Can caste shape who plays where? Segregated play spaces and unequal childhood in India
Abstract
Play is often celebrated as a universal medium for childhood development. However, in caste-stratified societies like India, access to play is deeply unequal, with exclusionary practices shaping developmental outcomes from early childhood. The viewpoint explores how caste-based exclusion in play environments functions as a structural and spatial determinant of developmental trajectories. A pathway model linking caste-based play exclusion to long-term developmental consequences is proposed. These include identity threat, altered stress regulation, and constrained educational and occupational opportunities. The viewpoint calls for grassroots theory-building, participatory research, and resilience-building interventions that recognize caste as a lived developmental reality.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Children's Rights and Participation
Anthropological Studies and Insights
South Asian Cinema and Culture
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Children s Geographies
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 337–344
- Publication date
- 3 February 2026
- Language
- EN