Building an Ecologically Sustainable Society: Book of Abstracts

386 Pages·2013·6.09 MB·English

by  Indian Academy of Social Sciences

Social Science Abstracts

Volume XXXVII, 2013

FOCAL THEME

BUILDING AN ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY

Hkkjrh; lekt foKku vdkneh

INDIAN ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

INDIA
Social Science Abstracts

Volume XXXVII, 2013
XXXVII Indian Social Science Congress,
December 27-31, 2013,
Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, U.P.

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Published by Indian Academy of Social Sciences,
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The Executive Council of the Indian Academy of Social Sciences entrusted the task of
editing papers of XXXVII Indian Social Science Congress. We express our thanks to it. We also
wish to thank Prof. P.S. Ramakrishnan, the President of the Indian Academy of Social Sciences
for reposing his trust in us.

Prof. S.L. Tripathi, the Treasurer of the Indian Academy of Social Sciences extended all
out support to us. So did all the staff members of the Indian Academy of Social Sciences. Sri R.
Joseph and Sri Suhel Ahmad did the typing and formatting works. Sri H.P. Dwivedi, Sri R.C.
Sharma and Sri Abhishek Kumar helped in handling registration while Sri Vinod C. Pandey with
the help of Sri Santosh Kumar handled all correspondence. All of them put very hard and
sincere works. We express our gratitude and thanks to all of them.

The editors wish to acknowledge their high appreciation of large number of researchers
from Aligarh University for submitting papers for presentation at XXXVII Indian Social Science
Congress. Credit goes to the Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor, Lt Gen Zameer Uddin Shah for motivating
them by offering to pay their registration. Prof. Shabahat Hussain along with respective
chairpersons/co-chairpersons also did their best. We are grateful to all of them.

Flow of papers continued till the last moment. We found very hard to handle the same.
Although we had tried our level best to check errors during editing, yet there may appear
blunders. We are exclusively responsible for the same and wish to apologize in advance.

The views expressed in this volume are those of the authors and the Indian Academy of
Social Sciences and Aligarh Muslim University are in no way responsible for the same.

We are, indeed, grateful to our printer, Sri Nirmal Chand Agrawal for helping us by
printing this volume at a short notice.

Date: December 19, 2013 N.P. Chaubey
Place: Allahabad Shabahat Hussain
R.N. Swarup
Sushma
PREFACE

Indian Academy of Social Sciences (ISSA) resolved to focus deliberations of 37th session
of Indian Social Science Congress (XXXVII ISSC) on ‘Building An Ecologically Sustainable
Society’. Question is why? Answer is all the deliberations on ‘Planet Earth’ organized by the
Indian Academy of Social Sciences during last 10 years yielded alarming results. It became clear
that Planetary Catastrophe is knocking at our doors. What does the Planetary Catastrophe
mean? Planetary Catastrophe means the Planet Earth may soon become desert/barren and
lifeless as it has lost all and is fast losing whatever is left its life-supporting and life-giving
attributes due to ruthless/reckless/wanton exploitative/destructive actions of humans.
‘Deepening Ecological Crisis’, it was thought, is at the root of the Planetary Catastrophe. Such a
revelation was found in consonance with the various declarations by world scientists’
conferences and various kinds of Governmental/Non-Governmental conferences/ conventions/
negotiations. A phrase ‘This business, as usual cannot go’ has become popular all over the
world since 1992. Question arose: Can the Planetary Catastrophe be averted? If yes, how? If no,
why? The Indian Academy of Social Sciences sought to initiate a process of seeking answer to it.
The proposed deliberations on ‘Building An Ecologically Sustainable Society’ is a first step in
this direction.

The Executive Council of the Indian Academy of Social Sciences constituted a National
Academic Advisory Committee (NAAC) and Aligarh Muslim University set up an Organizing
Committee. The NAAC helped in working out objectives, issues and approach by preparing a
note on ‘Building An Ecologically Sustainable Society’. The Organizing Committee organized
discussions on the note twice at Aligarh Muslim University. Chairpersons/Co-chairpersons and
conveners/co-conveners of 19 Research Committees, 21 Thematic Panels and 20
Seminars/Symposia/workshops/colloquia were appointed. A list of eminent scientists, thinkers,
social activists, policy planners and development administrators for plenary and public lectures
were prepared. All universities, colleges, research Institutes, national laboratories and large
number of scientists were invited to present their understanding through scientific papers at
XXXVII Indian Social Science Congress. Academic issues worked out for the XXXVII Indian Social
Science Congress were quite massive and vast. One may, therefore, not find the response
commensurate with the same. What is printed in this volume is the outcome of all these
efforts.

