Social Movements
Change and Development in India, Unit V. Covers Class-based movements; Caste-based movements; Women’s movements; Tribal and environmental movements.
About this unit
Social movements are sustained, collective efforts by groups of people to bring about or resist social change. This unit explains what makes a movement different from a one-time protest, discusses theories of why movements arise, and studies major movements in India: workers and peasants, Dalits and backward castes, women, tribal communities and environmental groups.
Key ideas
- Features: sustained collective action, shared ideology, organisation and leadership
- Theories: relative deprivation, rational choice (Mancur Olson) and resource mobilisation (McCarthy and Zald)
- Types: redemptive, reformist and revolutionary movements
- Old movements (class and power) and new social movements (identity, quality of life, environment)
- Counter-movements that resist change
- Classic Indian examples: peasant struggles, Dalit Panthers, Chipko, Narmada Bachao Andolan
How to prepare
Learn the definitions and the three theories with their criticisms. Prepare a list of movements with their region, issues and leaders. Questions often present a short description and ask you to identify the type of movement.
Topics in this chapter
Class-based movements
Workers’ and peasants’ movements.
5 questionsCaste-based movements
Dalit, backward caste and upper-caste responses.
5 questionsWomen’s movements
Women’s movements in independent India.
5 questionsTribal and environmental movements
Tribal and environmental movements.
5 questions