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The odour of segregation

Jusmeet S. Sihra

International Sociology2025https://doi.org/10.1177/02685809251324473article
AJG 2
Weight
0.41

What the paper says

This article explores odour as a powerful mechanism in reproducing caste and investigates how odour affects caste boundaries. Based on embodied ethnographic fieldwork and interviews conducted in Ajmer, India, I show that odours create symbolic boundaries for ex-untouchables. I argue that these malodours are structurally produced within and around the spatial boundaries of ex-untouchable ghettos through the interaction of disadvantaged topographies, filth, caste occupations and urban poverty. The article makes three key contributions: first, it establishes that odour is not only cultural but also structural; second, it introduces a sensorial perspective to studying segregation; and third, it identifies a novel mechanism on the social reproduction of caste hierarchies.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/02685809251324473

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@article{jusmeet2025,
  title        = {{The odour of segregation}},
  author       = {Jusmeet S. Sihra},
  journal      = {International Sociology},
  year         = {2025},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/02685809251324473},
}

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The odour of segregation

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Evidence weight

0.41

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.25 × 0.4 = 0.10
M · momentum0.55 × 0.15 = 0.08
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.