I was dithering to write about this issue on blog as it is a subtle one. Whenever we talk about collective action and cooperation, we assume that all the actors involved in collective action are having a single identity. In real world, it’s not true. For example, a person can be Hindu by religious identity, manager by professional identity, oriya by geographical identity and so on. In all probabilities, it is possible that these multiple identities are out of sync. How collective action is possible in that case? Which identity will come at fore for collective action and why?
Let us understand this by an example. In case of attack on non Marathis in Mumbai, Mumbaikars acted collectively against someone who seemed to be infringing upon their geographical identity. In this case Marathi identity of mumbaikars came at fore. But why? Attackers and victims might be of same religion but that identity is lost somewhere. Had that religious or national identity been at fore, in all probability these kind of things would not have happened. So here, my only point is that if in any way we can invoke a particular identity of a person whole premise of collective action will change. if we can invoke national; identity in place of geographical or religious identity whole genre of collective action will be transformed. Eager to know your responses.
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2 comments:
I am not sure I fully agree with your views that it was the Marathi identity of Mumbaikars who acted collectively against people with diff geographical identity. I think that there was a different bond between these attackers, and that is the element of Raj Thackerey. His leadership and ideology were the uniting elements among his followers and it were these followers who indulged in these shameless attacks.
Well I feel it all depends on the situation in which the collective action happens. Collective action is not necessarily always in the best interests of the society. And at the same time, even if a collective action is being undertaken for all the wrong reasons in this world, the actors involved there have a particular reason for the same. The whole country says it is wrong,even I do but looking at the attacks in Mumbai, atleast the actors involved (read the attackers) might give you a 101 reasons justifying the attacks. Similarly there are many examples all over the country.
What is important to look at is which identity comes to the fore under which situation. The same person who might have damaged a taxi run by a non Marathi might come to his rescue in a Hindu Muslim riot. Similar is the case of national identity which you have called for. And the reason unfortunately is that the various identities including the national one are actually out of sync. Unless the honour of the country is at stake, the national identity is tough to be invoked. For example during a match between India and Pakistan at the Brabourne stadium in Bombay,both the attacker as well as the victim will root for India as Indians.
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