Abstract
The unique development experience of the Indian state of Kerala has been getting considerable attention both within and outside India. Kerala’s level of social development is much higher than other Indian states. One of the major features of Kerala’s development experience is its egalitarian spirit. Even though studies do throw light on the socio-economic status of Dalit Christians in Kerala, contemporary evidence are scanty in this regard. This article tries to see if higher social development and better egalitarianism in a region are translated into better socio-economic conditions for Dalit Christians in India. The author compares the socio-economic status of Dalit Christians and Syrian Christians of contemporary Kerala. The variables used for comparison include incidence of poverty, educational attainment, extent of land holding, employment structure of workforce, housing quality and possession of consumer durables.
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