Current Issues in Community Organisationignou.ac.in/upload/bswe-03-block1-unit-4-small-size.pdf · Current Issues in Community Organisation 55 4 ... is basically responsible for discrimination

Current Issues in Community Organisation 55

4

Current Issues in CommunityOrganisation

* Gopal Ji Mishra

Introduction

The communities of today are facing lots of challenges.The ancient social relations, emotional bonds andsentimental ties are no more significant and visible.The community consciousness is rapidly loweringdown. Dirty politics has entered into the peacefullife of the community people and they are dividedinto different political groups and sub-groups. Thejoint family system is fast disintegrating and strainson human mind are increasing. Communaldisharmony, gender inequality, factionalism, protectionof rights of marginalized groups, feelings of deprivationsamong different classes like cultivators, industrialworkers, daily wage earners, alteration of propertyrelations in favour of the less privileged and impactof macro policies at micro levels are some currentissues which require immediate intervention whileworking with communities, institutions andorganisations. This chapter gives you a broadunderstanding of issues, which are affecting thedynamics of the healthy life-styles and functioningof the communities and organisations. Let us nowunderstand the meaning of gender, difference betweengender and sex, gender system and its elementsand impact of gender system on women inequalities.

Prof. Gopal Ji Mishra, Assam University, Silchar

56 Social Work Intervention with Communities and Institutions

Gender Sensitive CommunityOrganisation Practice

According to the Oxford dictionary, gender has beendefined as sexual classification i.e. male and female.But gender is not a biological attribute. It is createdby the society. There is need of a equality between‘Men’ and ‘Women’. Unfortunately, our present systemis involved in developing its own set of rules, whichis basically responsible for discrimination and injusticeof women and girl child in our society.

Difference Between Gender and Sex

Gender Sex

Socially defined Biologically defined

Socio-cultural difference Natural difference

Made by the society Naturally made

Variable Constant

Gender gives different values to Men and Women.The biological sex differences are accepted as correctindicator for differential male-female access andtheir participation in the society.

Gender System

Our society is organised around some given parametersand aims, the functionality of which is ensured bya set of systems and institutions. For instance,marriage and family life are ingrained aspects ofthe Indian society. Girls and boys get married andstart their own families living within the prescribednorms that determine choice of marriage partner,their roles, code of conduct (fidelity, chastity, girl’ssubservience to her husband and in-laws), life-styleand practices (such as purda, male inheritance,dowry etc.). One of the most pervasive and widespread


codes of organisation that affects all aspects of socialfunctioning is the gender system. It is patriarchythat provides the life force to the unfavourableconditions that woman face. Let us try and list outsome of the more common features of gender system.

Male-Female Differentiation

The practices of male-female differentiation formthe core of a gender-based system. Biological sexdifferences, which are real, are extended to be thecriteria for social placement.

Allocation of Roles

In any organisation or society roles are attributedfor specific function. In a patriarchy, roles are allocatednot only in accordance with the biological functions(procreation), but are misappropriated according tovalues prescribed to male and females. Withinpatriarchy ‘dominating and controlling social functionsare prescribed for males whereas ‘supportive functionsare the purview of the females. Thus, by birth, themales are ‘inheritors of resources’, performing thefunctions of earners and by birth the females are‘family caretakers’ performing the functions of ‘childnurturing and running the households’.

Gender-based Hierarchical Placement

Alongwith role allocation certain norms and values,as well as practices and beliefs, further promotethe ‘male-female superior-inferior or hierarchy’,whereby males have access to land holdingsinheritance, skills, productive employment and theassociated high status. Women, on the other hand,are denied even life (female infanticide / foeticide),receive poor nutrition and medical care, inferioreducation and suffer atrocities such as eve-teasing,rape, wife beating etc.


Elements of the Gender System

Role Stereotyping

The female biological functions of reproduction areextended to rearing of children and catering tohousehold work. On the other hand the role of themale is to earn for the family. Accordingly, bothsexes are socialized to these predetermined butseparate roles. Even in society where both menand women are called upon to earn, the primaryroles associated with social values have remainedunchanged. Thus even if women earn an income,their responsibility towards household chores remainsundiminished.

