INTERGROUP CONFLICTS

Def: A group is ‘a number of people who share some common characteristics’.

Characteristics of groups

A feeling of unity among members is essential to form a group. The members of a group treat each other as their own and a sense of fellowship between them develops naturally.

A sense of ‘we’ feeling among members develops among members of a group, whereby they help each other and defend themselves collectively against harmful elements. They treat others as outsiders.

A group is characterized by common ideals, interests and values of life, shared by its members and this similarity or commonness promotes unity among them.

A group is marked by the similarity of behavior of its members. Each group has certain customs, social norms and procedures that are acceptable to its members. Members violating them are punished. Thus, group has control over actions of its members.

 

Some suggestions to minimize Intergroup conflict

Intergroup conflicts lead to serious social and political disorders threatening even the vital interests of the nation. Therefore, every citizen of India must find ways and means to resolve such conflicts.

Social thinkers have suggested three methods

Cooption – To coopt means to add. If two groups do not agree on a certain issue, members of the dissenting group are absorbed in the dominant group through what is called as cooption. When the dissenting members get an opportunity to express their views and understand the other groups point of view, it is comparatively easy to resolve the conflict.

Accommodation – means willing to oblige the other or readiness to listen to the other’s points of view and to accept the solution if found satisfactory. Conflicting parties can resolve their conflicts by accommodation each other’s demands, views and claims.

Cooperation – is the basis of social life. Since no one is totally self-sufficient, one has to seek the help of others to achieve ones goals and satisfy ones needs. Human beings cooperated with each other to achieve common and diverse goals. Cooperation helps to achieve our objectives more effectively and efficiently by working together. It creates positive human relations and bonds of interdependence between the cooperating parties. By cooperating with each other we also derive social and psychological benefits such as feeling of security.

The forces of communalism, casteism, linguism and regionalism have been thwarting progress in the direction of building a strong and prosperous India based on ideals of democracy, secularism, social and economic justice. These forces can be overcome only by inculcating in Indian people faith in the ideals of national unity, secularism, equality, or more balanced economic policy.