English and Dalit identity: a sociolinguistic study in Telangana

English and Dalit Identity: a Sociolinguistic Study in Telangana Boddu Chandrashekar &. Hemanga Dutta The English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU), Hyderabad The present study is based on the assumption that there lies a positive correlation between the upward mobility of Dalits in Telangana in the ladder of social hierarchy and the knowledge of English as a language of global emancipation and empowerment. The questions such as whether English should be the medium of instruction for the Dalit community and whether the possession of the knowledge system associated with English can free the Dalit community from caste based oppressions constitute the very basis of this book. It is seen that Dalits are constantly fighting for the causes of English education pertaining to the needs of their young learners. Thus, majority of the Dalits in India want to embrace English not only for the sake of emancipation and empowerment but also for achieving a global identity. The overall findings of this research work show that Dalits support English as a medium of instruction. English does ensure not only a better life style for the Dalits but also ample avenues to fight against the caste based atrocities. Although it is true that many Dalits of the Telangana state still aspire to have an access to quality English education, the role played by English as a language of emancipation and as a potent instrument of social change in the lives of Dalit communities can never be relegated to the background. ISBN 9783862888610. LINCOM Studies in Sociolinguistics 15. 265pp. 2018.