Contents: Preface.1. Introducing the concept of ‘Dalit’. 2. Dalits and the caste question. 3. The emergence of Dalit literature. 4. Understanding Dalit aesthetics. 5. Dalit criticism in practice: Akhila Naik’s Bheda. 6. Pedagogical approaches to Dalit literature. Conclusion. This book is an attempt to write and develop a critical literary history and theory of Dalit literature. The book grapples with several questions and issues that are key to understanding Dalit voices in literature: Who is a Dalit? What is the history and context of Dalit self-expression? What is the philosophy of Dalit literature? What is Dalit aesthetics? How does one read, interpret and teach Dalit literature? While providing a concise critical survey of the five decades of Dalit literature and criticism, the book deals with Dalit life, culture and history.