Class 12 Sociology - Social Change And Development in India : Chapter 2 - Cultural Change - Questions and Answers

List of Questions and Answers

Q 1.Who proposed a resolution against the evils of polygamy in the All India Muslim Ladies Conference?
(a) Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain
(b) Jahanara Shah Nawas
(c) Sir Sayed Ahmed Khan
(d) Pandita Ramabai
(Chapter 2 : Cultural Change)

Ans:(b) Jahanara Shah Nawas

Q 2.Who opened the first school for women in Pune?
(Chapter 2: Cultural Change)

Ans:
The social reformer Jotiba Phule opened the first school for women in Pune.

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Q 3.Write a note on westernisation.
(Social Change and Development in India Chapter 2 : Cultural Change)

Ans:
Westernisation is defined as "the changes brought about in Indian society and culture as a result of over 150 years of British rule, the term subsuming changes occurring at different levels i.e. technology, institutions, ideology and values".

  • Small sections of people who adopted western life-styles or were affected by western ways of thinking and also started to make use of new technology, dress, food, and changes in the habits and styles of people in general.
  • Across the country a very wide section of middle class homes have a television set, a fridge, some kind of sofa set, a dining table and chair in the living room.
  • Westernisation does involve the imitation of external forms of culture. It does not necessarily mean that people adopt modern values of democracy and equality.
  • The west also influenced Indian art and literature.

Q 4.State any two kinds of Westernisation.
( Social Change and Development in India Chapter 2 : Cultural Change)

Ans:

  • One kind refers to the emergence of a westernised sub-cultural pattern through a minority section of Indians who first came in contact with Western culture. This group adopted many cognitive patterns, or ways of thinking, and styles of life, but supported its expansion.
  • Small sections of people who adopted western lifestyles or were affected by western ways of thinking.The general spread of Western cultural traits, such as the use of new technology, dress, food, and changes in the habits and styles of people in general.
  • Across the country a very wide section of middle class homes have a television set, a fridge, some kind of sofa set, a dining table and chair in the living room.

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Q 5.What is Westernisation ? Clarify.
( Social Change and Development in India Chapter 2 : Cultural Change)

Ans:
Westernisation is defined as "the changes brought about in Indian society and culture as a result of over 150 years of British rule, the term subsuming changes occurring at different levels i.e. technology, institutions, ideology and values".

  • Small sections of people who adopted western life-styles or were affected by western ways of thinking and also started to make use of new technology, dress, food, and changes in the habits and styles of people in general.
  • Across the country a very wide section of middle class homes have a television set, a fridge, some kind of sofa set, a dining table and chair in the living room.
  • Westernisation does involve the imitation of external forms of culture. It does not necessarily mean that people adopt modern values of democracy and equality.
  • The west also influenced Indian art and literature.

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Q 6.Explain Satish Saberwal's three aspects of change in Colonial India.
(Social Change and Development in India : Chapter 2: Cultural Change)

Ans:
Sociologist Satish Saberwal three aspects of change in Colonial India are as follows:

  • Modes of communication: New technologies speeded up various forms of communication.The printing press, telegraph, and later the microphone, movement of people and goods through steamship and railways helped quick movement of new ideas
  • Forms of organisation:Modern social organisations like the Brahmo Samaj in Bengal and Arya Samaj in Punjab were set up. Indian reformers debated not just in public meetings but through public media like newspapers and journals.Translations of writings of social reformers from one Indian language to another took place.
  • The nature of ideas:New ideas of liberalism and freedom, new ideas of homemaking and marriage, new roles for mothers and daughters, new ideas of self conscious pride in culture and tradition emerged.The value of education became very important. It was seen as very crucial for a nation to become modern but also retain its ancient heritage.Reformers argued that for a society to progress women have to be educated and schools were started.

7. Write a short note on "Modernisation".
(Social Change and Development in India : Chapter 2: Cultural Change)

Ans:
In the early years, modernisation referred to improvement in technology and production processes.It also referred to the path of development that much of west Europe or North America has taken.
As per sociologist modernisation process is as follows:
How you behave, what you think is no longer decided by your family or tribe or caste or community. What job you wish to do is decided not by the job your parent does, but by what you wish to do. Work gets based on choice, not birth. Who you are depends on what you achieve, not by who you are.

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8.What is Sanskritisation?
(Social Change and Development in India : Chapter 2: Cultural Change)

Ans: Sanskritisation is a process by which a low caste or tribe or other group takes over the customs, rituals, beliefs, ideology and lifestyle of a high caste.

9. How is Sanskritisation related with social change?
(Social Change and Development in India : Chapter 2: Cultural Change)

Ans: Sanskritisation is a process by which a low caste or tribe or other group takes over the customs, rituals, beliefs, ideology and lifestyle of a high caste.
Sanskritisation suggests a process whereby people want to improve their status through adoption of names and customs of culturally high-placed groups. The aspiration or desire to be like the higher placed group occurs only when people become wealthier.An example is a Dalit woman became a Sanskrit teacher.
Sanskritisation results in the adoption of upper caste rites and rituals.

10.Why was Sanskritisation criticized at different levels?
(Social Change and Development in India : Chapter 2: Cultural Change)

Ans:
Following are the reasons for criticism:

  • It has been criticised for exaggerating social mobility or the scope of "lower castes" to move up the social ladder.This has lead to no structural change but only positional change of some individuals.
  • The ideology of sanskritisation accepts the ways of the “upper caste” as superior and that of the "lower caste" as inferior.Therefore, the desire to imitate the "upper caste" is seen as natural and desirable.
  • Sanskritisation seems to justify a model that rests on inequality and exclusion.
  • Sanskritisation results in the adoption of upper caste rites and rituals it leads to practices of secluding girls and women, adopting dowry practices instead of bride-price and practising caste discrimination against other groups, etc.
  • The effect of such a trend is that the key characteristics of dalit culture and society are eroded. For example the very worth of labour which "lower castes" do is degraded and rendered "shameful". Identities based on the basis of work, crafts and artisanal abilities, knowledge forms of medicine, ecology, agriculture, animal husbandry, etc., are regarded useless in the industrial era.

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11. The All-India Muslim Ladies Conference (Anjuman-E-Khawatn-E-Islam) was founded in the year:
(a) 1947
(b) 1868
(c) 1914
(d) 1950
(Social Change and Development in India : Chapter 2: Cultural Change)

Ans: (c) 1914

12.Process of sanskritisation encourages inequalities and discrimination. Explain with examples.
(Social Change and Development in India : Chapter 2: Cultural Change)

Ans:

  • The ideology of sanskritisation accepts the ways of the 'upper caste' as superior and that of the 'lower caste' as inferior. Therefore, the desire to imitate the 'upper caste' is seen as natural and desirable.
  • Sanskritisation seems to justify a model that rests on inequality and exclusion.
  • Sanskritisation results in the adoption of upper caste rites and rituals it leads to practices of secluding girls and women, adopting dowry practices instead of bride-price and practising caste discrimination against other groups, etc.
  • The effect of such a trend is that the key characteristics of dalit culture and society are eroded. For example the very worth of labour which 'lower castes' do is degraded and rendered 'shameful'.
  • Process that is gendered – though progressive for men, upper caste practices like purdah system, low age of marriage dowry in place of bride price are regressive as far as women are concerned.

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