User:Yusufbade/sandbox

Article Evaluation:
Article Title: Historical definitions of races in India

Content – Overall, the content in this article is mediocre at best. There is brief mention of martial racial categorization under British control, a simple acknowledgment of the modern Indian races as having originated from two genetically divergent ancient races, and a short section on the rise of the Aryans and Dravidians. While the information presented is relevant, more pertinent topics should also be covered, including the evolution Indian political structures based on race, how racial perceptions in India changed over time, and the contemporaneous understanding of race throughout the subcontinent. To me, the historical definitions of race are not merely how the various labels came about. Rather, it is a constantly fluctuating concept that is defined by preconceived notions, applications, and ramifications of it over time. Bluntly stated, a civilization that has lasted for over 5000 years and is home to over 1 billion people today has a much more convoluted historical definition of race than what is presented in this article.

Tone – The tone is relatively neutral throughout with the exception of a few backwards citations that the author includes. For instance, a 1899 article is quoted as having described pre-Dravidian peoples as being "of low stature and mean physique." Although one may argue this is a viewpoint that exists and should be acknowledged, I disagree. The claim pits the social, taxonomical concept of race as responsible for poor physical stature. Moreover, the opinion is from a French ethnographer. I feel the information would be better suited if from an ethnically Indian individual, as the article discusses definitions of races in India.

Sources – The sources all work and each major fact is supported by a corresponding source. That being said, like I mentioned previously, less biased and more varied sources should be included to provide a more comprehensive historical evaluation of race in India.

Talk Page – This article is a soapbox. The talk page is extremely active and responsive to the claims made in this article. Specifically, the majority of comments have agreed with my critique in that by the title of this article, it would make more sense to cover topics such as minority rights, racial hate groups and the political situation in India, as opposed to an ethnological breakdown. The article is a part of both WikiProjects India and WikiProjects Ethic groups.