Disruption and Resilience: Understanding the Societal Impact of COVID-19 in India
Introduction – Theoretical Framework
The sociological theories that must be applied while analysing these topics can be:
Social Disorganization Theory: According to this hypothesis, the intimacy that exists in traditional tiny towns will be lost as a result of modernization and urbanisation of society, or the advent of any substantial changes in society. People’s lives will be unpredictable as group ties break down and old common laws fade away. Because the benefits and interests of many groups would conflict, society will suffer confusion and contradiction, and the social system will face such a grave condition as “Anomy,” according to Emile Durkheim, as a result of conventional laws. In the end, the anomy established will result in the creation of social deviations and issues.
Deviant Subculture Theory: Albert Cohen did some investigations on deviant subcultures, extending Robert Morton’s Pressure Theory, and came to the conclusion that deviation emerges from people’s harmony with the norms and values of the social groups to which they belong.
Types of Suicides as per Emile Durkheim: Durkheim divided suicide into four different categories –
- Egoistic suicide: According to Durkheim, when a man becomes socially isolated or feels that he has no place in society he destroys himself. This is the suicide of a self-centred person who lacks altruistic feelings and is usually cut off from mainstream society.
- Altruistic suicide: This type of suicide occurs when individuals and the group are too close and intimate. This kind of suicide results from the over the integration of the individual into social proof, for example – Sati customs, Dannie’s warriors.
- Anomic suicide: This type of suicide is due to a certain breakdown of social equilibrium, such as suicide after bankruptcy or after winning a lottery. In other words, anomic suicide takes place in a situation that has cropped up suddenly.
- Fatalistic suicide: This type of suicide is due to overregulation in society. Under the overregulation of a society, when a servant or slave commits suicide, when a barren woman commits suicide, it is the example of fatalistic suicide
Exchange/Social Control Theory: Some sociologists use social exchange theory as a foundation for explaining why family violence occurs. Simply put, this idea states that family violence arises when the benefits of violent behaviour outweigh the disadvantages (Gelles, 1983; Gelles & Straus, 1988; Nye, 1979). Or, as Gelles and Straus (1988) succinctly put it, “How can the group we turn to for love and understanding be so cruel and harmful? Because they can.” (p. 20).
In other words, the benefits of acting forcefully outweigh the costs. The combined exchange/social control hypothesis is used to investigate the causes of family violence. (1) Family violence occurs when benefits outweigh costs; (2) a lack of effective social controls in the family lowers costs and thus increases the likelihood of violence; and (3) family and social structures, such as inequality (e.g., in gender, status, economic resources, or physical strength), family privacy norms, and masculinity perceptions, lower costs and thus increase the rewards of using violence (Gelles, 1983).
Applicability of these theories: Though there are a plethora of sociological theories that are likely to apply in this study, the author puts forth only these three major theories in this Theoretical Framework. Social Disorganization Theory would apply while analysing the issues and data concerning cybercrime and digitalisation. Deviant Subculture Theory can also be used to analyse the situation of cybercrime and the digital gap as the norms and values prevalent in the society have seen a major shift during this Covid-19 pandemic.
Another major theory of Sociology is on the types of suicides by Emile Durkheim. After analysing the same with the situation of India during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, the study analyses that most of the suicides that took place were the result of Egoistic Suicides and Anomic Suicides. Further, the Exchange/Social Control Theory can be utilised in analysing the increase in Domestic Violence cases during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Thus, this way, with the help of these theories, the study endeavours to analyse the reason(s) behind the increase in the cases of Suicides during the lockdown period, study the reason(s) behind the increase in the cases of Domestic Violence during the lockdown period, analyse the increase in Digital Divide in India and understand the reason(s) behind the increase in Cyber Crimes. Towards the end, the study lays down a few suggestions and recommendations considering the deeply negative consequences and fear embedded by the Covid-19 inside the mindset of Indian people.
Statement of Problem
Way back in 2019, no one had supposed that soon they are going to encounter such a catastrophic situation where they will see their loved ones packed inside homes without communication mediums except technological advancements, striving for oxygen cylinders, the medical infrastructure of the nation into shambles, whole education ecosystem would shift from offline to the online mode where only privileged children would study while children hailing from underprivileged strata suffer to even have a ration, et al. Though such circumstances were horrible and whoever tries to remember them surely get goosebumps, it is necessary to relook those circumstances with an optimistic view so as to address the shortcomings present within. The maintenance of public order is one such necessity. This research strives to analyse the reasons behind rampant growth in suicide cases and issues concerning domestic violence. Moreover, it also analyses the increase in the cybercrime curve due to the immediate shift of every individual from offline to online resources. The Digital Divide further got widened with the introduction of online education. Analysing all these issues with the psychological and sociological issues concerning them, the author towards the end, put forth a few suggestions to minimise the problems that are likely to arise in the future as a result of the same.
Research Objectives & Research Methodology
- To study the Mental Concerns posed by the Wuhan virus in India.
- To study the reason(s) behind the increase in the cases of Suicides during the lockdown period.
- To study the reason(s) behind the increase in the cases of Domestic Violence during the lockdown period.
- To study the rampant increase in Digital Transformation in India.
- To analyse the increase in Digital Divide in India.
- To understand the reason(s) behind the increase in Cyber Crimes.
- To unearth the psychological impact of Covid-19 on individuals in India.
- To study and analyse the negative consequences and fear deeply embedded by the Covid-19 in the mindset of the people in India.
- To suggest a few measures in order to uproot the pessimistic view among the masses in India.
- The Methodology adopted by the researcher is Doctrinal Research.
- Sources of Data: For this research, the author will depend upon the existing literature in the form of research articles, papers, books, et al. and other forms of such Secondary sources. The author has also taken care of the primary sources in the form of the data, reports and policies published by the institution of the Government of India, Government of other Indian State(s), a survey conducted by Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), et al.
Author:-Kaustubh Kumar, in case of any queries please contact/write back to us at support@ipandlegalfilings.com or IP & Legal Filing.
References
Soumitra Pathare, Lakshmi Vijaykumar, et al. (2020).
National Crime Records Bureau’s (NCRB) 2018 Crime in India Report.
Shreya Mohanty & Swikruti Mohanty (2021).
Vasundharaa S. Nair & Debanjan Banerjee (2021).
Centre for Economic Data & Analysis, (2021).
Pew Research Center (2018).
Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) (2020).
Asian Journal of Psychiatry (2020).
Blessy Elizabeth David & Sanjay Kumar (2020).