A careful study of this volume would show that almost all authors are aware of the
epochal planetary crisis arising out of severe ecological crisis and want its solutions. However,
there is no unanimity on the question of its solutions. Only a few of them seem suggesting
systemic mechanism for averting the impending disaster. Their conception is rooted in
Gandhiji’s notion of ‘From Greed to Need’ and Karl Marx’s concept of ‘From each according to
capacity to each according to need’. ‘Need’ is one basic parameter of new ecologically
sustainable society. Here meaning of need is altogether different than the usual meaning of it
propagated by modern social system. The second parameter is principle of
democracy­equality, freedom and fraternity. Third parameter is common or communal
ownership and sharing of resources of the Planet Earth on the principles of cooperation and
common sharing. There is no place for competition and market in it. Fourth is restoration and
preservation of ecological balance. Fifth is from high energy to low energy which calls for doing
away with the wasteful expediture of energy by the current system. Putting all these together a
new ecological social system may be created. What will happen to State? Should State in its
present or any other form continue? There is no thinking on it. This ought to be examined
seriously. Neither M.K. Gandhi nor Karl Marx thought necessary for continuation of State. As
long as State exists, the private property will exist and there can’t be true democratic social
system so long as State existed. Gandhi and Marx were very clear and categorical on this
question. This is for our scientists to answer.

There are still bigger questions. One of these is: Assuming that scientific ecological
socialist system is thought as the only panacea for impending catastrophe on the Planet Earth,
will the world and domestic capitalist accept it? If not, how will the world people create this
new ecologically sustainable social system?

The readers of this volume, it is hoped, will find the ideas/theories/methods presented
quite interesting. There might be great deal of variance in scientific rigour in the papers. This
may continue so long as India and its people are not able to change the present alien education
system.

The editors are responsible for all kinds of omissions and commissions. They would like
the readers to forgive them.

Date: December 19, 2013 N.P. Chaubey
Place: Allahabad Shabahat Hussain
R.N. Swarup
Sushma
CONTENTS
Page
Acknowledgement i
Preface iii
I Why Science is Social? vii
II Building An Ecologically Sustainable Society: A Note ix
III Plenary Papers on Building An Ecologically Sustainable Society 1, 330
IV Public Lecture 51
VI Chairpersons and Co-chairpersons Addresses 54
VI Research Committees
1 Agricultural Science and Home Science 86, 331
2 Archaeology, Anthropology and History 102
3 Biological or Life Science/Biotechnology 110
4 Computer And Communication Science 121
5 Earth Science, Planetary Science and Geography 127
6 Ecological And Environmental Science 142, 335
7 Economics, Commerce And Management Science 144
8 Education 155
9 Engineering Science 180
10 International Relations And Defence And Strategic Studies 184
11 Juridical Science 188
13 Mathematical and Statistical Science 190, 340
14 Medical And Health Science 193
15. Philosophy 205
16. Physical And Chemical Science 207, 341
17. Political Science 211
18. Psychology 221
19. Sociology and Social Work 232
VII Thematic Panels
1 Conflicts, War, Peace and Social Security 241
2 Democracy And Human Rights 246
3 Ecological and Environmental Protection Movements 255
4 Ethics of Science and Society 256
5 Global Warming And Climate Change 260
6 History and Philosophy of Science 267
7. Information Technology, Mass Media and Culture 272
8. Labour in Organised and Unorganised Sectors 279
9. Nation-States and Emerging Challenges 281
10. Natural Resources, Bio-Diversity and Geographic Information System 283
12. Peasants, Livelihood and Land-use 284
13. Peoples (Dalits, Tribes, Women, Peasants, etc) Struggles And Movements For Equitable 286
Democratic Society
14. Peoples Health and Quality of Life 287
16. Population, Poverty and Migration 297
18. Science Communication and Science Popularization 302, 333
19. Science, Technology and Society Development 306
VIII Symposia/seminars/workshops/colloquia 308
IX Author Index 344
I

WHY SCIENCE IS SOCIAL?

