Paper short abstract:

In this paper I put forth and analyse some of the key factors that transformed Pakistan-administered Kashmir's social stratification over time.

Paper long abstract:

Most inhabitants of a cluster of villages in central Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PaK) state that the strict hierarchy that once characterised their society has almost ceased to exist, as many features of this hierarchy are no longer present in their everyday lives. They profess that there is now more equality among quoms (caste-like status groups) and biradaris (kinship groups), as the distinction between these groups is now based on 'difference' rather than hierarchy. In other words, social stratification has changed from being vertical to being horizontal. In this paper I put forth and analyse four key interconnected factors that changed over time and contributed to a transformation of social stratification in the region (or the perception of transformation), namely changes in patterns of land ownership, migration, electoral politics, and education levels.