Prejudice&discrimination (1)

PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION IN INDIA 1

Prejudice and Discrimination in India

Mechelle Davidson

Sociology 120

November 11, 2011

Professor Lee Daffin


India's Prejudice and Discrimination toward the people of Dalits and Adivasis, inside

India runs as deep as the multicultural roots forming its country.

Inside India, there exists an abundance of ethnic, linguistic, religious, and cultural

plurality, a magnificent collective of diverse interactions and ideas as well grossly unjust

prejudice and discrimination. This paper examines deeper into the racial attitudes of average

educated Indians within India, with integration, inequality, and racism with a primary focus on

accepted historical protocols that change according to the alterations within the environment of

society’s generations. With prejudicial emphasis, the focus will include the Dalits (formerly

known as ‘untouchables’) and the Adivasis (forest-dwelling tribes) continued movement, as they

fight for social recognition and human dignity.

India described as an extremely multicultural population, of which describes those social

conditions of diversity and unity among its people which is evident throughout various

formations. Formations, refers to these vast differences of diversity in terms of racial, language,

ethnic, religious, and cultural characteristics (Bilgrami, 2010, p. 199). These social and cultural

diversities, based upon recognition of this multiculturalism, integration that acknowledges the

various challenges, needs, and rights of the majority groups within the society’s mainstream.

Within India, lays land that because of its diversity stands unified. Across the expanse of

Indian country, one can find diversity, unity, pride, Indian life force, diverse in a magnitude of

cultures and influenced by all. Surrounded by the habits, style, preferences, costumes, labels,

traditions, cultures, and even heritage of each nationality, of India has but one identity-Indian


(Bilgrami, 2010). With India as one of the oldest cultures, it presents diversified culture in

dances, languages, people, customs, festivals, and even religions. India holds a combination of

every one of these characteristics, which allows the exclusive Indian rich expansive culture to

enhance and weave a collectivistic culture that encompasses the wondrous mixture, and variety

that influences endless variations and variety for one to marvel.

Traditional Indians hold values that transcended down through generations as genetic

traits of simplicity, tending toward fatalism or quietism accepting of the fortune or misfortune

alike without much complaint. Different cultural orientations can be strong, with values

emphasizing the drive and behaviors of working adults according to the faction of culture and the

organizational values indoctrinated through training (Mujtaba & Pohlman, 2010). “The term

Culture refers to a state of intellectual development or manners” (Bilgrami, 2010, p.203). Social

and political forces influences the growth of culture, resulting in India’s rich and diverse culture

composing unique manners and communications with others. This multicultural society could

not be stable or last long without the development of integration among the citizens. With equal

citizenship crucial to their fostering of a common sense of belonging, it is not enough;

acceptance, status, and rights are needed to implicate the full feeling of significance within the

Indian community.

The way in which society characterize itself, the undignified ways in which one is treated

among members of other groups, or the dismissive and patronizing ways in which they are

treated sends the feeling of rejection, and a sense of alienation that is a form of prejudice and

discrimination. The Dalits make up one-sixth of India’s population, with between 170-200

million (estimates vary) (Bidwai, 2004, p.19). Historically they represent the most marginalized


and impoverished of Indian society discriminated-against. The Indian Constitution recognizes

the need for equality and social justice for all, and values the society’s motivation to enhance the

poor while eating away at the hierarchical. This Constitution provided a host of positive

measures including the abolition of ‘untouchability’, prohibiting the practice. While its practice

has not disappeared, it has reduced through the assistance of anti-discriminatory and preventative

laws (Bidwai, 2004).

However, the Dalits are limited in their advancements while having adequate

representation within the state, there is not in the economic market. While arranged

constitutionally mandated affirmative action has led to gains in employment by 38% in India’s

urban areas, together with public education have cultivated an emerging Dalits middle class.

Bestowing the Dalits with vital leadership and creating a hope for advancement in the entire

Dalits population (Bidwai, 2004).

