Voices of Resistance the Evolution of Dalit Literature and the Role of Social Media in Challenging Caste Oppression

Abstract

Dalit literature is a crucial genre in Indian literature, giving voice to a historically disenfranchised and socially marginalized community. This study investigates the transformative role of Dalit autobiographies and digital platforms in reshaping the representation of Dalit identity and resistance to caste oppression. By analyzing autobiographical works by prominent Dalit writers such as Bama, Sharan Kumar Limbale, and Daya Pawar, alongside contemporary voices like Suraj Yengde and Yashica Dutt, the research highlights how these narratives reclaim agency and challenge caste-based hierarchies. These autobiographies, rich in themes of trauma, resilience, and education, act as instruments of resistance while addressing the intersectionality of caste and gender, particularly through the experiences of Dalit women navigating multiple forms of oppression. The study further examines the role of social media platforms like YouTube, and Instagram in enabling Dalit writers to bypass traditional gatekeepers and engage directly with a global audience. Movements such as #DalitLivesMatter illustrate how these platforms amplify Dalit voices, foster global solidarity, and connect the struggle against caste discrimination to broader social justice movements. However, the study also critiques the challenges of digital activism, including the digital divide that marginalizes rural Dalit voices and caste-based online harassment that perpetuates psychological oppression. newlineThe study employs a multidisciplinary theoretical framework, drawing on Slavoj i ek s theory of ideology, Michel Foucault s theory of power structures, Adrienne Rich s insights into motherhood, Erik Erikson s identity theory, and Cathy Caruth s trauma theory to explore themes of systemic oppression, identity formation, and resilience. Furthermore, Paulo Freire s Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Barbara Harlow s theory of resistance, and Homi K. Bhabha s concept of hybridity provide critical perspectives on how Dalit writers and activists navigate and resist dominant na