Chapter 7-Understanding marginalization

[Link] The Meaning of Socially Marginalized: The meaning of marginalized is to

Various reasons for marginalization are:

● People follow different languages, different customs, belong to various religious groups, belong to
different majority communities, poor people are called low-status people and less human from others,
pointing to their inability to access their rights, make them feel a sense of powerlessness.

● The sense of exclusion and difference with the marginalized groups leads the groups not to use the
opportunities and resources and abolish their rights. They feel powerless and disadvantaged from high
society. Certain groups of society feel marginalized socially, culturally, economically

2. Adivasis: Adivasi are the communities or original inhabitants or tribes who have lived and will
continue to live close to the forest.

● In India, around 8% of the population is tribal people or Adivasis.

● There are over 500 Adivasi groups in India particularly in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat,
Jharkhand, Odisha, etc.

● Adivasis follow different tribal religions that involve praying to ancestors, spirits, mountain spirits,
animal spirits, village spirits, etc. They do not follow religions such as Islam, Christianity, Hinduism,
Buddhism, etc., but they influence us from the times of empires.

● Adivasi speaks a different language which is different from the mainstream state languages.

3. Adivasis and Their Stereotypes: Adivasi is shown in various stereotypical ways through dance,
colorful costumes, headwear, lifestyle, and many more. This made them backward or exotic, but they
are improving and changing themselves with the coming of new times and are trying to adopt new
ideas.

4. Adivasis and Development History of Adivasis: Till 19-century forests covered a major part of
the country and Adivasi had control and deep knowledge about it. They often help empires in
accessing forest resources. During the pre-colonial period, they were hunters who were also
depending on shifting agriculture ,cultivating and leading a nomadic life.

Adivasi were forced to change their economic status, forest, and political policies by the public and
private sectors. So they switched their jobs as workers in construction sites industries and domestic
workers which forced them to leave the forest and its access.

5.. Marginalization and Minorities:

● The small communities concerning the rates of the population are referred to as MINORITIES.

● The Indian constitution had permitted the majority of people in the society and government to
express themselves, so the size of the community can be a disadvantage and may lead to
marginalization. This was why safeguarding the minority community was necessary so that they
would not get dominated by the majority. It protected them against discrimination and disadvantage
that they could have faced.
● The constitution provided safeguards to protect India's cultural diversity, promoting equality,
justice, secured life, assets, and wellness of people while maintaining balanced relations between
majority and minority communities.

[Link] and Muslims:

● In India, 14.2% of the population are mostly Muslims and considered as a marginalized community
because they do not benefit from their socio-economic development.

● In 2005 Justice Rajendra Sachar examined the Muslim community's social educational and
economic status and suggested that they be a part of marginalized communities like SCs and STs.

[Link]: Marginalization is a difficult theory that needs several measures, strategies, and
safeguards to cope with the situation. People need to protect their rights, laws, and policies defined by
the constitution without which we will not be able to protect the country's equality, diversity, and
uniqueness.

Q1. what you understand by the word ‘marginalisation’m?

Ans-The word ‘marginalisation’ simply means exclusion from the mainstream. Marginalisation of any
community or a person can be because of many reasons like –

→ Speaking a different language,

→Following different customs,

→ Belonging to different religious group from the majority community etc.

Marginalisation is linked to experiencing disadvantage, prejudice, poverty and powerlessness. It is a

[Link] two reasons why Adivasis are becoming increasingly marginalized.

Ans-The two reasons why Adivasis are becoming increasingly marginalised are:

→ The people often wrongly believe that Adivasis are exotic, primitive and backward.

→ That often Adivasis are blamed for their lack of advancement as they are believed to be resistant to
change or new ideas.

[Link] one reason why you think the constitution’s safeguards to protect minority
communities are very important?

Ans-The Constitution’s safeguards to protect minority communities are very important because they
ensure that India’s cultural diversity is protected from becoming largely unitary and they also help to
promote equality and justice to all.

[Link]-read the section on Minorities and marginalization. What do you understand by the term
minority?

Ans-Minority is the term which means the communities which are small in number in comparison to
the communities which are more in number. For example, Muslims are in minority in comparison to
Hindus.
[Link] are participating in a debate where you have to provide reasons to support the following
statement: ‘Muslims are a marginalized community’. Using the data provided in this chapter,
list two reasons that you would give.

Ans-Two reasons in support of the statement “Muslims are a marginalized community”:

→ The Muslim community has not been able to gain from the country’s socio-economic development
as statistics on basic amenities, literacy rate and public employment show. 63.6% Muslims live in
kutcha houses as compared to only 55.2% Hindus also the literacy rate amongst Muslims was the
lowest at 59% in a 2001 survey.

→ Their customs are distinct from other religious communities, so much so that they are identified as
separate from the “rest of us” leading to unfair treatment and discrimination against Muslims.

[Link] that you are watching the Republic Day parade on TV with a friend and she
remarks, “Look at these tribals. They look so exotic. And they seem to be dancing all the time”.
List three things that you would tell her about the lives of Adivasis in India.

Ans-The three things I would tell a friend about the Adivasis in India would be:

→ Lives of Adivasis are actually very rich but people seem to know very little about the realties of
their lives.

→ They are usually shown in sympathetically in colourful costumes, headgear and dancing.

→Often people wrongly believe that Adivasis are exotic, primitive, backward and immune to
development.

[Link] you agree with the statement that economic marginalisation and social
marginalisation are interlinked? Why?

Ans-Yes, economic and social marginalisations are interlinked. This can be described by the
following:

→The minorities are rendered marginalised economically because they are not allowed access to the
benefits of economic development.

→ When there is no economic development the minorities do not develop socially. Their society does
no experience the fruits of social development. They remain backward.