social movements

The contributions of Sonal Shukla to the social and feminist movements in India are detailed upon. Her literary stints interwoven with an indefatigable, courageous spirit serve as an inspiration for all the socially conscious citizens of the country.

Ilina Sen, teacher, author and activist has left behind a rich legacy of work and warmth that will continue to inspire women’s and human rights activists and students

Based on the learnings from activists associated with the National Alliance of People’s Movements and participants of a social movement at a slum site in Mumbai, the concepts and processes associated with social movement politics are explored. A social movement is a space- and issue-centric collective that gets invoked only when demands are common. Resistance is central to its politics. A social movement is more than just a negotiation with the state; it is also a domain of thinking and implementing alternatives, and opens up the politics of sustainable social change.

When the Europeans began to trade in India, their commerce was completely dependent on the services of the Indian mercantile class who served as the conduits to the primary producers and local markets. This relationship did not change materially after the European enclaves of Madras and Pondicherry were established. It was, however, redefined, since the indigenous merchants in these early colonial port cities were, at least formally, subservient to the authority of the Europeans. At the same time, the growing importance of the local merchants in these commercial centres created an opening and a space for them in indigenous society through which they could create a new identity for themselves as the new social elite and patrons of local institutions, arts and culture.