SYNOPSIS

TOPIC- SANSKITIZATION, URBANISATION,

MODERNISATION, WESTERNISATION
1. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
2. INTRODUCTION
3. SANSKITIZATION
4. CHARACTERISTICS OF SANSKITIZATION
5. MODERNISATION
6. CHARACTERISTICS OF MODERNISATION
7. WESTERNISATION
8. CHARACTERISTICS OF WESTERNISATION
9. MODERNISATION
10. CHARACTERISTICS OF MODERNISATION
11. CONCLUSION
12. BIBLIOGRAPHY
 . ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to give special thanks of gratitude to my respected teacher PROF
KALIMULLAH SIR who gave me this golden opportunity to do this wonderful project on
the TOPIC- SANSKITIZATION, URBANISATION, MODERNISATION,
WESTERNISATION. Through its research I have gained immense knowledge on meaning
of Sanskitization urbanization , WESTERNISATION, modernisation and its
CHARACTERISTICS and I have been introduced to new facts and dynamics relating to
these processes through this assignment. I am highly indebted by your words and hope to
receive them in future as well. Secondly I would like to express my gratitude towards my
friends who helped me to chose this topic for the assignment .
 INTRODUCTION

Sanskritization is not the upward mobility achieved by an individual rather it is a collective

phenomenon where the whole caste get higher status .while modernization, in sociology, the
transformation from a traditional, rural, agrarian society to a secular, urban, industrial society
Urbanization (or urbanisation) refers to the population shift from rural to urban areas . All
through this assignment we will have a discussion on CHARACTERISTICS and meaning of
Sanskitization , URBANISATION , modernisation , and WESTERNISATION. These
PROCESSES in sociology helps in building society and proves as an asset to the nation
SANSKITIZATION
Endogenous changes in cultural tradition of Hinduism were mainly confined to Sankritization
before beginning of Western influence. Sanskitization above all describes an empirical
process in cultural change which has now been widespread. It reflects an important process of
cultural mobility and social change in India. Sanskritization is a form of protest against the
principles laid down by the Great tradition. It amount to the rejection of Hindu’s theory of
Karma which integrates various level of roles which are supposed to be ascribed by birth.
Sanskritization or Sanskritization 1, is the process by which caste or tribes placed lower in the
caste hierarchy seek upward mobility by emulating the rituals and practices of the Dominant
or upper castes. It is a process similar to "passing" in sociological terms. Sanskritization’ was
first introduced by Prof. M.N. Srinivas. Sanskritization is basically letting the lower caste
individuals perform rituals and adopt various methods of living as like those of upper caste
people by abandoning the disgrace associated with caste-based domination and
oppression. Sanskritization refers to a process wherein a low caste, tribe or other groups
collectively change their customs, rituals, ideology and way of life in the direction of some
upper dominant caste to acquire higher status in the society. The Sanskritization process of
upward mobility. This process is based on ‘relative deprivation’ as the society as allotted
prestige to Brahmins, powers was given to Kshatriya and wealth to Vaishyas. The lower caste
groups were deprived of all these benefits of the society2. The lower caste people feel
inferior to the higher caste people. This feeling of inferior compels the lower caste to raise
their social status in the society. So they adopted this process of Sanskritization to raise their
social position in the society.

CHARACTERISTICS OF
SANSKITIZATION
• The process of Sanskritization is closely related with ‘dominant caste’. Sanskritization
occurs among those castes who enjoy economic and political powers but haven’t
achieved high ranking.