Child Preference on the Basis of Sex

The corresponding social status availed by the maledue to his being the inheritor, the protector of thefamily and its interest, the “doer”, a male child isvalued. Moreover, it is the sons who are an old ageinsurance for the parents, since the daughters getmarried and leave the family. Besides, daughterimplies expenses such as dowry. Thus a male childis preferred by society. In fact, male child preferenceis so strong that in certain areas a wife who doesnot produce a male child is called ‘Kulachhani’,destroyer of the family since name will not be carriedforward.

Impact of the Gender System on Women

The practice of male-female differentiation resultsin structural deprivation of the female (of life-femalefoeticide/infanticide – of access to health and medicalservices, inheritance, education etc.). Femalediscrimination at the behavioural level (un-employment, low productivity skills, health care, publiclife etc.) and infliction of atrocities (dowry harassment,eve-teasing, wife beating, rape etc.). The structural


conditions affect society as a whole where asbehavioural manifestations affect the individual inspecific situation.

Caste and Class as Axis of Inequality

Caste and class both are status groups. A statusgroup is an association of individuals who enjoy adistinctive style of life and a certain consciousnessof kind. However, castes are perceived as hereditarygroups with a fixed ritual status while classes aredefined in terms of the relations of production. Themembers of a class have a similar socio-economicstatus in relation to other classes in the society,while the members of a caste have either a highor a low ritual status in relation to other castes.

Caste as a Unit and as a System

Caste is considered both as a unit and as a system.It is also understood as a structural phenomenonas well as a cultural phenomenon. As a unit, castecan be defined as a ‘closed rank status group’, thatis a group in which the status of the members,their occupation, the field of mate selection andinteraction with others are all fixed. As a system,it refers to interrelated status and patternedinteraction among castes are all terms of collectivityof restrictions, namely, restriction on change ofmembership, occupation, marriage and communalrelations. In viewing caste as a system, there ispre-supposition that no caste can exist in isolationand that each caste is closely linked with othercastes in the network of economic, political, andritual relationships. The ‘closed-rank group’ featureof caste also explains its structure. As a culturalphenomenon, caste may be viewed as a “set of values,beliefs and practices.”


Class

A social class is “one of two or more broad groupsof individuals who are ranked by the members ofthe community in socially superior and inferiorpositions.” (Ginsberg, Morris: 1961) Thus, in a socialclass there is –

� a feeling of equality in relation to members ofone’s own class.

� a consciousness that one’s mode of behaviourwill be in harmony with the behaviour of similarstandards of life.

� individuals belonging to the same social classare expected to maintain similar standards oflife.

� to choose their occupations within a limitedrange.

� there is realization of similarity of attitudeand behaviour with the members of one class.

� there is a feeling of inferiority in relation tothose who stand above in the social scale.

� there is a feeling of superiority in relation tothose below in social hierarchy.

Axis of Inequality of Caste and Class

If we look at our society, we find that people aredivided in categories (in castes and classes) on thebasis on birth, religion, race, language and speech,education, occupation and wealth etc. and societyis heterogeneous in nature. Individuals are placedhigher or lower in a status scale based on thesecharacteristics. Thus social barriers are erected inthe way of lower category (caste and class) people’soverall development. This has given birth to severalinequalities:


Caste

� restricts mobility of working class especially ofmarginalized.

� Leads to untouchability, slavery and is responsiblefor many other social evils and vices like childmarriage, dowry system, purdah system andcasteism.

� responsible for low status of women.

� is bed-rock of religious discrimination andfundamentalism.

Class

� The dream to alter property-relations in favourof less privileged has yet to come.

Further the persisting inter and intra-caste, classand community inequalities as well as wide spreadunrest are also result of prevailing contradictionsin our social system. Such as:

� We continue to follow the traditional valueswhereas our roles have become modern.

� We profess that India is committed to bring equalitybut in reality, it is in an age-old system of casteand class.

� We claim ourselves as rationalist but we bearwith injustice and unfairness with fatalisticresignation.

� We speak in favour of individualism but we reinforcecollectivism.

� Inspite of formulation of so many laws andmodification of old laws, the common people havenot been benefitted from these because theyare either not being implemented or are full of


loopholes which have benefitted only the legalprofession.

Factionalism

Factionalism is a situation/condition in which ‘sub-castes’ (within the caste) function as ‘factions’ (conflictgroups) than as ‘caste groups’ to achieve their purpose.Prof. K. N. Sharma has termed them ‘resource groups’with a view to lay stress on their collaborative function.Occasionally, the ‘alliance’ between the groups isrestricted only for the duration of achievement ofthe purpose. Mostly families are engaged in suchalliances. Nevertheless, in some cases even brothersof same families have joined various factions andhave disassociated themselves from each other atthe cost of their kinship relationships.

