QA Gender Religion Caste

Chapter : Gender Religion and Caste

Answer the following questions

Q. ‘Gender division is not based on biology but on social expectations and stereotypes.’ Support the statement.

Answer:

Gender division : It is a form of hierarchial social division. Generally, it is considered as natural and unchangeable. Actually it is based not on biology but on social expectations and stereotypes.

Division in practice : 

1 There is common belief that the main responsibility of women is housework and bringing up children as reflected in a sexual division of labour.

2 Men do the work such as cooking, tailoring if these jobs are paid for. For example most tailors or cooks in hotels are men.

3 Women too work outside their home. Poor women work as domestic servant in middle

class homes while in urban area women work in offices along with men. It is done in addition

their domestic work. But their work is not valued and does not get recognition.

Results :

1 Although the population of women is half of the humanity, their role in . public life especially politics, is minimal in most societies.

2 This has led to agitations for equal rights for women such as voting rights, enhancing the political and legal status of women and improving their educational and career opportunities.

Q. What are feminist movements ? How have they brought improvement in the condition of women ?

Answer:

A woman or man who believes in equal rights and opportunities for women and men is a feminist. Thus these feminist movements aimed at equality in personal and family life.

As a result of these feminist movements, the condition of women has improved as mentioned

below :

1 Their role in public life was improved.

2 They are working as scientists, doctors, engineers, lawyers, managers, college and university teachers which were earlier not considered suitable for women.

3 In Scandinavian countries such as Sweden, Norway and Finland, the participation of women in public life is very high.

Q. Describe relationship between religion and politics. Mention three instances. Also mention its effects. 

Answer:

(1) The instances showing relationship between religion and politics are as mentioned below :

 *Religion cannot be separated from politics :* 

Gandhiji considered religion a part of politics. Man’s activities cannot be divided into water-tight compartments.

He believed that without religion, politics would be dirty and a shameful game. For Gandhiji religion was not particular religion like Hinduism or Islam but moral values that inform all religions. Religion brings morality into politics. He believed that politics must be guided by ethics drawn from religion.

 *Government to protect religious minorities :* Human rights groups are of the view that the communal riots in the country affect the religious minorities – who are the only victims in such incidents. They demand that the government should protect the religious minorities.

 *Family laws :* Women’s movement has argued that the family laws of all religions discriminate against women. They demand that steps should be taken by the government to enhance their rights and to bring equality between men and women.

 *(2) Effects* :

1 All these instances involve a relationship between religion and politics. These are not dangerous ideas.

Ideas, ideals and values drawn from different religions can and should play a role in politics.

2 People should be able to express in politics their needs, interests and demands as a member of a religious community.

3 The government/state should be able to regulate the practice of religion so as to prevent discrimination and oppression. 

4 Every religion should be treated equally.

Q. What is communal politics ? Highlight different situations when the problem of communalism becomes acute.

Answer:

 Communal politics/Communalism relates to the use of religion in politics.

The problem of communalism begins and becomes acute in the following situations :

1 When religion is seen as the basis of the nation.

2 When religion is expressed in politics in exclusive and partisan terms. One religion and its followers are pitted against another.

3 When beliefs of one religion are presented as superior to those of other religions.

4 When the demands of one religious group are formed in opposition to another and state power is used to establish domination of one religious group over the rest.

Q. What are the ideas that involve communalism ? Explain.

Answer:

(A) The ideas that involve communalism are as mentioned below :

1 It is based on the idea that religion is the principal basis of social community.

2 It believes that the followers of a particular religion must belong to one community. Their fundamental interests are the same. Any difference that they may have is irrelevant or trivial for community life.

3 It also follows that people who follow different religions cannot belong to the same social community. If the followers of different religions have some commonalities these are superficial and immaterial. Their interests are bound to be different and involve a conflict.

In its extreme form communalism leads to the belief that people belonging to different religions cannot live as equal citizens within one nation. Either, one of them has to dominate the rest or they have to form different nations.

Q Mention any three constitutional provisions that make India a secular state.

Ans.   The constitutional provisions which make India a ‘secular state’ are as follows.

1 The Constitution of India does not give special recognition to any religion and there is no state religion in India, unlike, Christianity in America, and Buddhism in Sri Lanka.

2 All individuals and communities have been given freedom to practice, profess and propagate any religion.

3 The Constitution of India has put a ban on any discrimination on the grounds of religion.

4 According to the constitution, the state cannot intervene in the matters of religion to promote religious equality.

Q Explain any five aspects of our day-to-day life in which women are discriminated against in India.

Ans.  The following points sum up how women are still discriminated against and oppressed in India.

 *Literacy rate:* The first and foremost discrimination is in the field of education where the literacy rate among women is less than males. Even otherwise, parents prefer educating spending their resources of education of a male child rather than a female child.

 *Sex ratio:* The sex ratio in India is as low as 940 females per 1000 males. The proportion of women as compared to men is very low. A major reason behind this is that parents prefer having a male child over a female child keeping in view the future perspective.

 *Unpaid work:* The proportion of highly-paid women is very less when compared to highly-paid men. Though on an average, Indian women work one hour more than men everyday but they are not equally paid and thus their work is also not often valued as much as that of men.

 *Domestic violence:* Women everyday in Indian society are harassed, exploited and subjected to all sorts of violence behind the closed doors. Both in urban and rural areas, domestic violence are one of the most prominent forms of discrimination faced by women. Many cases of domestic violence and dowry deaths are reported in the media every day.

 *Female feticide:* In India, a male child is considered a blessing and a female child is considered a bane. This has come to an extent where the female child is killed in the womb of the mother. This killing of fetus is known as feticide. Female feticide is prevalent in both urban and rural areas.

Question : What are the advantages or merits of expressing caste in politics?

Answer:

a) In some situations, expression of caste differences in politics gives many disadvantaged communities the space to demand their share of power.

b) In this sense, caste politics has helped people from Dalits and OBC castes to gain better access to decision making.

c) Several political and non-political organisations have been demanding and agitating for an end to discrimination against particular castes, for more dignity and more access to land, resources and opportunities.

Question: What are the disadvantages or demerits of expressing caste in politics?

a) Exclusive attention to caste can produce negative results as well.

b) As in the case of religion, politics based on caste identity alone is not very healthy in a democracy.

c) It can divert attention from other pressing issues like poverty, development and corruption. In some cases, caste division leads to tensions, conflict and even violence

.