THE ROLE OF
CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION
TRADITION VS MODERNITY
Developing societies like India often face the conflict about tradition and modernization and both adults and young learners have very uneasy attitudes in relation to tradition and modernization. It is important to make young learners develop attitudes where they do not see everything in tradition as bad or everything in modernization as good. There are many things positive about our traditional culture which need to be appreciated and understood.
Researchers, psychologists, historians and thinkers have provided a picture of values that, by and large, characterise Indians with values such as “tolerance of dissonance, coping strategies which seeks harmony rather than control over environments” collectivism and the “self-defined in a social context” emphasising modesty, cooperation, duty acceptance etc.
In spite of its vast diversity in cultural disparities, social and economic, there is still a sense of nation and society due to the resilience that our varied cultures and traditions provide in the daily life of people. An outlook which requires assimilation, synthesis and retention of what is valuable and adaptation to the present rather than wholesome rejection of values of Indian culture and tradition needs to be developed in our young children. This is what is called harmonising tradition and modernization orientations.
The changing time that we live in and the new challenges ahead, will require that we prepare our young children to develop their own creative ways to respond to modernization as well as retain their original character of being part of Indian culture.
GLOBALISATION
One of the contemporary realities is that the socio-cultural environment has been radically transformed. Globalisation signifies Omni-present culture. Our cultural horizon today embraces almost all the planet. Societies have become less and less mono-cultural. Consequently, the environment in which we are living is now more complex and multiple with different cultures developing in such a way that it is no longer possible to think of adaptation to a homogeneous environment.
It is rather a matter of adaptation to a plural cultural and highly complex environment. Globalisation can lead us to cut throat competitions, rejection of even one’s own valuable culture and traditions. It can also contribute to a new cooperative human society, a more caring and compassionate human being.
The right attitude towards globalisation can serve as a vehicle for promotion of inter-connectivity and interdependence. While we promote national integration, we must also cultivate values required to live in harmony with global society. We should make them proud to be Indians as well as proud to be global citizens.
DIVERSITY
India is a multilingual, multicultural and multi religious country. In the age of increasing intermingling of communities and cultures, it is important that diversity within the Indian society is appreciated based on universal principles.
Universality and diversity may seem to be incompatible but both have to co-exist in democratic and diverse society like ours where values of democracy prevail at the same time values of differences are also fully recognised and respected.
Similarly, India is a country where different religious faiths add to its diversity. It is at the core of the identity of the majority of our people, an important force influencing the attitude and values of people.
Openness to the religious beliefs and practices of others, awareness of one’s biases and prejudices towards other religion, search for truth, receptivity, analytical as well as respectful attitude to move from exclusive religious loyalty to spiritual values requiring critical mind, to distance oneself from dogmatism, intolerance and violence are some of the key values and attitudes which need to be nurtured in our younger generation to develop intercultural and interfaith understanding.
The aim of education thus can no longer be solely confined to learning of specific culture and its traditions but that of learning and appreciation of multi-cultures.
INCLUSIVITY
A healthy, happy society is one in which all its members feel included and do not feel that they are excluded from the processes of the society because of their colour, culture, caste, religion, gender or community. Young learners must be made to understand that their own life and long term peace, prosperity and happiness is endangered if societies are not built on inclusivity. This principle of inclusion must be part of the day-to-day practices of the school.
Efforts should be made to ensure that every member of the school, every child, every worker, every teacher feels included and not excluded because of certain disparities or because of certain economic, social and cultural background. The need to ensure gender equality and gender equity within the society in particular by respecting the role and contribution of women in societies raises the whole question as to how gender is treated in curricular, teaching and administrative processes within the schools.
There is a need to examine and ensure that gender biases and gender stereo-typing is not part of the institutional ethos and climate. Values enshrined in the Constitution of India point towards the principles of equality and social justice and appreciation of cultural values of each other, dignity of all individuals etc.
The values such as equality, fraternity, justice can promote inclusivity where all members of the society feel included irrespective of their colour, culture, economic social background, caste, religion, gender or community. The culture of inclusivity is particularly relevant and important in the context of our society, nation and making education a right for all children.
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