1 Meaning of Sanskitization available at https://journalsofindia.com/sanskritisation/ (last visited Nov 18)

2
M.N Srinivas , Religion and society Among the Coorgs of South India , ( OUP India , 2 edn , 2003)
 • Sanskritization which is a sort of social change in upwards mobility prevailed in India
to get the benefits of the upper caste or the dominant caste of a particular region by
emulating their ceremonial rituals and practices by the lower caste
• Sanskritization also needed a medium to transmit in the society. There were mainly
three modes in which it took place in the society.
• Sanskritization is not the upward mobility achieved by an individual rather it is a
collective phenomenon where the whole caste gets higher status .
• Besides the castes, the process of Sanskritisation has been indicated in tribal
communities like Bhils of Rajasthan, Gonds of Madhya Pradesh and other hilly tribes
• Sanskritization is the upward mobility in the ritual hierarchy and it generally becomes
possible because of the upward mobility achieved in the secular hierarchy

MODERNISATION
Social change and modernization are two different things as social change talks about
alteration and modification which take place in the life pattern in society whereas
modernization is the process of social change and development with reference to economic
development in whole. In traditional India there were continual instances of social changes
without implying modernization. 3The sources of this social change are both internal and
external. These social changes takes place both at micro as well as macro levels. The internal
factors are legislation, reform movements and education. The external factors include foreign
attack, cultural contact from other countries, trade, etc. Modern society is industrial society.
To modernize a society is, first of all, to industrialize it. Historically, 4 the rise of modern
society has been inextricably linked with the emergence of industrial society. All the features
that are associated with modernity can be shown to be related to the set of changes that, some
250 years ago, brought into being the industrial type of society. However, it is reasonable to
define modernization in these terms today. For example, a rocket car that goes faster than any
other car on the planet but is incredibly dangerous, loud and harmful to the environment
wouldn't be viewed as more modern simply because it's faster. Modernisation is a process by
which modern scientific knowledge is introduced in the society with the ultimate purpose of
achieving a better and more satisfactory life in the broadest sense of the term accepted by the

3 Meaning of modernisation available at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/modernisation ( last

visited Nov 21)
4
CHARACTERISTICS of Modernisation available at https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/society/essay-on-
modernisation-meaning-theory-and-characteristics-of-modernisation/4406 ( last visited Nov 22 )
society concerned. modernization, in sociology, the transformation from a traditional, rural,
agrarian society to a secular, urban, industrial society. ... It is by undergoing the
comprehensive transformation of industrialization that societies become modern.
Modernization is a continuous and open-ended process.

CHARACTERISTICS OF
MODERNISATION
• Modernisation as a complex process of “systematic transformation manifests itself in
certain socio-demographic’ features termed as social mobilisation’ and structural
changes
• modernisation and tradition are radically contradictory rests on a misdiagnosis of
tradition as it is found in traditional societies, a misunderstanding of modernity
• On the other hand, most modernisation theorists have opted for the ‘dichotomous’
approach, through the device of ideal, typical contrasts between the attributes of
tradition and modernity.
• Modernisation is generally viewed as extensive in scope, as a ‘multifaceted process’
which not only touches at one time or another virtually every institution of society,
but does so in a manner such that transformations of one institutional sphere

WESTERNISATION
Westernization, the adoption of the practices and culture of western Europe by societies and
countries in other parts of the world, 5whether through compulsion or influence. . The
occupied peoples were required or encouraged to adopt western European business practices,
languages, alphabets, and attire6. The adaptation or influence of western (European) culture
among societies across the globe in areas such as life-style priorities, education, values,
economics, architecture7, clothing, politics, entertainment, etcWesternization has also
been beneficial in globalizing the economy and creating more efficient ways of producing

5 Serge Latouche , The WESTERNISATION of the world , ( Polity publishers , New Delhi , 1 edn , 1996)
6
Meaning
7
Meaning of westernisation available at https://www.sociologylens.in/2021/02/westernization-features-and-
impact-on.html?m=1 ( last visited Nov 17)
goods and services. Another benefit is the modernization of medical practices, resulting in the
extension of life expectancy. On the basis of influence on the both little and great tradition,
westernization took place in two phases, i.e. Primary Westernization and Secondary
Westernization. The little tradition have been termed as Primary Westernization and the great
tradition have been termed as Secondary Westernization. Modernization is a continuous and
open-ended process. Historically, the span of time over which it has occurred must be
measured in centuries, although there are examples of accelerated modernization.

