Volume 6, 2023
Research Article

People’s Science Movement and the Missing People: Save Silent Valley Movement and the Scientisation of Environmental Debates in Kerala

PDF
  • Ranjith Kallyani
    ,
  • N. C. Narayanan
Ranjith Kallyani
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat, Himachal Pradesh
N. C. Narayanan
Ashank Desai Centre for Policy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai
DOI: https://doi.org/10.29195/DSSS.06.01.74

Published 2023-09-21

Keywords

  • Scientism, Indian Environmentalism, People’s Science; Environmental Movement, Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad, Save Silent Valley Movement

How to Cite

Kallyani, R., & Narayanan, N. C. (2023). People’s Science Movement and the Missing People: Save Silent Valley Movement and the Scientisation of Environmental Debates in Kerala. DIALOGUE: Science, Scientists and Society, 6, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.29195/DSSS.06.01.74
Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC

Abstract

Though primarily understood as New Social Movements (NSM), People’s Science Movements (PSM) in India are also a favourite theme for Science and Technology Studies (STS) scholars. Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP) is often projected as a pioneering reference point for studying PSMs. KSSP also figures in Environmental Social Sciences discussions because of its active involvement in the Save Silent Valley Movement (SSVM), one of India’s successful anti-dam environmental movements. While KSSP was foregrounded toabstract some attributes of PSMs by STS scholars, SSVM was one of the environmental movements epitomised to develop explanations on Indian Environmentalism. While agreeing with the PSM’s attributes conferred on KSSP, this paper questions the extent of SSVM’s commonalities with other environmental movements in the debates on Indian Environmentalism.

