Questions on Theme 1 : Barriers to Social Cohesion

1.                1.Question: Religious hatred is a common obstacle in achieving social cohesion, in this case how can an individual create awareness right from his or her own family or extended family level

Answer by Dr. Shaly Joseph, Principal, Yashwantrao Chavan School of Social Work, Satara :

Religion is a socio cultural system of designated behavior and practices. Family is the basic primary institution from where basic values are being transferred to an individual. Religion has two expressions that is external and internal expression. The external expression like rituals, dressings etc. is majorly helps in formation of groups of same religion. But the internal expression contributes towards spirituality. The spirituality helps the individuals to have union with GOD and also inculcate all values of goodness. This spirituality definitely helpful in laying a strong foundation of humanity.

Usually By birth a person becomes a member of any religious group. Then the person grows and confirms himself/ herself with that religious principles, teachings and practices. Here we should understand each person is unique irrespective of his religion, caste, creed, gender or colour. It is being increasingly observed that if any person commits some serious offences immediately we try to attach that offense with the religious group that person is attached with. This tendency is detrimental to social cohesion. All religions are contributing enormously towards humanity and charity. We should respect the freedom of religious belief, religious assembly religious speech and religious practices and should refrain from criticizing religious practices of others. Now we promote gender equality and the same way we have to promote religious cohesion . The basic underlying principle is that we all are human being. That is what the corona virus teaches the world. Corona virus does not differentiate people on the basis of religion or anything else. It treat everyone equally. Again if we are in need of blood the matching blood of any one without any hesitation we receive for our survival. Blood of other religious person can well save our life and in other occasion we hate people of other religion. This double standard is not logical. Again when we fall sick we go to any doctor of any religion. Nature shower rain and sun light on all of us without any religious differentiations. Therefore It is evident that nature does not divide us then why we should divide ourselves on the basis of religion.

What we need to prevent religious hatred is to educate people and in this higher educational institutes can play an important role.

Role of higher education Institutions

1.Managemnet and principal of the institute should be convincecd on the concept of religious unity and

social cohesion

2. The culture of religious tolerance to be created among all employees in the institute

3. Occasional refresher course/ session to be arranged for employees

4. Make sure Employees are recruited are of different religious denominations and of different state

5. Students of different religious denominations and of different state to be given admission

6. Cultural events of different religions to be initiated

7. Sessions on Religious tolerance to be included in the time table and discussion forum can be initiated

8. Social service learning activities/ social responsibility initiatives should target people belonging to

    different religious communities.

9. Net work with different religious institution to inculcate values among the students.

10. Parents as a stakeholder discussion/ Sessions can be arranged during parents meetings and forums.

11. WhatsApp group can be utilized for giving good messages videos etc.

12. Parent teacher association should take initiative in all these activities and consider it as a learning process through networking.

Higher educational institutes can influence in backward and forward direction of transferring the foundation of religious harmony, means students to parents, families, neighborhood and students to next generation.

2. Question: Should Social Cohesion be impelled or compelled? How can young minds be kept free from unbridled nationalism?

Answer by Dr. Ashok Bhoite, Principal, Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil Mahavidyalaya, (Autonomous), Pandharpur : It’s a very nice question. Actually, there are two questions in one, so let me answer the first one, which is related to social cohesion. I am of the strong opinion that social cohesion should be impelled, it should come from the bottom of the mind of any individual. A feeling that every human being has the equal right to be a part of the society should be instinctive. It should be not compelled, otherwise people tend to deny the things that are imposed on them. If it is compelled by the system, people will react and get indulged in such a way that important issues of life will be neglected.