The faction (within the sub-caste) is an associationof a few core families to face challenges from otherfamilies, or to secure help in court cases, and soon. Such factions/alliances can be seen in the eveningwhen people come back from their fields or officesand cluster in small groups to spend together theirleisure time. In this way the closeness with thegroup is strengthened daily by intimate and informalrelations and its strength is activated time to timefor status defense or exaggeration. A faction maycontinue for decades or for few years or few monthsor it may change unexpectedly as no hard and fastrules ties the members together. However, withinthe faction, caste/ sub-caste are of notable significancein towns and cities.

The strength of the factions depends on wealth,manpower and ability to mobilize resources andinfluence from outside the village. Now a days,factionalism has become a serious problem and isposing a serious threat to the traditional unity andsolidarity of our village and tribal communities.


The legal sanction accorded to various types ofleadership positions in the Panchayati Raj system,under 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, is notso much beneficial. Rather, it has widely, very stronglyand seriously hampered all efforts to promotedevelopment of villages in the country. As they(factions) oppose one another, not because of anygenuine reason or rhyme but simply for the sakeof showing the opposition and demonstrating theirstrength. As a consequence, any effort made by anychange agent— external or internal, to promote co-operative and collaborative attitudes and practicesin the community, gets badly thwarted.

Protecting the Rights of Marginalised Groups

Marginalized People

The people of marginalized groups do not form anycompact territorial community. They are forced tolive wretchedly, enduring exploitation, oppression,violence and numerous indignities. Those groups insociety who, due to poverty, culture, language, religion,migrant status or other disadvantages have not beenmuch benefitted from health, education, employmentand other developmental opportunities. Most of themare landless labourers, rural poor with small piecesof land, artisans, workers in unorganised sectors,women, SCs and STs etc.

Existing Provisions for Protection of Rights ofMarginalized

Although government has made various constitutional,legal and non-legal socio-economic provisions tosafeguard the interests of marginalized people andto ensure their overall development, even then, theircondition has not significantly changed. The conceptof social justice is also stirring the government andpeople into new and more vital fields of state actionto make available the benefits of ‘Welfare State’ to


various sections of the society, specially to marginalizedpeople. Various laws relating to payment of wages,social security, regulatory legislations and socialjustice etc. have been enacted fixing the workinghours, minimum wages of labourer and to improvetheir working conditions. Further numerous lawsmeant for land reforms— ceiling, consolidation, landalienation, credit facility and debt relief have beenpassed. Besides these different social security, incomegenerating and village infra-structure developmentschemes and programmes have been implemented.Mention may be made of –

1) Constitutional Provisions

� Fundamental Rights and Duties

� Directive Principles of State Policy

2) Legal and Non-legal Socio-economic Provisions

� Payment of Wages Act 1936 & 1971

� Minimum Wages Act – 1948

� Equal Remuneration Act – 1978

� Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition)Act 1971 & 1986

� Bonded Labour Act 1976

� Inter-state Migration Act 1979

� Civil Rights Protection Act 1955

� SCs and STs (Atrocities Protection) Act 1989

3) Commissions Programmes and Schemes

� National Commission for SCs and STs

� 20 points economic programmes


� National Schemes for liberation andrehabilitation of scavengers andtheir dependents 1992

� Special Area Development Programmes (likeDPAP, DDP, IWDP, HADP, CADP and ITADP)

� Minimum Needs Programmes

� National Social Assistance Programmes (suchas NOPS, NFBS, NMBS and Annapurna etc.)

4) Lapses in Existing Provisions and Programmes

� The existing communication channels forcreating awareness and sensitization arenot adequate and effective and do not reachthe marginalize people.

� Lack of integrated approach in macro-policiesin tackling the issues related tomarginalized people.

� Lack of strong and effective organisationalsupport to voice their concerns and lobbyingfor them.

Steps to be taken to Protect the Rights ofMarginalized

Inspite of all these initiatives taken by the government,we find that the needs and problems of marginalizedpeople in India are not resolved satisfactorily. Theirneeds and problems are multifarious and multi-dimensional in nature. These can be tackled bychanging the attitudes of the society as well asnation towards marginalized people. Therefore, forprotecting the rights of marginalized people followingsuggestions/measures can be effective and useful.

