of caste and its parallels to racial injustice, challenging listeners to confront deep-seated inequalities that persist in contemporary culture.
01:00:23
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
insights INSIGHT
The Hidden Power of Caste
Caste is a powerful, unspoken system of divisions that determines standing, respect, and access to resources.
It's an artificial hierarchy based on arbitrary characteristics like lineage, religion, or appearance.
insights INSIGHT
Caste vs. Race
Caste focuses on the underlying structure of hierarchy.
Race is merely a superficial marker, or the "skin," of a deeper caste system.
question_answer ANECDOTE
The Eye Color Experiment
A teacher demonstrated caste by dividing a classroom based on eye color.
This arbitrary division quickly led to real-life impacts on student behavior and performance.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
In this book, Isabel Wilkerson argues that racism in the United States is part of a broader caste system—a society-wide system of social stratification characterized by hierarchy, inclusion, and exclusion. She defines eight pillars that underlie caste systems across civilizations, including divine will, heredity, and dehumanization. Wilkerson uses historical documentation, insightful analogies, and powerful anecdotes to illustrate how this caste system permeates American society, affecting people's lives and behavior. The book also explores the consequences of caste and the possibility of a world without it, emphasizing the need for collective effort to dismantle such systems.
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/intelligencesquared. -------- Race, class, gender. These are the categories that are commonly thought to define our lives. But Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson argues that ultimately the determining factor in societies is a more powerful, unspoken system of divisions: caste. On August 17 Wilkerson came to Intelligence Squared to talk about this hidden phenomenon, which she sets out in her acclaimed new book, Caste: The Lies That Divide Us. Isabel Wilkerson was in conversation with author and broadcaster Yassmin Abdel-Magied. To find out more about the book click here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/caste/isabel-wilkerson/9780241486511. --------------------------------- Intelligence Squared+. The world's best speakers. Your questions. £4.99 per month. Intelligence Squared+ will bring you live, interactive events every week on our new online platform. Just like at our real-life events, you’ll be able to put your questions to our speakers, vote in live polls and interact with other members of the audience. Your subscription will give you access to multiple events featuring the world’s top thinkers and opinion formers, including Thomas Piketty, Margaret Atwood, Clive Woodward, Thomas Friedman, Meera Syal and Paloma Faith. For a full list of Intelligence Squared+ events and to subscribe, click here: https://bit.ly/2yfYIfm
Intelligence Squared 
