This book is an empirical account of the much debated, yet often misconstrued, category of Dalits in India. It primarily concerns itself with the emergent ideological trends and patterns of identities among the middle class Dalits. This is mainly attributed to India's post-independence period reservation policies. In a changing context of Dalit assertion and the caste-Hindu opposition to Dalit mobility, it is essential to understand the rapid changes occurring, not only in their economic status, but also in their own perceptions of their socio-political status, especially by focusing on their ideology and identity. This helps in recognizing the socio-economic political changes and the mobility process that the Dalits are undergoing, which also enables an understanding of the general process of social change in India. Subject: India Studies, Sociology, Minority Studies]