PDF

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

  1. Abrol, D. 2014. Mobilizing for Democratization of Science in India: Learning from the PSM experience. Journal of Scientific Temper, 2 (1& 2), 10-32.
  2. Agarwal, B. 1992. The Gender and Environment Debate: Lessons from India. Feminist Studies, 18 (1), 119–158
  3. Babu G. S. S. 2010. Praxis of Subaltern Knowledge: A Contemporary Discourse on Environmental Movements in India. Ph.D. Thesis, Jawaharlal Nehru University
  4. Baviskar, A. 2006. Red in Tooth and Claw? Looking for Class in Struggles over Nature In: Ray R and Katzenstein M (Eds.) Social Movements in India: Poverty, Power and Politics. (pp. 161-178). Oxford University Press
  5. Baviskar, A. 2014. Ecology and Development in India: A Field and its Future In: Chaudhury S K (Ed.) Sociology of Environment. (pp. 42-55). Sage Publications.
  6. Bijoy, C. R. and Raman, K. R. 2003. Muthanga: The Real Story: Adivasi Movement to Recover Land. Economic and Political Weekly, 38 (20), 1975-1982.
  7. Dwivedi, R. 2001. Environmental Movements in the Global South: Issues of Livelihood and Beyond. International Sociology, 16:11-31.
  8. Ekbal, B. and Isaac, T. M. T. 2013. ‘Science for Social Revolution’. In: Parameswaran M P (Ed.) Science for Social Revolution — A reader. (pp. 9-51). Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad. Thrissur
  9. Gadgil, M. and Guha, R. 2013. Ecology and Equity: The Use and Abuse of Nature in Contemporary India. Routledge.
  10. Geetanjoy, S. 2007. People’s Participation in Environmental Protection: A Case Study of Patancheru. Working Papers 180, Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bangalore.
  11. Guha, R. 1988. Ideological Trends in Indian Environmentalism. Economic and Political Weekly, 23 (49), 2578-2581.
  12. Guha, R. and Alier, J. M. 2013. Varieties of Environmentalism: Essays North and South. Routledge.
  13. Isaac, T. T., Franke, R. W. and Parameswaran, M. P. 1997. From Anti-feudalism to Sustainable Development: The Kerala Peoples Science Movement. Bulletin of Concerned Asian Scholars, 29, 34-44.
  14. Jaffry, A., Rangarajan, M., Ekbal, B. and Kannan, K.P. 1983. Towards a People’s Science Movement. Economic and Political Weekly 18 (11), 372-376.
  15. Kannan, K.P. 1990. Secularism and People’s Science Movement in India. Economic and Political Weekly, 25 (6), 311-313.
  16. Krishnakumar, K.K. 1977. Science for Social Change: The Kerala Sastra Sahithya Parishad. Social Scientist, 6 (2), 64-68.
  17. Kurien, J. 1995. The Kerala Model: Its Central Tendency and the Outlier. Social Scientist, 23 (1/3), 70-90.
  18. Nambeesan, K. U. 2017. ParisthithiyumVikasanavum: Mavoor Samarathinte Neekkibakki [Environment and Development: the remaings of Mavoor Protests]. In: Kunjikkannan T P (Ed.) Saasthram Samarayudhamakumbol [When Science is a weapon for protest]. (pp. 44-64). Kerala Sasthrasahithya Parishad. Thrissur
  19. Omvedt, G. 1998. ‘Disturbing aspects of Kerala society’ in Bulletin of Concerned Asian Scholars, (30) 3, 31-33.
  20. Oommen, M. A. 2014. Growth, Inequality and Well-being: Revisiting fifty years of Kerala’s Development Trajectory. Journal of South Asian Development, 9, 173-205.
  21. Parameswaran, M. P. 2012. Thriparisthithi Sidhantham[Theory of three-dimensional environment]. in Parameswaran M P. Janakeeya sastra prasthanam. [People’s Science Movement]. (pp. 71-77). Kerala sastra Sahitya Parishad. Thrissur.
  22. Parameswaran, M.P. 2015. Party fulltimer in: Parameswaran M P. Kalaharanamillatha Swapnangal[Dreams that cannot be expired] (pp. 183-188). Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad. Thrissur.
  23. Prasad, A. 2008. Environmentalism and the Left.In A. Prasad,Environment, Development and Society in Contemporary India:An Introduction (pp. 360-367). Macmillan Publishers India.
  24. Radhakrishnan, R. and Koottumel, J. 2010. Silent Valley: Cheruthunilppinte Nalvazhi [Silent Valley: The Timeline of Rseistance].. Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad. Kozhikkode.
  25. Radhakrishnan, R. and Koottumel, J. 2017. Chaliyar Puzha Malineekaranam[Chaliyar River PollutionIn: Radhadkrishnan R and Koottumel J. Kerala Paristhiti: Pradhirodhathinte Charithra Vazhikal[Kerala Environment: Historical Trajectories of Resistance (pp. 24-33). . Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad. Thrissur
  26. Raina, D. 1990. Commoditised Science or Science for Consumption? Economic and Political Weekly, 25 (40), 2245-2247.
  27. Raina, D. 1997. Evolving Perspectives on Science and History: A chronicle of Modern India’s Scientific Enchantment and Disenchantment (1850–1980). Social Epistemology, 11 (1), 3-24.
  28. Rammohan, K. T. 2008. Caste and Landlessness in Kerala: Signals from Chengara. Economic and Political Weekly, 43 (37), 14-16.
  29. Rudy, A.P. and Konefal, J. 2007. Nature, Sociology, and Social Justice: Environmental Sociology, Pedagogy, and the Curriculum. American Behavioral Scientist, 51 (4), 495-515.
  30. Sahu, G. 2007. People’s Participation in Environmental Protection: A Case Study of Patancheru. (Working Paper No. 180). Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bangalore.
  31. Seethi, K.M. 2001. Grasim: Polluter does not Pay. Economic and Political Weekly, 36 (29), 2748-2749.
  32. Shah, G. 2002. Movements and the State (Vol. 4). SAGE Publications Pvt. Limited.
  33. Swain, A. 2016. Struggle against the State: Social Network and Protest Mobilization in India. Routledge. London.
  34. Varma, R. 2001. People’s Science Movements and Science Wars?. Economic and Political Weekly, 36 (52), 4796-4802.
  35. Venkateswaran, T. V. (2020). ‘‘Science for social revolution’: People’s Science Movements and democratizing science in India’. Journal of Science Communication 19 (06), C08.
  36. Warrier, S. G. 2018, February 1st. Silent Valley: A Controversy that Focussed Global Attention on a Rainforest 40 years ago. Mongabay India. Retrieved online from: https://india.mongabay.com
  37. Zachariah, M. 1989. People’s Movements and Reform of Formal Education: Reflections on Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP) in India. Canadian and International Education, 18, 3-19.
  38. Zachariah, M. and Sooryamoorthy, R. 1994. Science for Social Revolution: Achievements and Dilemmas of a Development Movement-the Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad. Zed Books.