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Chapter7-Civics-Understanding Marginalisation

This document discusses marginalized groups in India, focusing on Adivasis (indigenous tribes) and Muslims. It explains that Adivasis face stereotyping depicting them as primitive or resistant to change, despite their historical knowledge of forests. While they traditionally lived sustainably, they have been displaced from their lands and livelihoods by policies favoring industry and agriculture. As a result, many Adivasis now live in poverty. Muslims, who comprise 13.4% of the population, also experience marginalization through lack of access to development, education, and jobs. Both groups seek to preserve their cultures while gaining equal rights and opportunities.

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206 views

Chapter7-Civics-Understanding Marginalisation

This document discusses marginalized groups in India, focusing on Adivasis (indigenous tribes) and Muslims. It explains that Adivasis face stereotyping depicting them as primitive or resistant to change, despite their historical knowledge of forests. While they traditionally lived sustainably, they have been displaced from their lands and livelihoods by policies favoring industry and agriculture. As a result, many Adivasis now live in poverty. Muslims, who comprise 13.4% of the population, also experience marginalization through lack of access to development, education, and jobs. Both groups seek to preserve their cultures while gaining equal rights and opportunities.

Uploaded by

surabhi kalita
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Chapter – 

07 Civics Understanding Marginalisation  


 
What does it mean to be Socially Marginalised:  
(i) To be marginalized it t be forced to occupy the sides or fringes and thus not be at the
centre of things.  
(ii) Sometimes marginalized groups are viewd with hostility and fear.  
iii) To make certain groups in society feel marginalized, there are economic, social, cultural
and political factors. Thus, marginalization is seldom experienced in one sphere.  
 
Who are Adivasis:  
(i) The term ‘Adivasis’ refers to the original inhabitants.  
(ii) Adivasis are communities who lived and often continue to live in close association with
forests.  
iii) Adivasis are particularly numerous in states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Andhra
Pradesh, West Bengal, and in the north-eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam,
Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. Orrisa is home to more than sixty
different tribal groups.  
iv) Adivasis practice a range of tribal religions that are different from Islam, Hinduisma and
Christianity.  
v) Adivasis worship ancestors, own village and nature spirits. They have been influenced by
different religions, like Shakta, Buddhist, Vaishnav, Bhakti and Christianity.  
vi) Adivasis have their own languages, Santhali has the largest number of speakers and has a
significant body of publication.  
 
Adivasis and Stereotyping:  
i) Adivasis are invariably portrayed in very stereotypical ways-in colourful costumes,headgear
and through their dancing.  
ii) Adivasis are blamed for their lack of advancement as they are believed to be resistant to
change or new ideas.  
iii) People believe that the Adivasis have a primitive background.  
 
Adivasis and Development:  
(i) Forests play a crucial role in the development of all empires and settled civilization in
India.  
(ii) Adivasis had deep knowledge of forest. Often empires heavily depended on Adivasis for
the crucial access to forest resources.  
iii) In today’s world. Adivasis are considered marginal and powerless communities.  
iv) In the pre-colonial world, they were traditionally ranged hunter-gatherers and nomads and
they lived by shifting agriculture and cultivating at one place.
(v) For the past two hundred years, Adivasis have been forced through economic changes,
forest policies and political force applied by State to migrate as workers in plantations,
industries and as domestic workers.  
vi) Forest lands have been cleared for timber and to get land for agriculture and industry.  
vii) Huge tracts of lands have gone under the waters of hundreds of dams that have been
built in independent India.  
(viii) Losign their lands and access to the forests means that tribals lose their main source of
livelihood and Adivasis have migrated to cities in search of work.  
(ix) They get caught in the cycle of poverty and deprivation. Almost 45% of tribal groups in
rural areas and 35% in urban areas live below the poverty line.  
 
Minorities and Marginalisation:  
i) The term minority is most commonly used to refer to communities that are numerically small
in relation to the rest of the population.  
ii) Safeguards are needed to protect minority communities against the possibility of being
culturally dominated by the majority.  
iii) The Constitution provides these safeguards because it is committed to protecting India’s
cultural diversity and promoting equality as well as justice.  
 
Muslims and Marginalisation:  
(i) Muslims are 13.4% of India’s population and are considered to be a marginalized
community in India.  
(ii) They have over the years been deprived of the benefits of socio-economic development.
They have been deprived of basic amenities, literacy and public employment.  
iii) Recognizing that Muslims in India were lagging behind in terms of various development in
indicators, the government set up a high-level committee in 2005.  
iv) The report of the community suggests that Muslim community is comparable to that of
other marginalized communities like Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.  
v) Muslim customs and practices such as wearing burqa and fez make them different from
others. Because of this, they tend to be identified differently and some people think they
are not like the ‘rest of us’. This often becomes an excuse to treat them unfarily.  
(vi) This social marginalization of Muslims in some instances has led to their migration from
places where they have lived, often leading to the ghettorisation of the community.  
 
Conclusion:  
(i) In India, there are several more marginalized communities like Dalits.  
ii) Marginalized communities want to maintain their cultural distinctiveness while having
access to rights, development and other opportunities. 

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