My PhD is an exploration of the relationship between Dalit activism and literature through an analysis of literature published in the 21^st century. I argue that contemporary literature has a fundamentally different relationship with the activist project than that of forty years ago. Since the inception of the Dalit Panthers in the early 1970s, Dalit literature has been inextricably tied to the activist project, with many Dalit activists using literature as an extension of their activism. In this thesis, I argue that this close relationship has changed as we have entered the 21^st century. I argue that although contemporary Dalit literature often reflects the concerns of political and social activists, contemporary writers are becoming ever more concerned with literary aesthetic and innovation. This focus on literary style and form comes at a moment when writers are beginning to represent Dalit communities in a more positive light, rather than focusing on the pain and degradation of Dalit lives. This combination has created a different kind of Dalit literature that exists today that is radically different from its predecessors. I explore what kind of relationship this literature has with the contemporary activist and political world, whilst also exploring how Dalit art itself has the potential to inspire a new generation of Dalits  and give them a feeling of self-respect. This thesis also explores how Dalits turn to other religions in a bid to reject the dogma of Hinduism which sees them as untouchable, as well as analysing the use of Dalit gods within contemporary Dalit literature.  

This research offers a radically different perspective of Dalit literature that does not position it as a sociological account of Dalit life. Instead, my research views Dalit literature as art in its own right that is infused with the creative energy of Dalit communities. This creativity, in the form of Dalit literature, points towards a positive route towards self-respect for Dalits that does not need to rely on the suffering narrative that Dalit literature was founded upon. By focusing on contemporary texts that offer positive visions of Dalit life, my research will break new ground in the field of Dalit literary studies and offer a framework for analysing Dalit literature that is not rooted in the sociological analysis of pain and suffering.