Sociology · Class 12

Active learning ideas

Globalisation, Liberalisation, and Agrarian Society

Take a look at the phone in your pocket or the clothes you are wearing. This unit explores the global story behind these items and how the forces of globalisation and liberalisation have reshaped jobs, farms, and factories across India.

• CBSE Learning Outcomes
• NCERT: Class XII Sociology - Social Change and Development in India

• 30–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Formal Debate
• 45 min · Whole Class

Formal Debate: Globalisation's Impact on Indian Labour

Divide the class into two groups to debate the motion: 'Globalisation has been more beneficial than harmful for the Indian worker'. Students must use evidence from their textbook and other sources to support their arguments.

Explain how the opening up of the Indian economy has affected farmers.

Facilitation Tip

Ensure students focus on both the organised and unorganised sectors to present a balanced view.

What to look for

A 'Think-Pair-Share' activity where students discuss and define key terms like liberalisation and disinvestment in their own words.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Case Study Analysis
• 30 min · Pairs

Case Study Analysis: From Mill Worker to Gig Worker

Students read and analyse two short case studies: one of a textile mill worker in the 1980s and another of a food delivery app driver today. They then compare the working conditions, job security, and social benefits in a Venn diagram.

Analyse the structural causes behind the phenomenon of agrarian distress.

Facilitation Tip

Prompt students to think about the role of technology and trade unions in each scenario.

What to look for

An essay question: 'Globalisation has created new opportunities but also new forms of inequality in Indian society.' Discuss with reference to both industrial and agrarian sectors.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management

Activity 03

• World Café
• 40 min · Small Groups

Mapping the Global Product

Students choose a common product (like a smartphone or a pair of jeans) and research its supply chain. They create a visual map showing where different components are made, where it is assembled, and how it reaches the Indian market.

Evaluate the impact of multinational corporations entering the agricultural sector in India.

Facilitation Tip

Encourage them to reflect on what this global chain means for labour in different countries.

What to look for

Students complete a K-W-L (Know, Want to know, Learned) chart for the topic to reflect on their learning journey.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Begin with concrete, relatable examples like MNC brands or the gig economy before introducing abstract concepts like liberalisation. Use case studies of specific industries or regions to make the impacts tangible and less theoretical. Encourage structured debates to help students appreciate the complex and often contradictory consequences of these economic changes on different sections of society.

By the end of this unit, students will be able to critically analyse news headlines about economic policies, labour strikes, or farmer protests, understanding the deeper sociological forces at play.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• Globalisation only means access to foreign brands and products.

  Globalisation is a multi-dimensional process involving the flow of capital, services, people, and ideas across borders. While it brings new products, it also deeply affects local industries, employment patterns, agricultural practices, and cultural norms, not always positively.

• Industrial work is always in large factories with permanent jobs.

  While that was the model for the organised sector, post-liberalisation, much of industrial work has been outsourced or moved to the unorganised sector. This means work is often contractual, lacks social security benefits, and takes place in smaller, unregulated workshops.

• Farming in India is still a traditional, self-sufficient occupation.

  Modern Indian agriculture is heavily commercialised and linked to global markets. Farmers depend on national and international corporations for seeds, fertilisers, and pesticides, and the prices for their crops are often influenced by global supply and demand, making them vulnerable to international market fluctuations.

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Methods used in this brief

• Formal Debate
• Case Study Analysis
• World Café