Class 12 Sociology - KERALA
Social Movements
The chapter 'Social Movements' in Class 12 Sociology explores how collective action brings about social, political, and cultural change. It distinguishes social movements from riots, fads, and institutional politics, highlighting their organized and sustained nature. Students will study different types of social movements, such as peasant, workers', tribal, environmental, and women's movements, with a special focus on Indian contexts like the Chipko movement and Narmada Bachao Andolan. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for board exams as it connects sociological theories of power, inequality, and resistance to real-world democratic processes in contemporary India.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Social Movement
A sustained, collective effort by a group of people to bring about or resist social change, possessing a degree of organization and ideology.
Social Change vs. Social Movement
While social change is an ongoing, natural process affecting society as a whole, a social movement is a deliberate, conscious, and organized collective action aimed at specific goals.
Old Social Movements
Movements primarily centered around class-based struggles, economic issues, and political power, most notably the labor and peasant movements.
New Social Movements
Movements emerging in the late 20th century focusing on identity, quality of life, environment, and human rights rather than purely economic demands.
Eco-Feminism
An ideology linking the oppression of women with the degradation of nature, prominent in environmental movements like Chipko where women played a leading role.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the Kerala (SCERT) Class 12 Sociology board examination, this chapter typically carries around 8 to 12 marks. Questions frequently include objective type questions, short notes on specific movements (like Chipko or Dalit movements), and essay-type questions analyzing the difference between old and new social movements or the role of social movements in a democracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a social movement and a riot?
Why are New Social Movements called 'new'?
They are called 'new' because unlike traditional class-based movements that focused primarily on economic redistribution and political power, these movements focus on identity, lifestyle, cultural values, environmental sustainability, and human rights.
What role did women play in the Chipko Movement?
Women played a central role in the Chipko Movement by hugging trees to protect them from being felled by commercial contractors, highlighting both ecological preservation and their dependence on forest resources for daily survival.
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