New social movements
Topic: Civil Society, Pressure Groups, NGOs and Self-help Groups · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
New social movements are movements that have grown since the 1970s. They centre on the environment, gender, identity and rights, not on class as older workers' and peasants' movements did. Civil-society groups often lead them, not parties. The political scientist Rajni Kothari called them "non-party political formations". They do not seek office, but they try to change public policy and social values.
Example
The Chipko movement (1973) and the Narmada Bachao Andolan (late 1980s), led by Medha Patkar, are new social movements. Many such groups came together in 1992 to form the National Alliance of People's Movements.
Don't confuse with
- Pressure groups: a pressure group is usually an organised body with a narrow interest. A movement is broader, looser and involves many people.
- Class-based movements: trade-union and peasant struggles focus mainly on economic class. New social movements focus on issues like the environment and identity.