SOCIOLOGY CLASS- XII
PATTERNS OF SOCIAL INEQUALITY AND EXCLUSION
सामाजिक विषमता एवं बहिष्कार के स्वरुप
Inequality (विषमता) & Exclusion (बहिष्कार) in every day life make them almost natural(स्वाभाविक). News reports about violence against women,differently abled,caste discrimination are part our daily life.
We think poor deserved that as they are lacking in ability or haven't tried hard enough to improve their situation.
What is Social about Social Inequality & Exclusion? (सामाजिक विषमता एवं बहिष्कार सामाजिक कैसे है?)
1.Not-about individuals but groups.
2.Not just economic although a strong link between social & economic
inequality.
3. Definite pattern to social inequalities- systematic (व्यवस्थित) & structured(संरचनात्मक).
SOCIAL INEQUALITY (सामाजिक विषमता)
In every society, people have different share of resources- money,health,power,education.....
Social Resources (सामाजिक संसाधन)- in the forms of Capital(पूँजी)
* Economic (आर्थिक) Capital - material assets & income.
* Cultural (सांस्कृतिक) Capital- educational qualification & Status.
* Social (सामाजिक) Capital- Net work of contacts & social associations)
So, A person with good economic capital can afford expensive education, acquire cultural capital & also have influential friends, acquire social capital.
Patterns of unequal access to social resources are commonly called Social Inequality (सामाजिक विषमता).
Social inequality is not the outcome of natural differences but it is produced by the society in which we live.
Social stratification (सामाजिक स्तरीकारण) refer to a system by which categories of people are ranked in a hierarchy in a Society.
Key principles of social stratification(सामाजिक स्तरीकारण के सिद्धांत)
1.Characteristic of society not simply a function of individual differences.
It is society wide system.
Primitive societies(आदिम समाज)- rudimentary (initial/basic) social stratification.
Technological advanced societies- unequal distribution of social resources among people.
2.Persists over generations.
Ascribed position(प्रदत)
Same caste restrictions.
3. Supported by patterns of beliefs or ideology.
Purity & pollution
superior & Inferior on the basis of birth & occupation.
- Social exclusion & discrimination on the basis of economic resources is partially true.
- People often face exclusion & discrimination on the basis of gender, religion, language, ethnicity, caste, disability.
Prejudices(पूर्वाग्रह) [Pre-judgement]
Refers to pre-conceived (पूर्वकल्पित) opinions held by members of
one group towards another.
opinion formed before considering any available evidence.
preconceived view that are often based on hearsay (सुनी-सुनाई बातें) rather than on direct evidence.
Ideas that are resistant to change even in the face of new information.
May be either positive or negative.
Stereotypes (रूढ़िबद्ध धारणाएँ)
Prejudices are grounded in stereotypes : fixed and inflexible characterisations of a group of people.
Stereotypes are often applied to ethnic and racial groups and to women.
Stereotypes fix whole groups into single, homogenous (एक समान) categories;
They refuse to recognize the variation(भिन्नता) across individuals and across contexts or across time.
Discrimination(भेदभाव) refers to actual behaviour towards another group or individual, practices that disqualify a group from opportunities open to others.
Social Exclusion(
Result of Deprivation & Discrimination.
Refers to ways in which individuals may become cut off from full involvement in the wider society.
It prevents individuals or groups from having opportunities open to the majority of the population.
It is not accidental(आकस्मिक) but systematic(व्यवस्थित); i.e., it is a result structural features of society.
It is involuntary(अनैच्छिक) - exclusion is practiced regardless of the wishes of those who are
excluded.
For example, rich people are never found sleeping on the pavements(फुटपाथ) or under bridges like thousands of homeless poor people in cities and towns.
This does not mean that the rich are being
'excluded' from access to pavements and park benches, because they could
certainly gain access if they wanted to, but they choose not do.
The Caste System As a Discriminatory System.(जाति:एक भेदभावपूर्ण व्यवस्था)
Caste system classified people by their occupation & status.
Each caste had specific place in the hierarchy of social status.
In scriptural (धर्मग्रन्थ) terms, social & economic status were separated.
In modern times, Correlation between social & economic status have weakened.
Link between caste & occupation has become much less rigid.