What is science? Science is knowledge, objective knowledge of an object(s)/ a thing(s). Objective
means relating to an object or a thing? What is an object or a thing? That which exists independent of
human’s will is an object or a thing. An object/or a thing can be solid, liquid or gaseous. It can be
inanimate/non-living or animate/living. A term matter is used to describe all forms of objectes/things. So
science is objective knowledge of matter, both, living and non-living.

What is knowledge ? knowledge is answer(s) to questions what? How? And why? of/about a
thing/object /matter. All humans ask following questions whenever they come across an object/or a thing:

1. What is it?
2. How is it?
3. Why is it?

Their answers to the three questions constitutes knowledge. Their answers can be correct or
incorrect. Correct answers constitute objective knowledge and/incorrect answers define lack of
knowledge or ignorance.

Here it is necessary to remember that knowledge-in-itself, be it objective or subjective is not the
object or thing-in itself. That is to say, knowledge is not synonymous to object/thing/or matter. So
knowledge is colourless, odourless, weightless, sizeless and shapeless whereas a thing/an object does
have colour, weight, size, shape, odour etc. Nevertheless connection between knowledge and
object/thing/matter is vital for without it humans cannot build their appropriate relations with it and in the
absence of it their survival and growth will become impossible. To be precise science is a mirror of the
object/thing to which it is related. Science is concrete as well as abstract.

Science as objective knowledge enables humans to establish their connections with the world in
which they live.

Question anises: How do humans acquire objective knowledge of the world in which they live?
Answer to it, though looks simple, is actually complex. All humans including non-humans are equipped
with sensory-motor mechanism in their bodies (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin). Sensory-motor-based
knowledge about or of a thing/an object is called ‘perception’ or ‘perceptual knowledge’. Now there is a
vast literature on ‘perception’ or ‘perceptual knowledge’ in modern psychology. A new branch of science
termed ‘Cognitive science’ is being pursued and propagated in modern science. What the vast literature
on ‘perception’ or ‘cognition’ shows is that it is less than objective or accurate perhaps because of limited
capacity of sensory-motor mechanism. Also, it is susceptible to social influence. This is clear from the
literature on ‘social perception’. So the humans had to find ways and means to correct the errors and
limitations of perception-based knowledge of objects/things. Initially each perception led them to act and
in turn each act enabled them to correct their perception. Thus Perception-Action-Perception-Action
formed the chain for correction in perceptual knowledge. In history of science knowledge is often
described as ethno-science. With passage of time humans and their societies grew and in the process
ethno-science grew into science. Humans learnt to act in cooperation with each other and share the fruits
of their labour together. The collective mental and physical labour led them to discover methods capable
of improving their perceptual knowledge. The collective mental and physical labour for understanding the
object(s)/thing(s)/matter/produced what is known as science. This can be well understood or well
appreciated only through the study of history and philosophy of science since the days of primitive man.
But it can also be understood by looking at the modern science which is highly socially organized. Like
factory workers thousands of scientists work together in laboratories/research institutes all over the world
today.
What is social? An act or result of an act involving two or more than two individuals is called
social. Since science is produced by two or more than two individuals, it is social. In other words basic
character of science is social. What does it mean?

It means that very notion of science is social. It means the notions of verifiability, repeatability,
reliability, validity, precision, exactness, isomorphism, measurement, methods, hypothesis, inference and
theory are social notions. It means there is close connection between society and science and between
social conditions and science. As humans and their societies develop so does science. It also means that
proclivity of all humans to social influence and their inability to free themselves wholly from the social and
personal prejudices tend to influence objectivity of science. It means science is ‘primitive’ to some extent
and ‘precious’ to large extent. It is ‘primitive’ to some extent because it is never cent percent objective. It
is, ‘precious’ to a large extent because there is no other system of better objective knowledge.

What is its implication? It implies that the division of science between science and social science
is no longer correct. Today there is no dichotomy between Nature, humans and society or between living
matter and non-living matter. Through long and arduous pursuits humans discovered their origin and
connections with Nature. Today the term Nature conotes all non-living and living objects including
humans and their societies. The 18th century notion of Nature and science or basic science is no longer a
valid notion. It might be convenient to fragment science into various subcategories for the sake of study,
but it will not serve its social purpose if it is not put together. Science of Nature, therefore, is necessary for
modern humans and their societies. Science of Humans and their societies is integral to the science of
Nature.

