Consequences of Mobility

Consequences of Mobility

According to Dan A. Chekki in his article “Social Stratification and Trends of Social Mobility in Modern India” (1970, pp. 159-160) has pointed out some of the consequences of social mobility –

1. Social mobility and geographical mobility are interconnected, especially in Gokul where migrants move to different parts of the country for various reasons such as job opportunities.

2. Around 15% of migrants from Gokul head to cities like Bombay and Poona, often as unmarried individuals or married couples with or without children.

3. Education, employment, and marriage play pivotal roles in migration decisions.

4. The maintenance of frequent contacts among kin members, along with the exchange of help and gifts, strengthens kinship bonds amidst migration, countering potential disruptive influences.

5. Upward mobility aspirations among lower and middle-class youth are supported by family, schools, peer groups, state activities, and mass media, providing essential training in motives, attitudes, and social skills required for mobility.

6. Social class values like achievement, wealth, power, and status motivate and sustain mobility efforts among lower and middle-class individuals.

7. External influences, including norms and behaviours of others, accelerate social mobility by shaping individual perspectives.

8. The reliance on external reference groups like peer groups, work environments, and mass media reduces dependence on family and kin groups, potentially leading to ambivalence towards traditional attachments.

9. While social mobility can initially bring stress, isolation, and conflicts, the data suggests that significant social or psychological disintegration has not been observed due to a relatively lower rate of mobility and the influence of traditional socio-cultural constraints.

References

Chekki, D. A. (1970). Social Stratification and Trends of Social Mobility in Modern India. Sociologus, 20(2), 146–163. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43644450

Ghurye, G. S.: 1961, Caste, Class and Occupation. Bombay: Popular Prakashan.

Gouldner, Alwin W. and Gouldner, Helen P. et al.: 1963, Modern Sociology:  An Introduction to the study of Human Interaction. New York: Harcourt,  Brace and World.