Untouchability (अस्पृश्यता)
Castes located at the bottom (Untouchables) of the purity-pollution scale.
Touch/ Presence of an untouchable person is considered polluting.
It refers not just to the prohibition of physical contact but to a much broader set of social sanctions.(सामाजिक अनुशास्त्रियों)
Three dimensions (आयाम) of untouchability are -
1.Exclusion(अपवर्जन/बहिष्कार):
Dalits experience forms of exclusion that are unique and not practised against other groups.
Like being prohibited from sharing drinking water sources or
participating in collective religious worship, social ceremonies and festivals.
2.Humiliations & subordination(अनादर & अधीनता) :
Forced inclusion (जोर जबरदस्ती) in a role such as play drums at religious event.
Imposition of gestures
of deference [जबरदस्ती सम्मान प्रदर्शित] (such as taking off headgear,
carrying footwear in the hand, standing with bowed head, not wearing clean or
'bright' clothes...)
3. Exploitation(शोषण) :
Mostly associated with economic
exploitation like imposition of forced, unpaid labour
or the confiscation(जब्त) of property.
- Dalit term coined by untouchables leaders which means 'downtrodden'(पैरों से कुचला हुआ)/ oppressed people(उत्पीड़ित)
- Caste riots in early 1970s in Mumbai
- Emergence of The Dalit Panthers, a radical(उग्र) group in western India for rights & dignity.(सम्मान)
- Most important state initiative is Reservation(आरक्षण).
Reservation of seats for SCs & STs
Reservation in state and central legislatures, jobs in Government services, seats in educational institutions.
- Laws passed to end, punish discrimination.
Caste Disabilities Removal Act. 1850 (जातीय निर्योग्यता निवारण अधिनियम 1850)- Disallowed the curtailment (घटाना) of rights of citizens due to change of religion or caste.
93rd Constitutional amendment (संविधान संशोधन) act of 2005 reservation for OBCs in higher education. (became law on 23rd Jan.2006)
1850 Law & 2005 amendment both related to education, 1850 Act permitted entry of dalits to govt. schools.
SCs & STs (prevention of atrocities) Act. 1989. (अनुसूचित जाति और अनुसूचित जनजाति (अत्याचार निवारण) अधिनियम। 1989.
Abolition of untouchability-Article 17.(अस्पृश्यता का उन्मूलन-अनुच्छेद -17)
- State actions alone cannot ensure social change.Human beings are capable of organising & acting on their own.
Non-State initiatives-(Movements & Struggles)
Political, agitational & cultural struggles.
In pre-independence time, struggles by Jyotiba Phule, Periyar, Ambedkar....
In contemporary times by political organizations like
Bahujan Samaj Party in U.P., Dalit sangharsh Samiti of Karnataka.
Literary contributions by Dalit in Marathi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu & Hindi.
The Other Backwad Classes
(OBC's)
Socially & educationally backward classes / Economically Backward.
Neither part of the forward castes at the upper end, nor of the dalits at the lower end.
OBCs are much more diverse group than the Dalits or Adivasis.
In mid 50s, the OBC issue became a regional affair.
Political agitation had started, powerful social movements.
Measures for OBCs welfare.
* First backward classes commission headed by Kaka Kalelkar Commission.
Submitted report in 1953 but sidelined.
* Second backward classes commission headed by B P Mandal
In 1990, Central govt decided to implement Mandal Commission report.
Since 1990s, resurgence (तेजी) of lower caste movements among both OBCs & Dalits.
OBCs issue became major issue in national politics.
Politicisation of OBCs votes in large numbers.
- Upper OBC's are largely landed (भूमिधर) castes & enjoyed dominance in rural society in many parts of India while the lower/urban OBC's are very poor & disadvantaged and are often not very different from Dalits in Socio-Economics terms
Adivasi Struggles (आदिवासी संघर्ष)
Jana or tribes- people of the forest.
Today, only north eastern states have tribal concentration.
In mid 19th century on tribal movement to tribal areas of central India while tribal people migrated for employment in mines,factories...
Tribals economic & social conditions worse than non-tribals.
Historical evidences of impoverished (गरीबी) & exploited (शोषण) circumstances.
Colonial govt. reserved forest rights for own use.
Denied access to forest land for production/cultivation
Livelihoods was taken away from adivasis.
