NCERT Solutions Class 8, Social Science, Civics, Chapter- 5, Understanding Marginalisation.
1. Write in your own words two or more sentences of what you understand by the word ‘marginalisation’.
Solution:
“Marginalisation” comes from the word “margin” meaning at the outskirts or periphery. When applied to a specific community or tribe, it implies that a particular class, caste or tribe is excluded from mainstream society. This can be due to various reasons like, they speak a different language from the majority, belong to a “low” social status; marginalized groups are often treated with not just ignorance but fear and hostility as well. This leads to lack of access to resources and opportunities for them and also a violation of their rights.
2. List two reasons why Adivasis are becoming increasingly marginalised.
Solution:
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.
3. Write one reason why you think the Constitution’s safeguards to protect minority communities are very important?
Solution:
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.
4. Re-read the section on Minorities and Marginalisation. What do you understand by the term minority?
Solution:
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.
5. You are participating in a debate where you have to provide reasons to support the following statement: ‘Muslims are a marginalised community’. Using the data provided in this chapter, list two reasons that you would give.
Solution:
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.
6. Imagine 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.
Solution:
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.
7. In the storyboard you read about how Helen hopes to make a movie on the Adivasi story. Can you help her by developing a short story on Adivasis?
Solution:
Here a story has been given below for an example: An Adivasi group lived in a village. They lived there peacefully and used to fulfil their needs from the land and the forests around them. One day a few strangers reached their village along with a government document and announced that the land where Adivasis were living belonged to Mr. Sharma (an industrialist). So they will have to vacate the village because Mr. Sharma wanted to establish an industry over there. When Adivasis did not agree to leave their land, they were humiliated and tortured Mr. Sharma finally decided to visit the- village personally and tried to settle the deal by offering some money to them. While coming to the village with his son, his car met with an accident in which he was badly injured and his son fell into the valley, but was saved. When Mr. Sharma opened his eyes, he saw himself surrounded by some villagers. He came to know that they saved the life of his son with the help of medicinal herbs available in forests. Mr. Sharma learnt that those people belonged to the same Adivasi group whom he wanted to abandon from their land. Finally, Mr. Sharma begged apology from the Adivasis and withdrew his idea of locating an industry in the village. He realized that it would not be justified to ruins the life of those who saved his son's life.
8. Would you agree with the statement that economic marginalisation and social marginalisation are interlinked? Why?
Solution:
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.
