Pedalling Out of Sociocultural Precariousness: Religious Conversions amongst the Hindu Dalits to Christianity in Nepal
Christian conversion has become a major topic of discussion amongst academics, religious leaders, and policymakers alike in recent decades, especially in developing countries. Nepal has witnessed one of the highest rates of Hinduism to Christianity conversion in South Asia. Whilst there are no legal...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Religions |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/12/10/856 |
| _version_ | 1827678705751687168 |
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| author | Bishnu Pariyar Sushma Chhinal Shyamu Thapa Magar Rozy Bisunke |
| author_facet | Bishnu Pariyar Sushma Chhinal Shyamu Thapa Magar Rozy Bisunke |
| author_sort | Bishnu Pariyar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Christian conversion has become a major topic of discussion amongst academics, religious leaders, and policymakers alike in recent decades, especially in developing countries. Nepal has witnessed one of the highest rates of Hinduism to Christianity conversion in South Asia. Whilst there are no legal restrictions for religious conversion in Nepal, the conversion from Hinduism to Christianity appears to be disproportionately higher amongst Dalit communities in Nepal. However, religious conversion amongst Nepalese Dalits is yet to be fully understood. This research uses mixed methodologies of data collection and analysis to explore various issues related to religious conversion amongst Hindu Dalits into Christianity in Nepal. Results indicate whilst elderly and female Dalits tended to convert to Christianity, a range of factors specific to personal and communal biographies including social, cultural, emotional, and spiritual interplay together to shape the process of religious conversion amongst the Dalits. The paper concludes that the study of religious conversion should consider a range of sociocultural factors to fully understand the dynamics of religious conversion amongst Dalits. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:14:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e6f6862de38c40e2bf0d02ad0ee72c0d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:14:47Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-e6f6862de38c40e2bf0d02ad0ee72c0d2023-11-22T19:52:11ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442021-10-01121085610.3390/rel12100856Pedalling Out of Sociocultural Precariousness: Religious Conversions amongst the Hindu Dalits to Christianity in NepalBishnu Pariyar0Sushma Chhinal1Shyamu Thapa Magar2Rozy Bisunke3School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UKCentral Department of Anthropology, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur 44618, NepalCentral Department of Anthropology, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur 44618, NepalSamata Foundation, Lalitpur 44600, NepalChristian conversion has become a major topic of discussion amongst academics, religious leaders, and policymakers alike in recent decades, especially in developing countries. Nepal has witnessed one of the highest rates of Hinduism to Christianity conversion in South Asia. Whilst there are no legal restrictions for religious conversion in Nepal, the conversion from Hinduism to Christianity appears to be disproportionately higher amongst Dalit communities in Nepal. However, religious conversion amongst Nepalese Dalits is yet to be fully understood. This research uses mixed methodologies of data collection and analysis to explore various issues related to religious conversion amongst Hindu Dalits into Christianity in Nepal. Results indicate whilst elderly and female Dalits tended to convert to Christianity, a range of factors specific to personal and communal biographies including social, cultural, emotional, and spiritual interplay together to shape the process of religious conversion amongst the Dalits. The paper concludes that the study of religious conversion should consider a range of sociocultural factors to fully understand the dynamics of religious conversion amongst Dalits.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/12/10/856religious conversionDalitsdiscriminationChristianityNepal |
| spellingShingle | Bishnu Pariyar Sushma Chhinal Shyamu Thapa Magar Rozy Bisunke Pedalling Out of Sociocultural Precariousness: Religious Conversions amongst the Hindu Dalits to Christianity in Nepal Religions religious conversion Dalits discrimination Christianity Nepal |
| title | Pedalling Out of Sociocultural Precariousness: Religious Conversions amongst the Hindu Dalits to Christianity in Nepal |
| title_full | Pedalling Out of Sociocultural Precariousness: Religious Conversions amongst the Hindu Dalits to Christianity in Nepal |
| title_fullStr | Pedalling Out of Sociocultural Precariousness: Religious Conversions amongst the Hindu Dalits to Christianity in Nepal |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pedalling Out of Sociocultural Precariousness: Religious Conversions amongst the Hindu Dalits to Christianity in Nepal |
| title_short | Pedalling Out of Sociocultural Precariousness: Religious Conversions amongst the Hindu Dalits to Christianity in Nepal |
| title_sort | pedalling out of sociocultural precariousness religious conversions amongst the hindu dalits to christianity in nepal |
| topic | religious conversion Dalits discrimination Christianity Nepal |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/12/10/856 |
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