Philosophically, notable leaders of India’s past like; Gandhi saw the world in terms of

harmony; Ambedkar saw it in terms of contradictions, and regarded capitalism and class as

oppressive-believing that enlightenment was in the state of socio-economic justice. The Indian

social movement, inspired by both Gandhi’s’ vision of local empowerment, social harmony, and

anti-secularism; and Ambedkar modernist view, offer a source of immense pride and respect for

the significant educational achievements and leadership in the struggle against untouchability.

With different cultures representing diverse systems of both meaning and visions, there is

a realization of limited human capacities and emotions to grasp only a limited range or part of

the human existence, and its need of other cultures to understand itself better.


Within the social identity of India aspects of education and social mobility, religious

interactions and class expression of Hindu, Dravidian, Muslim, and others are key. These areas

that emerges the tribal expression of society and property rights are engaging many cultural

struggles with cultures of others around them such as the tribal’s of north-eastern states, Orissa,

Madhya Pradesh and others (Singh, Srinivasan, Sista, & Parashar 2008, p.255). Within this

culture, having access to others will promote enrichment, if not culturally self-contained; life is

practically equal for most human beings inside the modern, mobile, and interdependent world of

today’s India.

As culturally embedded senses grow within a culturally controlled world, human beings

arrange their lives and social relations to the perspective way of viewing life. While culture

grows through the conscious and unconscious interactions with others, identity is the significant

parts of these origins that defines the differences as safeguarding integrity devoid of coherence or

external influences, which assimilates self-determination. With India’s signatory to elimination

of all forms of discrimination against women (CEDAW, a committed national level to formulate

affirmative action programs for women that promotes gender equality to the mainstream

contemporary India (Anand, 2009, p.96). With India’s inimitable cultural history and heritage,

primarily a patriarchal society, and through the rich diverse cultural heritage of ancient days,

India’s unity in diversity is rooted in making a multicultural existence more meaningful and

strong.

With several centuries of experience living with multicultural society, and the advent of

technology and women emancipation, western concepts of dress, beliefs, and work are concepts

most homeland Indians are adapting with their hospitality and tolerance, managing immense


potentials to transform within this opportunity of extended multicultural society in the

international arena. A social movement and political parties must work together to organize a

growing recognition for global peace to transcend nationalist ‘anti-imperialism’, and the

mobilization of the worlds’ second superpower. This bringing India a closer dialogue between

the left and the movement for justice and peace to strengthen both on ethnic issues with

interaction of Dalits and foreign delegates (Smith, 2008, p.23). For bonding multiculturalists’

perspectives within a good society, one cherishes the diversity and encourages a creative

dialogue between these different cultures and the moral visions of each.

The commitment for a common interest will make a healthy society, understanding each

other and unite in the adhesive of love for country and strength that will never wither away. This

too will bring people closer, irrespective of color, creed, religion, status, and boundaries learning

the finesse of binding people with love and friendship-giving way to unity with all variations to

the hard-earned independence of each culture. This will strengthen the sparks of affection

bringing people closer, within this multilingual, multi-religious, multiethnic, geographically, and

economically diverse country.


References

Anand, M. (2009). Gender in Social Work Education and Practice in India. Social Work

Education , 96-105.

Bidwai, P. (2004). India Hosts the World. Nation:Vol.278 Issue 6, , 7-22.

Bilgrami, T. (2010). Multiculturalism in India. Learning Community: Vol.1 No.2. , 199-205.

Mujtaba, B. G., & Pohlman, R. (2010). Value Orientation of Indian and U.S. Respondents: A

Study of Gender, Education, and National Culture. SAM Advanced Management Journal , 40-49.

Singh, S. K., Srinivasan, V., Sista, S., & Parashar, M. (2008). Cross Cultural Conceptualizations:

A Case for Multiple National Cultures in India. IIMB Management Review , 249-262.

Smith, P. J. (2008). Going Global: The Transnational Politics of the Dalits Movement.

Globalizations, Vol. 5, No. 1, , 13-33.