1) They should be sensitized about their conditions/situations and other factors responsible for theirdeplorable conditions.


2) They should be made aware of their constitutionaland legal rights both in their work and in socialsphere.

3) Training for skills development and incomegeneration is another crucial aspect. Trainingmust be provided on occupations which pre-supposetraining. The duration of training may vary from1 to 6 months with the nature of the chosenoccupations to equip them with new methods,techniques and skills for increasing their earnings.Further since they are daily wage earners, theyshould be paid for their wages loss during trainingperiod either in cash or in kind to create interestin training programmes.

4) There should be provision of counselling servicesfor all family, community and other socio-economicgroups.

5) There is need to build, strengthen and utilizethe fullest capabilities of Village CommunityOrganisations (VCOs) in rural development speciallyfor the upliftment of marginalized groups.

6) Pleading for setting up of (free or nominal feepaid) Legal Aid Counselling Centres at district/Taluka and block level by the government and/or NGOs with effective monitoring system.

7) To develop right from grass-root level to nationallevel organisations of these people for protectionand promotion of their rightful claims and toprovide them guidance required for this organisedstruggle.

Impact of Macro Policies

Everyone agrees that the process of globalizationhas increased the gap between rich and poor greatly,both within and between the countries. The ideology


associated with globalization is that of ‘market forces’economics. Government action and control is nowseen as the cause of inflation, debt and economicrecession while the private sector is promoted asthe creator of efficiency and growth. Global andnational thinking and policy is therefore orientedtowards privatization, liberalization and subsidization,regulation and promotion of national enterprises arefrowned upon. Declining international assistanceand increasing debt forced many governments toaccept conditions imposed by the World Bank andWorld Trade Organisation. Some of these conditionsthat have specific reference to India include:

� Removal of subsidy on agriculture.

� Embargo on import restriction.

� Abolition of Public distribution system.

� Allowing entry of foreign MNCs into India.

� Acceptance of intellectual properties rights.

� Cancellation of the Indian patents Acts.

Keeping in view the above facts, we can say thatthe international institutions like InternationalMonetary Fund, World Bank and World TradeOrganisation have deeply influenced the policiesand programmes of our nation in their interests aswell as in the interest of developed countries whichhave badly affected the people in general and themarginalized in particular, namely:

1) The ‘growth centered model’ for development aimedonly at economic growth and increased GrossDomestic Product (GDP) of the country. But itcould achieve these at great social andenvironmental costs. Within three decades, itbecame obvious that the dominant model hadbypassed large sections of society, leading togreater disparity, further marginalizing the deprived


sections. The special programmes initiated forthe vulnerable sections failed to make an impactbecause the people were treated as mere‘beneficiaries’ and ‘objects’ of development.

2) Thus the ‘trickle down theory’ adopted by the‘dominating power structure’ did not entail thedesired development and the number of peoplebelow the poverty line increased. In the nameof development, nature has been exploited tothe fullest, irreparably damaging the environment.Concentration and control of resources now liesin the hands of a few individuals, while themajority of the population are silent ‘recipients’of the programmes.

3) The ‘Green Revolution’ has further marginalizedthe small and marginal farmers who becamelandless in the process. These farmers, unableto utilize the new technology, sold their landto large land owners. The latter in turn becamericher by drawing the benefits of subsidies offeredby the Government.

4) Due to the Indian economy’s added emphasis onindustrialization, there has been a strong urbanbias. The rural agricultural economy suffered somuch that migrants flocked to cities in searchof employment. As cities did not have the capacityto accommodate a large population, problemsrelating to health, sanitation, education,consumerism and unemployment increased theinequality, already existing in the cities.

5) Rapid advancement in technology, which playsa vital role in profit maximization, has furthermarginalized weaker and vulnerable sections ofIndian society.

6) Moreover, the development of many high yieldingand refined varieties of food grains developed by


rich countries which can be used only forconsumption purposes and not as seeds to besown in the field, have further worsened thesituation through monopolization of the seed marketin developing countries like India in which farmersare compelled to purchase seeds at very highprices and are compelled by exigencies of thesituation to sell their produce at throwaway prices.

7) Even essential life saving drugs have beenmonopolized by developed nations and they arebeing sold for beyond the affording capacity ofcommon man to purchase them.

