Topic: Role of Ideologies in Social Action subject: social action & social movement social change BSW & MSW study material social work profession

1. ROLE OF IDEOLOGY:
in Social Action
PRESENTED BY
RAHUL MAHIDA
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

2. INTRODCUTION
Social Action is a response to a four fold realization:
I. That the industrial revolution especially has produced conditions
inimical to the spiritual well being and personal development of a
large segment of the population.
II. That an innate sense of justice and of human solidarity dictates a duty
of commitment to the amelioration of the lot of disadvantaged.
III. That any effective, lasting amelioration supposes a change in the
institution responsible for misery or injustice, a task beyond the scope
of private piety or personal exercise of the corporal works of mercy.
IV. That such a change can be achieved only by organised effort. To this
realization the Christian brings consciousness of a mandate to aid
victims of justice because Christ has identified himself with them and
has made service to them in the test of discipleship.

3. Conti
The social worker must be guided by more positive drives to engage
himself in social action. The end of social Work is social Justice in all
its ramifications. It includes the bringing about of:
I. Material security through economic organizations;
II. Emotional security through personal and social adjustment; and
III. Social harmony through fair and ordered relations between
groups , with adequate opportunities for all groups and through
collective endeavour.
If the social worker is committed to his task, he must be an agent of
social Justice.

4. Collectivism:
There are several types of social organisation in which the individual is seen as being
subordinate to a social collectivity such as a state, a nation, a race or a social class.
Collectivism may be contrasted with individualism in which the rights and interests of
the individual are emphasized. The earliest modern influential expression of
collectivist idea is in the French writer Jean Jacques Rousseau’s De contra Social of
1762, in which it is argued that the individual finds his true being and freedom only in
submission to the “general will” of the community.
The German revolutionary thinker Karl Marx later provided the most succinct
statement of the collectivist view of the primary of social interaction in the preface to
his “Zur consciousness”, he wrote, “ which determines their being, but their social
action is concerned merely with securing legislation to combat a social evil and
looking towards the implementation of the concerned enactment. There are several
problems which crop up suddenly and pose a challenge to the community. A challenge
sometimes to its very existence.
Eg. Refer page no-416,Book:- Social Work –an Integrated Approach, Sanjay
Bhattacharya

5. Creating Social Awareness
The Effectiveness and strength of social Action are in direct proportion to the number of persons in a given
community becoming aware of their own problems and supporting measures for the removal of such
problems. Until a sizable majority cognizes problems and lends its support for proposed remedial measures,
the problems will remain and social action cannot take place.
Creating Social Awareness, then is one of the objectives of a social worker functioning in the role of the
objectives of a social actionist. Social Awareness is here used not only in the sense of problem –
consciousness but includes emotional ,moral and may be, physical support of a measure or remedy intended
to counter or combat the problem. In social action process end terminology, mere mental cognizance
unaccompanied by emotional ,moral and physical energy should be described as part awareness or partial
awareness.
The Oriental saying has much meaning and significance in this context: “He alone is really knowledgeable,
who also acts”.
A social actionist therefore should create in the minds of the people ,an awareness of the problems affecting
them. Social Research is one of the means of creating such awareness. By Social research is meant here an
investigation into the origin, development and extent of the social problem concerned.

6. Continue..
Such research should include the etiologiy, typology and dimensions of the problem.
Naturally, for this purpose, field research covering observation and interview will have to be undertaken in
addition to library study available, relevant literature pertaining to the subject, lectures, seminars and
conferences as useful media for creating in the public mind an awareness of a problem, its nature dimensions
and consequences, and thus win popular for measures intended to remove the problem. These are not only
instruments, but parts of the process of social action. Though other media were also mentioned, it is not
possible here to go into details regarding each one of them. Hence, we shall only briefly refer to lectures,
seminars and conferences with a view to indicating the possibilities of elaborating each with reference to social
action.
a) Lectures: When properly delivered at an opportune moment are potent instruments for moving people to
social action. lectures may consist of meaningful words ,voiced and gesticulated. The subject of the speech
should be topical .It should cover the problem on hand or an aspect of it. Popular and catchy titles for talks
would attract attention. speeches in Social action are of three types: 1) Factual, 2) Ideological,3)
Declamatory.
b) Seminar: A seminar is pre arranged and intensive discussion of any subject or subject amongst members of a
group composed of about five to twenty five persons. The subjects generally are of serious importance and
provide scope for diverse thinking amongst the discussants. Seminars are intended to be thoughtful and
thought-provoking.