Either they use forest illegally or migrate in search of wage labour.
After Independence
Govt.monopoly over forest continued.
Govt. policy for industrialisation required power generation,mineral resources were concentrated in adivasi areas.
Adivasi lands acquired for mining & dam project.
Narmada river- Sardar Sarovar Dam.
Godavari river- Polavaram dam.
They were displaced without proper compensation or rehabilitation.
All justified in the name of National Development/Development project.
In 1990s economic liberlisation policies by govt. make easier for corporate firms to acquire large adivasi land.
It connotes(सूचक) political awareness and the assertion of rights(अधिकारों की लड़ाई) like dalit.
Term Adivasi, coined in the 1930s, meaning 'original inhabitants' (मूल निवासी)
Achievements (उपलब्धियों)- Statehood for Jharkhand, Chattisgarh.
Struggle for Women's Equality and Rights(महिलाओं की समानता और अधिकारों के लिए संघर्ष)
Gender is also a form of inequality & exclusion.Due to patriarchal society.
Middle class reform movements (मध्यम वर्गीय सामाजिक सुधार आंदोलन) in 19th century by emerging western educated Indian middle class.
Inspired by western democratic ideals.
Raja Rammohan Roy established Brahmo Samaj in 1828 in Bengal, campaign against sati, child marriage and efforts were made for widow remarriage.
M G Ranade(Brahmin) elaborated shastric sanction for widow remarriage movement also attacked the caste and gender oppression(उत्पीड़न).
Jotiba Phule(Dalit) who founded the Satyashodak Samaj- emphasis on truth seeking(सत्य की खोज), efforts were against caste and gender discrimination.
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan efforts to Muslim society,worked for education of girls but wanted girls to be educated within their homes.
Dayanand Sarawati of the Arya Samaj, worked for women's education and sought for a curriculum included religious principles,arts of housekeeping and handicrafts and rearing of children.
Tarabai Shinde, Maharashtrian housewife protest against the double standards of a male dominated society. wrote Stree Purush Tulana in 1882.
Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain, wrote Sultana's Dream in 1905. In her science fiction dream, Sultana visit a magical country where the gender roles are reversed. Men are at home and observe 'purdah' while women are busy scientists.
In 1931, the Karachi Session of the Indian National Congress issued a declaration on the Fundamental Rights of Citizenship in India which was committed to women's equality.
The declaration reads as follows :
All citizens are equal before the law, irrespective of
religion,caste, creed or sex.
No disability attaches to any citizen, by reason of his or her religion,
caste, creed or sex, in regard to public employment, office of power of honour, & in the exercise of any trade or calling.
The franchise shall be on the basis of universal adult suffrage.
Woman shall have the right to vote, to represent and the right to hold
public offices.
Women's modern issues re-emerged in 1970s.
New issues such as violence against women, the rape of women in police custody, dowry, murders, unequal development....
In 21st century, declining sex ratio, implicit social bias against the girl child are the new challenge of gender inequality.
The struggle of the differently abled (शारीरिक रूप से अक्षम व्यक्तियों का संघर्ष)
Public perception of the disabled needs to be questioned.
Disability has some common features to the public perception thus making it social.
* Understood as a biologically given.
* Whenever, a disabled person is confronted with problems, it
is taken for granted that the problems originate from his/her impairment.
* The disabled person is seen as a victim.
* Disability is supposed to be linked with the disabled
individual's self perception.
* The very idea of disability suggest that they are in need of
help.
Common perception on disability - past karma
Labels as bechara
Positive terms- Mentally challenged, Visually impaired, Physically impaired
Negative terms- retarted, crippled, lame (मंदबुद्धि, अपंग, लंगड़ा)
The disabled are rendered disabled not because they are
biologically disabled but because society renders them so.
There is a close relationship between
disability and poverty.
Malnutrition, mothers health weakened by frequent childbirth, inadequate immunisation programmes, accidents in overcrowded homes, all contribute to incidences of disability among poor people that is higher than among people living in easier circumstances.
Disability also creates poverty by increasing isolation and economic strain, not just for the individual but for the family.
Acc. to 2011 census, 2.68 crore people in India are physically challenged.(In 2001, 2.19 crore)
Recognition of disability is absent (Awareness is increasing).
