Over the past few years, India has been experiencing widespread changes and developments in its society, polity and economy, resulting in a variety of social movements. Combined with this is the information explosion and mass media outbursts going in tandem. More than anyone else, sociologists have an exacting role in deciphering these movements, issues and the forces behind them. This book does precisely that.
‘Bliss of Ignorance’ by Dr Abash Parida (Vishwamukti Publication/Bhubaneswar) is a refreshingly bold account of a dozen plus issues that have inflamed Indian society in the past few months.
Parida is an Assistant Professor in Sociology and Development Studies, Sophitorium Group of Institutions- Khordha. He is also a blogger - ‘Social Pixel’ - and a columnist for various newspapers. This is his first book and a fascinating one at that. In the 200-page hardback, the writer has expressed a yawning disquiet with the existing social instruction and its blotchy contours.
An incisive observer of contemporary events, Parida’s book, as it says in the introduction, tries to ‘provide a kaleidoscopic analysis of certain social issues which are less discussed, misrepresented and less valued.’ Yet another goal of this book is to ‘clear the dust’ on several information that have been disseminated to us.
Focusing specifically on India, the book delves into the concept and definition of several social movements from diverse perspectives and offers a critical insight into the fundamentals. He also picks up the ongoing debates and treatises on these movements. It covers the dialogue on a wide range of crusades varying in locus and the spatial spread - from gender to women’s body rights and the civil society.
The latitude of the book is vast, and the author has engaged himself in some very controversial issues. From female genital mutation to witch hunting, from the new religion and the god-men to mob lynching, from transgender identity to homosexuality, the treatment is absorbing.
Some contents in the book are case studies, some are comments and some have a perceptive analysis. Having worked in various universities abroad and in India, Parida has been a keen observer of the events that have been unfolding across the countries. He substantiates his viewpoint with facts and figures.
In chapter on witch hunting, for example, Dr Parida has dealt with evil practice in all its ramifications. He calls witch hunting a ‘culturally induced murder’ and concludes that this practice is ‘unethical, harmful and no modern society can afford it’. Terming it as a spontaneous expression of anger, hate and superiority complex, he looks at 2015 Dadri mob lynching from sociological, political and legal angles. He says that demonizing Islam is a global phenomenon. Quoting from ‘Hatecrime Watch’, he is of opinion that between 2009 and 2019, Muslims were wrongdoers in 12 % of cases while Hindus were the perpetrators in 58 % of cases. On the present-day information boom, he says, a huge pool of information makes us confused. We are confused not because we don’t have analytical skills but in actuality we have little time to analyze this information. Information is business. Misinformation is bomb. He tries to distinguish between a ‘private world and an alternative form of social reality.’
The other interesting exploration in book are social media and its multidimensional roles, new role of market replacing civil society organizations, women and technology, Islamophobia and anti–Muslim sentiments. One significant departure in chapter-planning is discussion on how Prime Minister Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) has improved quality of life in Odisha.