Status and Sacredness : A General Theory of Status Relations and an Analysis of Indian Culture

__Status and Sacredness__ provides a new theory of status and sacral relationships and a provocative reinterpretation of the Indian caste system and Hinduism. Milner shows how in India and many other social contexts status is a key resource, and that sacredness can be usefully understood as a special form of status. By analyzing the nature of this resource Milner is able to provide powerful explanations of the key features of the social structure, culture, and religion. He argues against the widely held view that the Indian caste system is best understood as a unique cultural development, demonstrating that many of the seemingly exotic features are variations on themes common to other societies. Milner's analysis is rooted in a new theoretical framework called ''resource structuralism'' that helps to clarify the nature and significance of power and symbolic capital. The book thus provides a bold new analysis of India, an innovative approach to the analysis of religion, and an important contribution to social theory Contents......Page 12 A Note on Foreign Words......Page 16 Contemporary Social Theory......Page 20 A Theoretical Strategy......Page 23 Types of Resources and Types of Social Structures......Page 24 Symbolic Capital......Page 25 Status, Legitimacy, and Sacredness......Page 28 Imagining India......Page 29 Status, Sacredness, and the Modern World......Page 31 Symbols, Agency, Contingency, and Structure......Page 35 Social Formations......Page 37 Types of Power and Types of Social Formations......Page 39 Variations in the Importance of Resources......Page 45 The Characteristics of Status as a Resource......Page 46 The Sources of Status......Page 52 Summary......Page 58 Hinduism: A Brief Sketch......Page 59 Caste and the Social Structure......Page 63 Economic and Political Power: Control of Land and Labor......Page 65 Cultural Ideologies and Codes......Page 67 What Is to Be Explained......Page 69 Status and Power in India......Page 70 Stability and Inalienability......Page 71 Mobility and Inexpansibility......Page 73 Conformity and the Elaboration of Norms and Rituals......Page 75 Associations and the Regulation of Marriage and Eating......Page 77 Gifts: Articulating Status and Material Resources......Page 78 What Is to Be Explained......Page 80 Relationships Between the Different Types of Power......Page 81 Types of Elites and Their Antagonists: A General Model......Page 82 Applying the Model to India......Page 84 The Genius of the Brahmans......Page 85 Kshatriyas and Sudras......Page 87 Missing Categories......Page 88 Ambiguous Categories......Page 89 The Presence and Absence of Varnas......Page 93 Elaboration: Asramas and Yugas......Page 95 Conclusion......Page 96 The Analytical Problem......Page 97 The Concept of Legitimacy......Page 98 Legitimacy as Conformity: Rajadharma......Page 99 Alternative Coalitions: A Model......Page 100 Kings and Gifts......Page 101 The Jajmani System......Page 105 Conclusion and Caveat......Page 112 Primary and Countervailing Patterns......Page 114 The Objectification of Conformity and Associations......Page 115 Agency, Contingency, and the Manipulation of Language......Page 119 The Social Sources of Contingency......Page 121 Codes......Page 123 Methodological and Theoretical Considerations......Page 125 What Is to Be Explained......Page 126 Purity and Impurity......Page 127 Sexuality and Asceticism......Page 132 The Structural Sources of Tantrism: A Postscript......Page 138 Auspiciousness and Inauspiciousness......Page 141 Social Sources of Contingency in India......Page 143 Factors and Omens......Page 146 The Dialectic of Agency and Contingency......Page 148 Power, Legitimacy, Auspiciousness, and Purity......Page 152 Conclusions......Page 154 The Phenomena to Be Explained......Page 160 Theoretical and Methodological Considerations......Page 162 A General Theory of Status Alliances......Page 163 Alternative Responses: Hypergamy and Exchange Marriages......Page 166 Hypergamy......Page 167 Upper Castes in the South......Page 172 Intermediate Patterns: Handling Contradictions......Page 174 Alliances in Lower and Middle Castes......Page 177 Conclusion......Page 178 Status and Sacredness......Page 180 Sacredness and Power......Page 181 Types of Relationships to the Supernatural......Page 183 Congruent and Incongruent Relationships......Page 185 The Sacred as the Realm of Reversals and Compensation......Page 186 The Focus of What Follows......Page 187 Worship as a Status Process......Page 189 Purity, Pollution, and Sacral Status: A Preliminary......Page 191 The Fundamental Elements of Puja......Page 192 Christian Worship......Page 198 A Note on Sacrifice, Prayer, and Preaching......Page 199 The Relationship Between Social and Sacred Models......Page 200 Differences