Social Movements in Modern India

Definition and meaning of social movements:

· It is very difficult to obtain a precise definition for social movements.
· Early sociologists looked upon social movements as efforts to promote change whereas modern sociologists view social movements as forms of collective social behaviour either promoting or resisting change.
· Social movements are difficult to define because they are varied and diverse. They have a wide range. They range from national to global movements, from progressive to secular movements and also from regional to local.
· Social movements are highly dynamic in nature and their life span is uncertain i.e. they can be short term or long term.
· Social movements have been defined by several authors:-

Turner and Killian:
According to them, social movement is a collectivity, acting with some continuity, to promote or resist a change in society or in the groups of which it is a part.

Lang and Lang:
Social mov...