SOCIAL AND NEW SOCIAL MOVEMENTS IN CONTEMPORARY INDIA: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF NATURE, THEORY, AND DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGES

Abstract

Social movements have evolved from episodic expressions of protest into enduring and constitutive processes that shape democratic life. In contemporary India, social movements reflect a complex interaction between structural inequalities, identity assertions, and changing forms of political participation. This paper offers a comprehensive examination of social and New Social Movements (NSMs) by integrating classical and contemporary sociological theories with Indian empirical realities. It critically analyses the transition from class-based movements to identity- and rights-oriented mobilizations, examines the role of globalization and digital media, and evaluates the challenges confronting movements today. Drawing on the author’s doctoral research on New Social Movements in Maharashtra, the study demonstrates that Indian NSMs exhibit a hybrid character, simultaneously negotiating material deprivation and identity recognition. The paper argues that social and new social movements remain indispensable to democratic deepening in India by expanding participation, contesting hegemonic power, and articulating the voices of marginalized communities.