8) The pressure of the World Bank to withdraw allkinds of subsidies, thus far enjoyed by peoplein India in diverse fields like fertilizers, electricity,petrol, diesel, etc. has added to the economicburden to be shouldered by the common peoplein the country particularly marginal and smallfarmers and small scale entrepreneurs. This hasadversely affected the production and distributionof various types of goods and services.

Unionization Strategies

Unionization is the process of organising theunorganised people for their specific goal and interest.In unionization the oppressed, exploited, weaker,vulnerable and marginalized people (this includesindividual(s), group(s) and/ or community(ies)voluntarily organise themselves in union(s) on thebasis of equality to identify and rank their needs/problems/issues; to secure their essential demands;to protect and promote their interests by collectiveaction; accepting the principle of majority rule andmaximum participation of community people in eachand every step of community organisation anddevelopment process.


Whereas an overall approach to bring about changein the general situation may be termed as ‘strategy’,it includes roles for worker and client, tasks to beperformed by each and every one and methods andtechniques to be used.

In order to unionize target group i.e. communitypeople, the following strategies of unionization, canbe practiced. Let us now discuss some of thesestrategies:

� Information collection and community meetings.

� Conscientisation

� Formulation of plans and programmes (throughP.R.A).

� Capacity building

� Collaboration and co-ordination

� Networking

Information Collection and Community Meetings

This deals with organising formal and informalmeetings of community people. Needs visiting andobserving the community for gathering the differentinformation. Besides these it includes:

a) Identification and prioritization/ranking of needs/problems/issues and stakeholders.

b) Creation of awareness about these felt needs/priorities of problems and consciousness amongcommunity people.

c) Identification of nucleus/resource persons/opinionleaders and formal and informal leaders of varioussocio-cultural/vocational groups and sub-groups.


Conscientisation

The strategy is based on Paulo Friere’s approachof generating awareness and sensitization amongmasses through education. In his opinion, if peoplewere motivated to analyse their own reality, theycould be active participants in transforming it. Theconsciousness gained through the critical processof reasoning and reflection leads to action that inturn can reduce the exploitative tendencies in thepresent economic structure.

Planning and Formulation of Plans and Programmes(through PRA)

Planning involves the entire process right from thestarting of consciousness regarding a problem tothe steps taken to resolve that problem. This atleast can be achieved by having rapport with thepeople and involving them in designing the developmentof project. To meet this specific need of the peopleapplication of Participatory Rural Appraisal Technique(PRA) is required.

Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA)

PRA is seen as a family of methods and approachesto enable local people to analyze, plan and act basedon their own life situation and knowledge. Thisincludes:

i) Village census mapping

ii) Resource mapping and institutional mapping

iii) Village transect walk

iv) Time line

v) Trend diagram

vi) Matrix and wealth mapping


Capacity Building

As the capacity of poor people is strengthened (byutilizing and improving their skills, changing theirperceptions and attitudes and ensuring their activeparticipation as responsible participator) and theirvoice begin to be heard, they become “claimants”who are capable of demanding and paying for goodsand services from government and private sectoragencies. Under these changed circumstances, themechanisms to satisfy their needs will change aswell.

Collaboration and Coordination

When two or more persons (i.e. helpers) workingjointly on the basis of a common plan of action,then it is called collaboration. In collaboration eachone of the helpers are accountable for certain aspectsof work/service to a client. They may belong to oneagency or many agencies; they may be social workersand/or may be from several other professionaldisciplines. Thus we can say that it is a mediumof integration of various services being provided,description of role and services to be delivered byeach of the participant, and making sure thatconflicting and confusing messages are not givento clients.

Whereas in co-ordination, two or more service providerswork together. This does not involve a common actionplan; in fact, there may be two or more action plans.For effective coordination, spirit of working togethertowards a desirable end is must. Further, the mutualsatisfaction of all concerned persons and agenciesinvolved in it is an important aspect.

Networking

Networking is also the social work strategy practicedto bring diverse social structures together to


accomplish a common purpose or shared goal.Networking involves establishing coordinated andcollaborative relationships in order to have accessto the resources of other persons and social systems.Social workers network with human serviceorganisations, other social structures like businessand industry and influential community leaders.Networking promotes collaboration in identifyingservice gaps and barriers and encourages inter-agencyplanning to address unmet service delivery needs.

