Out of curiosity, what cultures would you be most interested in seeing adopted into fantasy worlds? I've been working on world-building non-Western cultures for several projects, and it can't hurt to do more research :)
If you're asking me, I'd love to see more cultures explored which don't slavishly adhere to the standard tropes of our current culture. A few examples which leap immediately to mind: the Iroquois, who highly value women, and who have the longest-lived true democracy in the world, possibly because they insist on respectful oratory and dialog during contentious discussion... the Nepalese culture which I can't recall the name of, where brothers all marry one woman, thereby eliminating the need to split up property for inheritance... and the Moso, of the Country of Daughters in China, who don't have marriage at all.
In India (and neighboring countries with similar caste systems), as I understand it, one section of a caste may try to rise; by adopting customs which belong farther up the ladder, for one thing.
In class systems, one family -- or section of a family -- may rise.
In both cases, there's an alternative to the individual alone rising.
Or, very rarely, a whole caste may try to rise. The actual caste system in India is nowhere near as simple as what most Westerners think, and the line between caste, subcate, and jat can be very blurred sometimes.
On the other hand, I actually think a family rising should be actually more common than a single individual rising since most individuals who do so are not conveniently orphaned in the way many fantasy protagonists are!
If anyone wants a very simplistic view of the caste system in India (though, I'm speaking more from the mythology perspective, since that's what I was brought up on
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oh, and as far as rising up and social mobility, it's usually portrayed as either between the kshatriya and brahmana class, or or someone from any of the classes deciding to give up their worldly things in the pursuit of either God or learning, and eventually becoming a brahmana "through their acquired merits" of penance and meditation.
*Requisite pointless reminder that your self-described non-comprehensive list lacks "sexual orientation" as a factor, which is either not portrayed, or terribly significant in most fantasy
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Most of these came from Spain, although some were produced in Mexico and (in rare cases) locally. Despite its restoration, San Luis Rey probably did more to recreate the impression of a mission against the Southern California landscape: a stark white edifice against high mountains, surrounded by land affected by drought.
I may have brought this up before, but this reminds me of Robin Hobb's Liveship Traders series.
The series is partly about the struggles of a prestigious caste/class of traders to maintain their political and economic power. Most of the books are from the point of view of a trader family or people closely connected to them, so we're really immersed in their viewpoint.
Then, near the end, Hobb smacks us in the face with the point of view of someone from a lower caste. It changes your perception of their goals, which suddenly don't seem nearly so justified or important.
The books aren't perfect, but I really liked that.
The pathetic reimbursements are only its worst feature to me (a doctor) -- the medicaid recipients can tell you in great detail how much it sucks from their side, and state lawmakers and administrators will fill your ears with horror stories from their point of view.
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(great rant)
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In class systems, one family -- or section of a family -- may rise.
In both cases, there's an alternative to the individual alone rising.
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On the other hand, I actually think a family rising should be actually more common than a single individual rising since most individuals who do so are not conveniently orphaned in the way many fantasy protagonists are!
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I always enjoy your rants. :)
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The series is partly about the struggles of a prestigious caste/class of traders to maintain their political and economic power. Most of the books are from the point of view of a trader family or people closely connected to them, so we're really immersed in their viewpoint.
Then, near the end, Hobb smacks us in the face with the point of view of someone from a lower caste. It changes your perception of their goals, which suddenly don't seem nearly so justified or important.
The books aren't perfect, but I really liked that.
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