7. c) Conference: A conference is a making of persons who come together for the purpose of seeking mutual
advice or exchanging views on issues which interest them. A conference could also be called for discussing
problems of common interest and in such cases it is an extended seminar. Indeed a conference may
include several seminar meeting the prescribed time.
Compare to seminar, the conference is large body, providing for large discussion amongst large group and
including subjects of larger and more general interest. In conference usually the resolutions are passed,
recommendations made or appeals issued to the government of the people. The seminar ends in conclusive
discussions and sometime conclusions, recommendations and appeals are also sent to proper authorities,
though this is not perhaps , regular and should be left to the conference only.
One of the best method of furthering social action is by involving In the conferences and seminars very
important people from the religious, intellectual, civil and political spheres of life. Every minister and governor
could be tactfully drawn into the seminars and conferences. This involvement will not only gain publicity to be
proceeding but may influence importance personages and the power that be to think and work along the lines
the social worker is doing in his role as a social actionist.
Continue..

8. Structure
The Starting point of Social Action is the Identification of the problem. This Calls for the study of all
factors directly and indirectly related to the situation and their detailed analysis.
The study of situation should also help in indicating a solution. The sources of the study may include
records, case studies, unmet needs, recurrent complaints , Newspaper reports , observation of people
and community-wide surveys.
The usual method of research may include tests for working hypothesis, collection of factual statistics
and logical inferences. In order to sustain public interest it is necessary to suggest specific solutions or
cures for a given situation against which social action is initiated. In addition to the presentation of facts
to indicate the nature and extent of the problem, social research should present data to demonstrate
that the situation is remediable the cooperating individuals and groups should be given opportunity to
aid in identifying the problem to review the facts in relation to it and to participate in planning for a
possible solution.
Education of the public, including that of the cooperating individuals and groups, should be the under
current of all the steps to be taken in relation to social action.
Education should be directed not only to the need but also to the type of cure that is likely to be
effective.

9. Conti..
There are various steps in a planning for action process. They are..
1. Sensing that something is Wrong
2. Problem Identification
3. Building a support Base
4. Problem Diagnosis
5. Gathering Information
6. Setting Action Goals
7. Inverting New Approaches
8. Weighing alternative Approaches and deciding on One approach to Implement
9. Making Final Plans
10. Implementing the New Approach
11. Assessing and Evaluating

10. LEADERSHIP
The selection of proper leadership is essential for the success of the
social action movement. Discovery of training and disciplining of
leadership forces should be gradually planned. In the selection of
leaders, their early appearance on the scene may prove deterrent to
the later recruitment of leaders. Social Action attracts all types of
personalities normal as well as pathological. The Efforts should be
made to involve indigenous leadership. The indigenous leaders
should not only know each other but also trust each other despite
differences of opinion on extraneous issues. They should continue to
promote participation of the masses.
Social action will be effective to the extent the masses support the
programme they should feel that it is their cause and also their
programme. The leadership should also be representative of all the
people affected.

11. I. Leaning Leadership:
The concept of leader –Follower relationship reminds one of the feudal past or of the
dictatorship of modern times. We are seeking a Leadership that is much more
fundamental and inner quality that can grow within persons and accumulation of habits
and attitudes that make a person independent and self-assured yet responsible. When
people exhibit this inner-directed confidence , they are likely to be accepted , but their
usefulness is not dependent upon such recognition. We will concentrate upon the
attainment of this responsible self confidence rather than upon the ability to give orders
and be obeyed.
Leadership thus defined is open to many people in all communities. No one can know
precisely how many might become such leaders until more honest efforts are made to
cultivate this quality. Growth of the ability is not dependent upon a few strong persons
developing in ways to triumph over rivals. The skills such growing leaders seek, are not
those of domination, but those of cooperation. That an individual has become strong in
his or her own right is demonstrated by independence that known how to work in a
team relationships with strong persons. We shall call this strong persons. We shall call
this quality to be developed in people as co operative responsibility.

12. II. Voluntary Leaders
In the early days the chief in the tribal society was a multipurpose leader.
He was to deal with problems of marriage and incest clan organisation,
enforcement of traditions, etc. The appearance of eminent prophets,
endowed with authority wisdom and power in several concerns of the
world such as India, china, Egypt, Greece, etc. represent a more advanced
stage than the earlier manifestation of the witch-doctor, hunter-chief and
the war-leader in tribal society. The prophets dealt with social conditions,
social ethics and social morality. By propounding moral and ethical
standards, the prophets and spiritual leaders functions as leaders and
social workers, whose teachings acted as preventive measures against
social disease and moral deterioration.
Even now , when science ,Knowledge and Learning have produced
opportunities for rational thinking , that need of the spiritual leader is
realised and felt by suffering humanity.

13. Presented by
Rahul Mahida
Thanks
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