Explain the structural tensions faced by men and women in matriarchal societies.

Structural tensions faced by men and women in matriarchal societies -

(i) The matriarchal form of family refers to the “authority and dominance “lying with the woman. However, in reality, it is Matriliny which is seen to exist among the Khasis of Meghalaya.

(ii) The woman inherits the property from her mother but does not exercise control over it; nor are they the decision makers in public affairs. The authority and control go from maternal uncle to nephew and the inheritance from mother to daughter.

(iii) This matriline generates intense role conflict for men because they are torn between the responsibilities of their natal household and that of his wife and children.

(iv) There is an apprehension in the minds of the wife and sister of the man; with regard to his commitment to their welfare.Because she can never be fully assumed that her husband does not find his sister's house a more congenial place than her own similarity, a sister will be apprenhensive about her brother's commitment to her welfare because the wife with whom he lives can always pull him away from his responsibilities to his natal house. Thus, woman possession is only a token authority.

The institution of caste is visible in many respects:
(i) For the SCs, STs and backwards the caste has become visible. Indeed their caste has tended to eclipse the other dimensions of their identities.
(ii) As they have no inherited educational and social capital, and because they must compete with an already entrenched upper caste group, they cannot afford to abandon their caste identity for it is one of the few collective assets they have. Moreover, they continue to suffer from discrimination of various kinds.
The institution of caste is invisible in many respects:
(i) One of the most significant paradoxical changes in the caste system in the contemporary period is that it has tended to become 'invisible' for the upper caste, urban middle and upper classes.
(ii) The groups who have benefited the maximum from the developmental policies of the post-colonial era, Caste has appeared to decline in importance.
(iii) The upper Caste elite were able to benefit from subsidised public education with special reference to profession education in science, technology medicine and management.
(iv) In the beginning, their lead over the rest of society ensured that they did not have any tough competition. Their privileged status become consolidated in their second and third generation.

Rules imposed by the caste system:
(i) Caste is determined by birth hence, nobody is allowed to change his caste, leave it or choose not to join it. An individual found violating caste rules shall be punished from social exclusion.
(ii) One cannot solemnise his marriage with the person (he or she) not member of his own group. It's endogamy recognised under caste system.
(iii) Person of a particular caste shall have strictly observed the rules of food and food sharing.
(iv) A person born into a caste can only practice the occupation associated with that caste.
(v) Shudras and untouchables shall serve the upper castes i.e. Brahmin, Kshatriya and Vaisya popularly called Dvija. They cannot share food with upper caste individuals.

Tribes have been classified in India according to their permanent and acquired traits.

Permanent Traits:

1. Permanent traits have region, language, physical characteristics and ecological habitat. The ecological habitats covered include hills, rural plains, forests and urban industrial regions.

2. In terms of language, tribes are categorised into four categories. Two of them are Indo Aryan and Dravidian and the other two are Austric and Tibeto-Burman.

3. In physical-racial terms, tribes are classified under the Negrito, Australoid, Mongoloid, Dravidian and Aryan categories.

4. In terms of size, tribes vary a lot. The biggest tribes are the Gonds, Bhils, Santhals, Oraons, Minas, Bodos and Mundas.

Acquired Traits: The following two main criteria are used in the category of acquired traits:

1. Mode of livelihood: Under this category, tribes can be categorised into fishermen, food gatherers and hunters, shifting cultivators, peasants and plantation and industrial workers.


2. Extent of incorporation into Hindu society: The dominant classification both in academic sociology as well as in politics and public affairs is the degree of assimilation into Hindu society.