The problem of unionizing/organising the poor iscomplicated. But there are examples where the poorhave organised themselves on the basis of commoneconomic interests and thereby developing a counterweight that offsets their lingering importance inlocal government or by formation of restrictiveorganisations based on interest groups, small farmers,co-operatives, landless workers, unions, associationof womens organisation, rural youth brigrades orthrough organisation of the politically disadvantagedfor direct political action as in case of Tanjore inTamil Nadu. Similar kinds of experiment may befound in anand dairy, gujarat, sri lanka, commillaproject of bangladesh, and others in mauritius andburma in addition to china.

Dealing With AuthoritiesAuthorities are those persons, who have power togive order and make others to obey. They are varioussegments of the government and non-governmentofficials, responsible for policy and plan formulation,implementation, maintenance of law and order (withpeace and harmony) and provide social justice toits people.

In other words, authorities have to ensure conduciveenvironment for holistic and sustainable developmentof people, right from the small village level to the


nation as a whole. But it could not happen, dueto ‘ego-centric’ style of functioning of the authorities,instead of ‘people-centric’ style. As a result of it,the majority of people are in a pitiable situation.For improving their conditions and providing whatis dues to them, the following strategies can bepracticed to deal with authorities as and whenrequired;

i) Submission of petition

ii) Persuation

iii) Bargaining

iv) Negotiation

v) Lobbying and advocacy

vi) Conflictual/confrontational strategies

Submission of Petition: Submission of petition isa formal written application (which contains in verybrief the issues and problems, their nature andextent of people’s suffering) signed by affected and/or interested persons and appealing to the concernedauthority to solve the problem on sustainable ground.This petition is submitted to related officials.

Persuation: After submission of petition to concernedauthority when no response is received from him/her then persuation strategy is used. In persuationefforts are made to influence the individuals to changetheir outlook by providing them needed information.This also involves the adoption of series of actions/procedures to bring about change by arguing, givingreasoning, urging and inducing others to accept aparticular viewpoint and resolve the issues/problems.

Bargaining: Bargaining is a process of discussionand negotiation between two parties, one or bothof which is a group of persons acting in concert.The resulting bargain is an undertaking as to terms


and conditions under a continuing service is to beperformed (Encyclopaedia of Social Sciences).

Negotiation: In negotiation communication linkageis established between two or more than two groupshaving disagreement on a particular issue/ problem.The communication linkages are established so thatthe concerned groups are able to iron-out theirdifficulties, understand each other’s point of view,and come out with mutually acceptable decision.The community organiser may act as negotiator ifit is acceptable to all the concerned parties. Besides,he facilitates such an approach due to which therival groups can come on the same platform underto workout their differences.

Lobbying and Advocacy: Lobbying is a techniqueof influencing the legislation and creating legislativeopinion favourable to the group or interest on behalfof which the lobby operates. Instead of attemptingto influence legislation directly, the lobbyist mayuse the technique of pressure group lobbing, whereinthe pressure group seek to create an appearanceof broad public support for its aims. This appearancemay be genuine or artificial. Anyhow the aim is toinfluence the legislative policy.

Advocacy involves ‘pleading and fighting for the serviceof the clients, whom the service system otherwiserejects. It requires seeking different interpretationsor exceptions to rules and regulations, to clients’rights to services and undertaking to create awarenessabout the blockages to clients in receiving or usingan agency’s services. In advocacy, the worker speakson behalf of client. Before engaging in advocacy aworker must first be sure that the client(s) desire(s)the worker to intervene in this manner. The clientshould clearly understand the risks involved andbe motivated to use the service(s) if it is obtained.Secondly, the worker must carefully assess the risksinvolved for the client if advocacy is used.


Conflictual/Confrontational Strategies: The basichypothesis, on which the conflictual andconfrontational strategy is practised, is that thosewho are in favour of status quo and those who arein favour of change, fight with each other. Hence,the dynamics of conflict is inevitable in the processof community organisation and action initiative. Thismay invite agitational techniques like protest,demonstration and civil disobedience or direct actionetc.

However, it must be remembered that it is easierto mobilize people through protests and demonstrationthan civil disobedience or direct action etc.

Protests and Demonstrations

When people are dissatisfied with social institutionsthat frustrate them and their needs, they have desireto change that social institutions because theseare not able to solve their social problem. This situationcreates social tension, unrest and instability amongthem and leads to social movement. Thus socialmovements could be looked upon as collective effortsto change the society. Generally these are startedby those, who are shocked by social injustices. Socialmovement can take the shape of protests,demonstrations, marches, rioting and rebellion etc.