in Formality: Elaboration and Reversal......Page 202 The Limits of the Analysis......Page 204 Status Attainment in the World-to-Come......Page 206 Hindu Soteriologies......Page 207 Christian Soteriology: A Brief Analysis......Page 219 15. Eschatology......Page 221 Hinduism and the Caste System......Page 222 Contemporary Religious Movements......Page 226 The Complexities of Alternative and Counter-Structures......Page 228 Generalizations and Qualifications......Page 231 Christian Eschatology and Social Structure......Page 232 The Question of Why......Page 238 Compensation Theory Reconsidered: A Postscript......Page 240 Appendix: A Note on the Sociology of Religious Ideology......Page 242 Some Limitations......Page 245 A Retrospect......Page 246 Appendix: Theoretical Implications and Possibilities......Page 254 A......Page 260 B......Page 261 C......Page 262 D......Page 263 I......Page 264 K......Page 265 M......Page 266 P......Page 267 S......Page 269 U......Page 270 Y......Page 271 Notes......Page 274 Bibliography......Page 320 A......Page 341 C......Page 342 E......Page 344 H......Page 345 K......Page 346 M......Page 347 P......Page 348 R......Page 349 S......Page 350 T......Page 351 W......Page 352 Z......Page 353 Contents 12 A Note on Foreign Words 16 1. Introduction 20 Contemporary Social Theory 20 A Theoretical Strategy 23 Types of Resources and Types of Social Structures 24 Symbolic Capital 25 Status, Legitimacy, and Sacredness 28 The Analytical Strategy 29 Imagining India 29 Status, Sacredness, and the Modern World 31 2. Theoretical Concepts 35 Symbols, Agency, Contingency, and Structure 35 Social Formations 37 Types of Power and Types of Social Formations 39 Variations in the Importance of Resources 45 3. A Theory of Status Relationships: Key Elements 46 The Characteristics of Status as a Resource 46 The Sources of Status 52 Summary 58 4. Key Features of Indian Society: What Is to Be Explained 59 Hinduism: A Brief Sketch 59 Caste and the Social Structure 63 Economic and Political Power: Control of Land and Labor 65 Cultural Ideologies and Codes 67 What Is to Be Explained 69 5. Explaining the Key Features of Caste 70 Status and Power in India 70 What Is to Be Explained 71 Stability and Inalienability 71 Mobility and Inexpansibility 73 Conformity and the Elaboration of Norms and Rituals 75 Associations and the Regulation of Marriage and Eating 77 Gifts: Articulating Status and Material Resources 78 6. The Social Categories of Traditional India 80 The Problem Defined 80 What Is to Be Explained 80 Relationships Between the Different Types of Power 81 Types of Elites and Their Antagonists: A General Model 82 Applying the Model to India 84 The Genius of the Brahmans 85 Kshatriyas and Sudras 87 Missing Categories 88 Ambiguous Categories 89 The Prominence of Certain Categories 93 The Presence and Absence of Varnas 93 Elaboration: Asramas and Yugas 95 Conclusion 96 7. The Articulation of Status and Material Resources: Political and Economic Legitimacy 97 The Analytical Problem 97 What Is to Be Explained 98 The Concept of Legitimacy 98 Legitimacy as Conformity: Rajadharma 99 Legitimacy by Association 100 Alternative Coalitions: A Model 100 Kings and Gifts 101 The Jajmani System 105 Conclusion and Caveat 112 8. A Theory of Status Relationships: Additional Elements 114 Primary and Countervailing Patterns 114 The Objectification of Conformity and Associations 115 Agency, Contingency, and the Manipulation of Language 119 The Social Sources of Contingency 121 9. Cultural Codes and Rituals: I 123 Codes 123 Methodological and Theoretical Considerations 125 What Is to Be Explained 126 Purity and Impurity 127 Sexuality and Asceticism 132 Purity, Asceticism, and Agency 138 The Structural Sources of Tantrism: A Postscript 138 10. Cultural Codes and Rituals: II 141 Auspiciousness and Inauspiciousness 141 Social Sources of Contingency in India 143 Factors and Omens 146 The Dialectic of Agency and Contingency 148 Power, Legitimacy, Auspiciousness, and Purity 152 Conclusions 154 11. Status Relations in Marriage Alliances 160 The Phenomena to Be Explained 160 Theoretical and Methodological Considerations 162 A General Theory of Status Alliances 163 The Inferiority of Wife-Givers: An Ad Hoc Variable 166 Alternative Responses: Hypergamy and Exchange Marriages 166 Hypergamy 167 Upper Castes in the South 172 Intermediate Patterns: Handling Contradictions 174 Alliances in Lower and Middle Castes 177 Conclusion 178 12. On the Nature of Sacredness 180 Status and Sacredness 180 Sacredness and Power 181 Types of Relationships to the Supernatural 183 Congruent and Incongruent Relationships 185 The Sacred as the Realm of Reversals and Compensation 186 The Focus of What Follows 187 13. The Worship of Gods 189 Worship as a Status Process 189 Purity, Pollution, and Sacral Status: A Preliminary 191 The Fundamental Elements of