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The Debate on How Urban Middle-Class Identities Have Changed
“Materialism is the new karma”. (Pavan K Varma, 2005)
Whilst numerical estimates of the Indian middle classes vary drastically, media images contribute to their portrayal as affluent consumers- participants in the IT boom in urban centres such as Hyderabad and those revelling in India’s status as a call centre “superpower”, particularly thought to symbolise a new urban middle-class. Varma’s quote encapsulates the astonishing effect mass culture is thought to have had upon Indian identity, especially those who occupy this middle ground of consumption. This spectrum ranges from the lower middle-class youth, such as the aforementioned call-centre workers whose parents often experience a very different lifestyle, to the upper middle classes whose educational heritage has enabled them to maintain their class status over a longer period. Hence it is clear that the notion of an “urban middle class” within the Indian context is uniquely problematic, being internally differentiated- encompassing great variety in factors such as culture, language and religious belief, while of course attempting to reconcile the existence of the caste system as a further, but importantly distinctive form of hierarchy to class.
As Fernandes notes, the very question of defining what Beteille termed the “most polymorphous middle class in the world”, itself represents a site of political debate in both academic and public discourses. Additionally there is a marked transition between what is considered the “old middle-classes” and the “new middle-class.” Whereas the former has its origins in the “colonial encounter”, the latter, since liberalisation policies initiated by Rajiv Gandhi in the 1980s came to fruition, has become increasingly defined by its consumption patterns, most apparent in an era of a global economy. Fernandes writes that this overwhelming focus on consumption has somewhat neglected the impact of structural socioeconomic changes in the middle classes.(Fernandes, 2000). At various points these intersect with shifting economic conditions, such as kinship changes affecting the upwardly mobile, however they are not always resultant of the status jockeying of these newly prosperous classes. (Vatuk, 1972). Thus while the transformative effects of liberalisation may appear to have directly visible effects upon t...
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...m Press. (Forthcoming)
L. Fernandes, Nationalizing 'the Global': Media Images, Cultural Politics and the Middle-Class in India. Media, Culture & Society, vol 22, no 5 (2000)
L. Fernandes, Restructuring the Middle-Classes in Liberalizing India. Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle-East vol xx, nos.1&2 (2000)
J. Harriss, The Great Tradition Globalizes: Reflections on Two Studies of "The Industrial Leaders" of Madras. Modern Asian Studies, vol 37, no 2 (2003) pp 327-362.
W. Mazzarella, Shovelling Smoke: Advertising and Globalization in Contemporary India (2003)
S.Nanda, Arranging a Marriage in India (1992)
F. Osella and C. Osella, Social Mobility in Kerala (2000) Chapter 4
Michael Reder (Editor), Conversations with Salman Rushdie (2000)
S. Tharoor, Charlis and I in India: from Midnight to the Millennium (1997)
M. Van Wessel, 2004. Talking About Consumption: How an Indian Middle Class Dissociates from Middle-Class Life. Cultural Dynamics, vol 16, no 1 (2004)
P. Varma, Being Indian: The Truth about Why the 21st Century Will Be India's (2005)
S. Vatuk, Kinship and Urbanization in India: Kinship and in India. (1972) Chapters 5 and 6.
The working class stays working and the middle class stays being middle. Author Nick Tingle, wrote “The vexation of class”, he argues that the working class and the middle class are separated educationally based on culture and the commonplace. Tingle uses his own personal experiences and Ethos, to effectively prove his point about the difference in class based on culture ; although, Tingle also falls short by adding unnecessary information throughout the article that weakens his belief entirely.
There is a high level of inequality of power and wealth within the Indian society indicating a high level of power distance. The wealth of India is very unevenly distributed; only 3% of the population in 2011 fell into the middle-income segment. The upper-middle income segment is about 1% of the population and the
Glick, J, Schaffer, C. 1991. "The Indian Homeland." U.S. News and World Report. July 8, vol.111, n2, pg26 (6)
Bauman, Z, (1988) cited in Hetherington K, and Harvard C.(eds) (2014, pg.126,142). He further claims, “This is the characteristic pattern of inequality in our contemporary consumer society one that contrasts with the lines of class and occupational status that characterised the major cleavages in Industrial society”. Bauman, Z, (1988) cited in Alan, J. (2014 pg. 275). Moreover, consumerism encourages people to consume creating their own identities, replacing Identities centred on production and work. Furthermore, Hayek in the ‘Ordering Lives Strand’ claims “The market should be free of political intervention allowing individuals to be free to pursue their own interests” Hayek, F.A. (1976). cited in Clarke, J. (2014 pg.380). However, Allen. claims “The ability to ‘buy into’ a particular lifestyle actively excludes others from it on the basis of lack of income and those unable to do so will be seen as unworthy or inadequate” (Allen, J. 2014 P. 278). Thus constraints can be seen placed on people through lack of income, turning differences into inequalities with evidence indicating that ‘People’s values, beliefs and status are now shaped by ‘Consuming’ rather than as in Industrial times by work, politics and religion’, (The Open University, 2016). Therefore, differences which turn into inequalities are as predominant in today’s consumer society as they were in our industrial
...onstrate the nature of the Kathmandu people to always want to remain “in”. Each section has an underlying theme of globalization and the aspiration for connectivity to western ideologies. The most significant and interesting aspects of these readings was the importance consumption has on the well-being of the citizens of Kathmandu. Consumption has to help the economy, but I found it very interesting that Mark Liechty only chose to focus on the deep rooted necessity to stand out but also belong. These readings fail to address in detail how the consumption of the middle class affects the lower and higher groups. I found myself asking; what about the lower and higher classes? The overarching theme threaded together by these chapters is displaying the important role consumption, in relation to social and economic standing, means to the middle-class people of Kathmandu.
James, Lawrence. Raj: The Making and Unmaking of British India. New York: St. Martin's, 1998. Print.
Woodburne, A. S. "Can India's Caste System Survive in Modern Life?” The Journal of Religion, Vol. 2, No. 5. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. pgs. 525-537. Web
Throughout the course of this paper, I have discussed Hofstede’s five cultural dimensions where I broke down these dimensions. Additionally, I have stated how India tends to appreciate the hierarchical relationship structure, is a collectivist country and leans towards being a more masculine society. Additionally, India tends to possess a medium to low preference towards uncertainty avoidance and leans towards being a future oriented society. Having lived in the United States for almost a decade I think I have become more “Americanized”. India is a great country and I’ll always visit it in the future, but from the way things are going I am going to permanently settle down in New York where I would like to start my career and family.
Owing to India’s diversity, these identities are determined by caste, ancestry, socioeconomic class, religion, sexual orientation and geographic location, and play an important role in determining the social position of an individual (Anne, Callahan & Kang, 2011). Within this diversity, certain identities are privileged over others, due to social hierarchies and inequalities, whose roots are more than a thousand years old. These inequalities have marginalized groups and communities which is evident from their meagre participation in politics, access to health and education services and
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Siva, Manu. Difference in Cultural Values. India Today (20) 3. 45-48 Retrieved April 03, 2006
Nicholas B. Dirks. (2011). Castes of Mind: Colonialism and the Making of Modern India. Princeton University Press
Naipaul, V.S., India: A Wounded Civilization. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1983. All subsequent reference with page numbers are from this edition.