It also means that science is never eternal or static. All objects/things are in constant motion.
Since all objects/things keep on changing so does their science. Also, each object is divisible into two
because of mutually opposite attributes inherent in it. That is to say, nature of nature, be it non-living or
living is dialectical. There is nothing like linearity in Nature. Science, therefore, is dialectical and not linear.

The need for verification and repetition makes science authority free. There is no place for
authority in science. Any one and every one enjoys the right to challenge science. Democracy, therefore,
is necessary for science. Science grows in democratic conditions and dies in undemocratic or
authoritarian conditions.

[Critical comments on this note are most welcome. Those who think science is not social
are invited to put their thoughts in writing and send to the General Secretary, Indian Academy of
Social Sciences (E-mail- [email protected])]

II
INDIAN ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

XXXVII INDIAN SOCIAL SCIENCE CONGRESS

BUILDING AN ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY
0100 PRE AMBLE

The Indian Academy of Social Sciences (ISSA) in association with Aligarh Muslim University
proposes to focus deliberations of 37th session of Indian Social Science Congress (ISSC) on ‘Building
Ecologically Sustainable Society’ with a view to enabling all humans along with other species to live
longer than expected by learning to live in accordance with ecological principles of life involving friendly
and harmonious relations with Nature and Society.
0200 CONTEXT
All scientific studies and deliberations show that an ecological metabolic rift has developed due
to wanton destruction of Nature-Society connections through reckless industrialisation and
chemicalisation of land, water and rivers. Deforestation, mining and destruction of hills have set a
process of desertification in motion. Use of chemical fertilisation in agriculture has destroyed the fertility
of soil and made all agricultural produce highly toxic. Ground water has become poisonous and disease
prone. Big dams too have added woes to human existence. Growing pollutions of air and environment
have threatened the very existence of life on the Planet Earth. All forms of food chains have been broken.
Nuclearisation, high consumption of electricity, Satellite towers, mobile phones have increased very high
degree of radiation which in turn is posing great risk to existence of life and human health. Destruction of
natural resources and loss of biodiversity have created unprecedented risks for survival of all living
species including humans. Extinction of species after species is taking place rapidly. Rising global
warming and climate change are ringing death bell. Concentration of whole wealth of the world into a
fewer hands has resulted into mass poverty, hunger and disease. Question to ponder is: Can humans stop
extinction of life from the Planet Earth ? If yes, how and if no why? How to avert the ecological crisis and
impending extinction of humans from the Planet Earth?

What the scientific studies and deliberations have revealed is: It is not possible to restore the
ecological balance within the existing capitalist social system. So the question arises: What kind of social
system would restore ecological balance? What it essentially means is conceptualization of a new social
system rooted in the ecological principles and science of the Planet Earth. This is a serious challenge to
our contemporary market-driven scientists and technologists.

The Indian Academy of Social Science has, therefore, resolved to deliberate on ‘Building An
Ecologically Sustainable Society’ in Indian context in particular and world context in general during the
37th Indian Social Science Congress.
0300 OBJECTIVES

Major objectives of XXXVII Indian Social Science Congress are as follows:

0301: To comprehend the ecological principles/foundations of life.
0302: To comprehend the ecological connections between and among Nature, Humans and Society.
0303: To appraise the impact of modern economy on ecology in its historical perspective.
0304: To determine the impact of modern agriculture and industry on ecology.
0305: To determine the quantum of ecological crisis vis-à-vis modern social system.
0306: To explore the connections between high energy and ecological crisis.
0307: To explore the ways and means for averting ecological crisis.
0308: To conceptualise a new ecological social system
0309: To determinate appropriate policy measures and social actions for building a new ecologically
sustainable society.
0310: To develop a new science called Sustainability Science of Nature-Humans-Society

0400 QUESTIONS AND ISSUES

The resolution of ecological crisis demands creation of an altogether new society. Why? Because
the nature of ecological crisis is systemic, what is systemic demands systemic solutions. Tinkering will
not do. So-called ‘Green Technology’ shall not prove helpful. This being so, question of building a new
ecologically sustainable social system is not an easy task. How do our scientists and technologists use
their scientific knowledge of Nature-Humans-Society in creation of new concept of a new ecological
social system, therefore, holds the key. Task before us is to discover, develop and disseminate a new
science of Nautre-Humans-Society. This new science may be called Sustainability Science or Science of