Puja 192 Christian Worship 198 A Note on Sacrifice, Prayer, and Preaching 199 The Relationship Between Social and Sacred Models 200 Differences in Formality: Elaboration and Reversal 202 The Limits of the Analysis 204 14. Salvation and Soteriology 206 Status Attainment in the World-to-Come 206 Hindu Soteriologies 207 Christian Soteriology: A Brief Analysis 219 15. Eschatology 221 Hinduism and the Caste System 222 Contemporary Religious Movements 226 The Complexities of Alternative and Counter-Structures 228 Generalizations and Qualifications 231 Christian Eschatology and Social Structure 232 Cultural Analysis, Structuralism, and Generalizations 238 The Question of Why 238 Compensation Theory Reconsidered: A Postscript 240 Appendix: A Note on the Sociology of Religious Ideology 242 16. Conclusions 245 Some Limitations 245 A Retrospect 246 Appendix: Theoretical Implications and Possibilities 254 Glossary 260 A 260 B 261 C 262 D 263 E 264 G 264 H 264 I 264 J 265 K 265 L 266 M 266 N 267 P 267 R 269 S 269 T 270 U 270 V 271 Y 271 Notes 274 Bibliography 320 Index 341 A 341 B 342 C 342 D 344 E 344 F 345 G 345 H 345 I 346 J 346 K 346 L 347 M 347 N 348 O 348 P 348 Q 349 R 349 S 350 T 351 U 352 V 352 W 352 Y 353 Z 353 A Note On Foreign Words -- Contemporary Social Theory -- A Theoretical Strategy -- Types Of Resources And Types Of Social Structures -- Symbolic Capital -- Status, Legitimacy, And Sacredness -- The Analystical Strategy -- Imagining India -- Status, Sacredness, And The Modern World -- Theoretical Concepts -- Symbols, Agency, Contingency, And Structure -- Social Formations -- Types Of Power And Types Of Social Formations -- Variations In The Importance Of Resources -- A Theory Of Status Relationships: Key Elements -- The Characteristics Of Status As A Resource -- The Sources Of Status -- Key Features Of Indian Society: What Is To Be Explained -- Hinduism: A Brief Sketch -- Caste And The Social Structure -- Economic And Political Power: Control Of Land And Labor -- Cultural Ideologies And Codes -- What Is To Be Explained -- Explaining The Key Features Of Caste -- Status And Power In India -- What Is To Be Explained -- Stability And Inalienability -- Mobility And Inexpansibility -- Conformity And The Elaboration Of Norms And Rituals -- Associations And The Regulation Of Marriage And Eating -- Gifts: Articulating Status And Material Resources -- The Social Categories Of Traditional India -- The Problem Defined -- What Is To Be Explained -- Relationships Between The Different Types Of Power -- Types Of Elites And Their Antagonists: A General Model -- Applying The Model To India -- The Genius Of The Brahmans -- Kshatriyas And Sudras -- Missing Categories -- Ambiguous Categories -- The Prominence Of Certain Categories. Murray Milner, Jr. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.

status And Sacredness Provides A New Theory Of Status And Sacral Relationships And A Provocative Reinterpretation Of The Indian Caste System And Hinduism. Milner Shows How In India And Many Other Social Contexts Status Is A Key Resource, And That Sacredness Can Be Usefully Understood As A Special Form Of Status. By Analyzing The Nature Of This Resource Milner Is Able To Provide Powerful Explanations Of The Key Features Of The Social Structure, Culture, And Religion. He Argues Against The Widely Held View That The Indian Caste System Is Best Understood As A Unique Cultural Development, Demonstrating That Many Of The Seemingly Exotic Features Are Variations On Themes Common To Other Societies. Milner's Analysis Is Rooted In A New Theoretical Framework Called Resource Structuralism That Helps To Clarify The Nature And Significance Of Power And Symbolic Capital. The Book Thus Provides A Bold New Analysis Of India, An Innovative Approach To The Analysis Of Religion, And An Important Contribution To Social Theory.

Status and Sacredness provides a new theory of status and sacral relationships and a provocative reinterpretation of the Indian caste system and Hinduism. Milner shows how in India and many other social contexts status is a key resource, and that sacredness can be usefully understood as a special form of status. By analysing the nature of this resource Milner is able to provide powerful explanations of the key features of the social structure, culture, and religion. He argues against the widely held view that the Indian caste system is best understood as a unique cultural development, demonstrating that many of the seemingly exotic features are variations on themes common to other societies. Milner's analysis is rooted in a new theoretical framework called "resource structuralism" that helps to clarify the nature and significance of power and symbolic capital. The book thus provides a bold new analysis of India, an innovative approach to the analysis of religion, and an important contribution to social theory