From Anti-Colonial Struggles to Contemporary Mobilizations: Social Movements and the Making of the Nation

Social movements have played a crucial role in nation-building by shaping identity, citizenship, and democracy. Social movements have always acted as agents of social and political change in various historical periods, from anti-colonial movements to the present. The development of social movements in India shows changing interests, actors, and collective action forms in Indian society.

This panel critically engages with the transformation of social movement trajectories and their contributions to nation-building across different eras. Starting from the anti-colonial movement that brought together several communities in their struggle for an independent nation, this panel seeks to understand the transformation in the understanding of justice, equality, citizenship, and nationhood by various movements that came later. Papers may consider movements based on region and language, Dalit movements, women’s movements, religious movements such as the Ramjanmabhoomi movement, anti-corruption movements such as the Anna Hazare movement, environmental movements, and emerging digital activism.

The panel is particularly interested in examining the strategies through which movements respond to changes in political opportunity, technology, and culture. How have the objectives, organization, and repertoires of movements changed over time? How do social movements participate in the making, contesting, and imagining of nations? How do they deal with issues such as identity, inclusion, exclusion, democracy, and social change? This panel aims to create a space for discussion on the evolving relationship between social movements and nation-building.

Keywords: Social Movements; Nation-Building; Collective Action; Feminist Movements; Dalit Movements; Religious Mobilization; National Identity; Citizenship; Democracy; Social Change.