The second question is regarding young minds and unbridled nationalism. I think that this is the high time that true and unbiased nationalism should be re-defined for the sake of today’s youth. There are three stages of nationalism- nationalism before independence, Nationalism after independence and nationalism in the 21st century. Nationalism before independence and after independence has different shades. In fact, nationalism should be seen at three levels- at the level of philosophers, at the level of politicians and at the level of common man. Nationalism of philosophers gets buried in books and political nationalism flourishes at the time of general elections. I believe that the nationalism of common man is the true nationalism, as it is related to the lives of the masses and their basic needs i.e. food, shelter and clothing. I further believe that any kind of nationalism should have its focus on the lives of the masses.

3. Question: Social Cohesion is impossible to achieve unless each and every member of the community understands and respects the fundamental principles of human rights, in this case what practical steps can be taken by government and community leaders to ensure the same?

Answer by Dr. Pooja Prashant Narwadkar, Principal, New Law College, Sangli :

Understanding and respecting the fundamental principles of human rights by everyone is pre-requisite of social cohesion Steps at Two level steps are important

A. Government level –

1. Existing education system needs to undergo paradigm shift in this context, which focuses primarily on knowledge base of its recipient, producing financially strong persona and also to get the materialistic urges being fulfilled, rather we could say that the indicators of successfulness are only this, here the shift in focus is required to focus on individual value additions, moral capabilities, his social orientation, which could lead him to follow path of moral rectitude.

2. Also it is required to support the regular education system at early forming age, with certain human rights education and value addition courses. We can take examples of the present COVID like situations where the families, institutions, government and every sector of the public life has suffered a lot and it posed a very fearful challenges before all of us to rethink of various issues, with some innovative approach towards peaceful and contented life.

3. Government to whom we all have surrendered our rights for our security and stability, must reflect their concern in their policies and processes that they are sensitive, committed and sensitized.

4. Government to focus on strengthening democratic principles in reality.

5. Education system formal, informal and non-formal must consist of value based education.

B. Community leader has a very significant role in this context

1. Who can on individual level first be the role model believing strongly in fundamental principles of human rights not only on thinking and expression level but should actively follow it in action.

2. He has to be torch bearer and change maker, who motivates, inspires his close family members, extended family, his co-workers and also the rest of the community for inculcating these basic principles in themselves and also should be strong enough to mound the political will towards it.

3. He should refine his attitudes in life and remove prejudices to develop interpersonal relations in life.

4. It is possible only with strong dedication, determination, commitment, and continuous honest efforts.

Other Questions:

4.      Dr Santosh Shelke: How to nurture universal human values in the society and what are action plans of Government to implement it in our society?

5.      How is social cohesion useful for migrant workers?

3.      What are the psychological effects of post COVID-19 on family life?

4.      In the International conference, it was discussed about the equality of men and women through social cohesion in education but how social cohesion can be useful for the LGBT community?

5.      Hemlata Talesra: Knowledge talk on universal peace and social justice. My question is in present day situation of Covid 19, are these possible?

6.      Please highlights migrant workers and social cohesion relationships.

7.      Kunda Hulbe: How the disparity like rural - urban or English medium -vernacular schools be demolished?

8.      Dr Prabhakar Chavan: ​How will we change the mind set of community with Covid affected people by using social cohesion?

9.      Prof. C B Sharma: ​What is Warkari?

10.  Sunita Nadir: ​My question is men and women equality through social cohesion is discussed but what about transgender?

11.  Lubna Iram: Why a woman's role as a homemaker is invisible to society and how can she participate in social cohesion when at the professional level her work and experience (as a homemaker) is not counted worthy?

12.  Edwita Edward Noronha: How to explain the differences in gender equality to college students? Suggest some practical ways.

13.  Monikongkona Changmai: what is the realistic role of higher educational institutions in creating gender just society?

         Answer by Dr. Pooja Prashant Narwadkar, Principal, New Law College, Sangli :

     Dear Monikongkona Changmai, Basically any education plays the role of ‘Catalyst’ in shaping the future of the country. Higher education can play a vital role in to inculcating gender sensitivity in students and create gender friendly environment in the campus that will help in building a rational, equal and inclusive society. It can through liberal or professional education work better to broaden the perspectives of the students and help to improve the complex understanding of construction of gender in more easy way. Higher education can deliberately expose the out through moulding their opinions and they can be the change makers, social engineers for tomorrow.