Protest

Protest is verbal, written and/or legal expressionof dissent, disagreement or disapproval of anyimposition of official policy/curtailment of facility/increasement of tax or any other unwarranted conditionimposed by the government/organisation /associationor group of people or by the existing system.

It is an effort to block a proposed change or touproot a change already initiated. It is observedthat in protest, victimization is the general causeand victims usually are the potential protesters.


The following are some common features of protest:

1) Protest is primarily an expression of feelings.

2) This expression may be verbal in writing or throughlegal procedures.

3) The main purpose of protest is to oppose or todisapprove of the action initiated by the government,institution or existing social system.

4) The reason for protest is victimization of peoplein general or some section of the people inparticular.

5) Victims actively participate in the protest as‘potential protesters’.

6) Protest remains sectional rather than general.

7) Community as a whole is not mobilized aroundsocial cause(s).

Demonstrations

Demonstration is a method of expression of people’ssentiments/emotions and feelings readily in favour/support of or against the government/publicorganisations/institutions or associations. Indemonstration the individuals gather together togive expression or to manifest their demands orsentiments. The members of demonstration groupare interested more in voicing their grievance, thanin destruction, by organising meetings, rally or publicmarches.

The demonstrative crowd may turn into an aggressive/protestive crowd if any effort is made to disperseit by violent means. It enables the group to understandbetter the cause of a problem and also results ofany action taken so far.


A good demonstration:

� should be based on problem(s)/situation(s) whichis important and true to the real life of theaudience.

� is one in which it should be decided first, whatis to be exactly conveyed to the audience.

� makes the message easy to understand and accept.

� facilitates clarifications and discussion amongpeople.

� generates sympathetic and favourable environment.

� includes the preparation of exhibits (like Posters,Charts, Placards and Banners etc.) that arerequired for the same.

� is one in which locally available cheap and bestmaterials are effectively and impressively usedto reduce the unnecessary expenses and generatedpeoples appreciation.

Conclusion

In this chapter, you have learned the meaning ofgender, castes and classes, difference between genderand sex, concept of gender system and its elementsand prevailing inequalities in the communities dueto gender, castes and classes.

You saw how different factions promote factionalism.Now a days, it has threatened the traditional unityand solidarity of our rural and urban communities.We have also discussed the meaning of marginalizedpeople, existing constitutional, legal and non-legalsocio-economic provisions to safeguard the interestsof marginalized people, lacunas in these and stepsto be taken to protect their rights. We have attemptedto acquaint you with the impact of macro-policieson general masses especially on marginalized people.


For your understanding, we have explained differentstrategies like unionization, dealing with authorities,protests and demonstration etc. Unionization includesmainly conscientisation. Formulation of plans andprogrammes is preferably through PRA, capacitybuilding, collaboration, co-ordination and networking.Dealing with authorities incorporates submission ofpetition, persuasion, bargaining, negotiation, lobbyingand advocacy and conflictual/confrontational strategies.The basic features of protests and demonstrationand their effective use have been described. Usuallyprotests and demonstration generate sympatheticand favourable environment.

References

Cox, F.M. et al (Ed). (1987), Strategies of CommunityOrganisation: A book of Readings, 4th ed. Itasca, 12,FE Peacock.

Dubey, Muchkund (ed). (1995), Indian Society Today:Challenges of Equality, Integration and Empowerment,Har Anand Publication, New Delhi.

Gangrade, K.D. (1971), Community Organisation in India,Popular Prakashan, Bombay.

Ghurya, G.S. (1961), Class, Caste and Occupation, OxfordUniversity Press, Bombay.

Pascual, Gisbert S.J. (1999), Fundamentals of Sociology,Hyderabad, Orient Logman Ltd., IIIrd Edition.

Pathania, Sunita (1999), “Globalization, Culture andGender: Some Issues: Globalizaion, Culture and WomenDevelopment, Rawat Publications, Jaipur.

Paulo, Freire (1992), Pedagogy of the Oppressed, PenguinBook.


Siddique, H.Y. (1997), Working with the Communities:An Introduction to Community Work, Hira Publications,New Delhi.

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Current Issues in Community Organisationignou.ac.in/upload/bswe-03-block1-unit-4-small-size.pdf · Current Issues in Community Organisation 55 4 ... is basically responsible for discrimination