The Dalits of India are downtrodden "out-castes", constituting 17 per cent of the Indian population. However, thanks partly to the "mass movements" of the 19th and 20th centuries, they are comprised largely of those of the Christian faith. As a result of a sabbatical journey to India and Pakistan, David Haslam offers a sympathetic outsider's glimpse into India's caste system and the liberation struggle of the Dalits. Comparison is made between casteism and racism and the Church is called upon to play its part in overcoming caste oppression across India.