14.  Swapnil Sunil Kamble: What would be the possible aspects of Post- Covid sociability with reference to social psychology in urban societies?

15.  Kolekar Vijaya Ashok: If women are equal in society then why she does not feel security in public places?

16.  Dr. Maneesha Shukul: Caste discrimination still prevalent in India and all over the world. What measures need to be taken to eradicate it?

17. Question : There are so many socially diverse countries all over the world, there are cast systems, minorities and diverse religions then in this scenario is social cohesion just a myth and can it be rationally achieved? 

Answer by: Dr. R.G. Kulkarni, Principal, Smt. Mathubai Garware Kanya Mahavidyalaya, Sangli.

Thank you for the wonderful question first of all I would like to clarify that this is not a myth and to answer this question within two minutes it is not possible. The first important thing is that we have to go back to the ancient days why our society was divided into four varna and why we need it now at the right time that social cohesion is necessary. It is the need of the hour social cohesion is necessary, now in various countries the society is divided into several parts there is racial discrimination and colour discrimination and in order to achieve this social cohesion we have to inculcate human values. That is the focus of Baha’i Academy, first of all the most important thing is we have to inculcate the universal human values in the society. We can achieve this only through education that’s all thank you very much.                   

18.Question : One of the biggest challenges to achieving social cohesion comes from the polarization of public discourse caused by social media. What can be done about this and how can the impact of social media be channelized towards building concord and unity and not creating division and controversy? 

Answer by : Dr. Rajendra Kankaria, Chief Administrative Officer, Pratibha Group of Institutes in Pune

My question is concerned with the social media first of all what I feel is that since our subject is related to higher education for social cohesion, so first of all make higher education free from political influence. Second thing let the educationist decide the content, course and the programme. And I feel that the higher education can form a syllabus such as add on course or value education course based on use, misuse and abuse of this social media and the students who are taking admission to the college shall be given an opportunity to have at least one credit or two credit or three credit for such courses.

So whatever has been happening on the social media these days as it is rightly pointed out in the question the public discourse or the division in controversy, so I think if you enlighten the students in the higher education institutions they will see that how to use this social media? They will get in advance the knowledge about how to use this and not to misuse this social media. Second thing what I feel is that, the government as well as the opposition parties should not target any community, cast or religion which is happening. Just one example I will give you, since the time COVID-19 has started, it has been spreading all over the media and I am confident that some of the parties are behind this.

I myself have seen certain videos and certain statements on social media to the police commissioner of Pune as well as to the government, so stop this, this is pure nonsense and this is the misuse of the social media, so it has to be made sure that no political party will be allowed to create controversy through the use of media. Another challenge is to create a tool or with the use of internet, what can be done is to ensure use of Artificial intelligence for filtering the messages, videos that come up on the social media which are likely to create division or controversy, instead spread such messages that will build Unity and Harmony. Another point which I would like to raise here that is very important just like the commission for human rights one should develop a commission CASA what I call it in a short form, i.e. commission against social abuse or commission against social media misuse like that. And that commission will see that there should not be any controversy or any statements or any video on social media which will increase the controversy and division among the society. Another thing this commission will see that they enlighten all the students of educational institutions, students, and teachers and ask higher education authorities to design a course as I have already pointed it out and the commission will take interest in that as well. Our cyber laws should be very stringent so that as soon as whatever is put on the social media either on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook whatever it may be should be taken care by the cyber law and such person shall be punished. So what I feel is if this is done and then the higher education and media is free from political influence then I think one will be able to arrest this controversy and division and achieve harmony and unity in the society. This according to me can be done about the controversy on social media and discourse. Thank you very much.