André Béteille is an Indian sociologist and social anthropologist known for his work on social stratification, caste, class, and equality in modern India. He has been associated for much of his career with the Department of Sociology at the University of Delhi, where his teaching and writing have shaped contemporary Indian sociology.
| Name | André Béteille |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian |
| Field | Sociology, social anthropology |
| Principal affiliation | University of Delhi |
| Notable themes | Caste, class, equality, social stratification, institutions |
Béteille's scholarship has engaged closely with the social structure of Indian society, drawing on both empirical fieldwork and comparative sociological theory. His writing has examined how categories such as caste and class interact in changing rural and urban contexts, and how ideas of equality and hierarchy operate within Indian institutions.
Béteille spent the central part of his academic career at the Department of Sociology, University of Delhi, where he taught generations of students and contributed to building the department as a leading centre for sociological research in India. He has also engaged with sociological discussions internationally through lectures and publications.
Béteille is regarded as one of the influential figures in Indian sociology in the post-Independence era. His careful, often essayistic, style of writing on contested social questions has contributed to public as well as academic debate on caste, equality, and the character of Indian democracy.