CHARACTERISTICS OF
WESTERNISATION
• Westernization, the adoption of the practices and culture of western Europe by
societies and countries in other parts of the world, whether through compulsion or
influence
• Westernization has been an accelerating influence across the world in the last
centuries, with some thinkers assuming Westernization to be the equivalent of
modernization, way of thought that is often debated
• Westernization is similar to modernization . Now a days the society has been adopted
Western culture in the areas like values, norms, clothing , food, language, religion,
economics, technology, philosophy and industry etc.
• Democracy, fast foods, and American pop-culture can all be examples that are
considered as Westernization of the world.
• Westernisation has contributed to the re-emergence of a pan-Indian culture on new
grounds. Some areas of western impact include education, law, science, technology,
new forms of politicisation, urbanisation, industrialisation, the press, means of
transport and communication

URBANISATION
Urbanization is the study of the social, political, and economic relationships in cities, and
someone specializing in urban sociology studies those relationships. . There is no strict
dividing line between rural and urban; rather, there is a continuum where one bleeds into the
other. urbanization8, the process by which large numbers of people become permanently
concentrated in relatively small areas, forming cities.9 In addition, urbanization has
many adverse effects on the structure of society as gigantic concentrations of people compete
for limited resources. Rapid housing construction leads to overcrowding and slums, which
experience major problems such as poverty, poor sanitation, unemployment and high crime
rates. Especially for those coming from rural areas, urban areas can create an overall better
quality of life in several ways. When urban areas become bustling cities and towns, they
become a society of culture that can facilitate financial and educational growth

CHARACTERISTICS OF
URBANISATION
• It is characterized by low density, excessive consumption of land, automobile
dependence, separation of land-uses, social segregation and displeasing aesthetics.
• The size of the urban community is much larger than the rural community. Not only
this, in urban areas, there is high density of population
• In urban social life, relations are not intimate and kinship based. Most routine social
contacts in the city are impersonal and segmented. Formal politeness takes the place
of genuine friendliness.
• City people are physically crowded but socially distant. Social distance is a product of
anonymity, impersonality and heterogeneity. Occupational differences may be even
more important sources of social distance.

8 Meaning of URBANISATION available at https://courses.lumenlearning.com/sociology/chapter/urbanization/

( last visited Nov 19)
 CONCLUSION
It is evident from the above discussion that URBANISATION, Sanskitization,
modernisation and WESTERNISATION are essential for the productive working of the
society. Generally speaking, social modernization refers to the global frontiers of social
changes as well as the actions and process of reaching and keeping up with the global
frontiers. While Sanskitization is the process by which caste or tribes placed lower in the
caste hierarchy seek upward mobility by emulating the rituals and practices Westernization is
process whereby societies come under or adopt Western culture. All these PROCESSES are
ESSENTIAL for the proper functioning of the society and state.

BIBIBLIOGRAPHY
BOOKS
1. C Wright Mills , The sociological imagination ( OUP USA publishers, 3 edn , 1999)
2. Alberto , Martinelli , Modernisation (Sage Publishers, India , 2 edn , 2005)

WEBSITES
1. Meaning of modernisation available at
https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/articles/modernisation-introduction-meaning-
concept-and-other-details/47757 ( last visited Nov 15)
2. CHARACTERISTICS of URBANISATION available at
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329523636_URBANIZATION_1 ( last
visited Nov 21)
3. Meaning of Sanskitization available at
https://www.sociologygroup.com/sanskritization-mn-srinivas/ ( last visited Nov 22)
4. CHARACTERISTICS of Sanskitization available at
https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/sociology/rural-sociology/sanskritisation-
characteristics-and-criticisms-of-sanskritisation/31939 ( last visited Nov 18)