CHALLENGES OF RURAL IDENTITY AND CULTURAL PRESERVATION: A GLOBAL SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

Authors: Dr.Viday S

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37082/IJIRMPS.v14.i1.232964

Short DOI: https://doi.org/

Country: India

Full-text Research PDF File:   View   |   Download

Abstract: Rural identity and cultural preservation aren’t just abstract ideas—they’re the backbone of social life in so many places, tying people to their history, shared values, and even the land itself. But these days, with globalization, rapid urban growth, and tech everywhere you look, rural communities feel real pressure. They’re trying to keep what makes them unique while also being pushed to change. All over the world—Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America—villages are changing fast. Big economic shifts, people moving to cities, and the nonstop flood of media are shaking up how people live and relate to each other. Thinkers like Giddens, Bourdieu, and Williams have dug into this, showing how modern life brings both chances to grow and real risks for the survival of local culture. Sure, globalization means more ways to talk, share, and create. But it also tends to flatten out differences, sometimes wiping out local leadership, old ways of knowing, and practices that actually protect rural identity and the environment. What’s needed is some balance—policies that actually respect local wisdom, protect cultural variety, and aim for development that doesn’t bulldoze what’s already there. In India, rural identity is huge. It’s the base of the country’s social and cultural life. Most Indians still live in villages that are packed with different languages, customs, and ways of organizing. But the same waves—globalization, migration, digital change—are hitting hard. Sociologists like M.N. Srinivas, Yogendra Singh, and A.R. Desai have shown how things like Sanskritization, Westernization, and new technology are changing how people interact, work, and even see themselves. Old jobs, folk art, and community traditions are getting pushed aside by city dreams and nonstop media. It’s a big shift, and the stakes are high for what rural India looks like in the years to come.

Keywords: Globalization. Environment development economic communities

Paper Id: 232964

Published On: 2026-02-28

Published In: Volume 14, Issue 1, January-February 2026

Share this