Perspectives that cannot be reconciled, there cannot be People's Science science wars. First, the article identifies PSM as a new type of social movement, so objectives, modes of action, and com- positions of activists aredifferentiated from Movements movements associated with the Left. The article then discusses various political activities of PSM to show diversity on and Science Wars? issues related to S and T in society and how their actions are making a difference. People's science movements in India have been viewed in terms Finally, the article addresses the science two cultures: the scientist's science and wars, which have occupied much schol- of opposite taking arly attention since the mid-1990s. technology to the people and opposing the scientist's science and technologyfor the people. This article provides a critique of PSM as New Social Movement science epistemologies behind those two cultures that has led to the so-called science wars scholars. The article shows Like peace, environmentalism,feminism, among up human rights, and gay rights, PSM in India the myth of science wars in India by identifyinga common fall in the category of 'new' social move- platformfor both sides. ments. Melucci (1985: 795) argues that social movements need redefinition be- cause the conflicts of the 1980s have re- ROLIVARMA ment, Eklavya, Friends of Rural Society, vealed new contradictions. He defines new Ganga Mukti Andolan, Himalaya Bachao social movements as "a form of collective everalgrass roots groups coming from Andolan, JanVikas Andolan, KeralaSastra action (a) based on solidarity, (b) carrying a mixtureof ideological traditions Sahitya Parishad(KSSP), Kishore Bharati, on a conflict, (c) breaking the limits of the are partof whathas been called the Manav Vahini, Medico Friends Circle, system in which action occurs." Similarly, People's Science Movements (PSM) in Mines Minerals and People, Movement in Touraine (1985: 785) argues that social India.PSM defy definitionbecause they India for Nuclear Disarmament (MIND), movements in the 1980s are less socio- are diverse in size, strategy,focus, and National Alliance of People's Movement, political and more socio-cultural. He de- history.The groupsize variesfrom a band Narmada Bachao Andolan, National Fish fines new social movements as "an agent of few individualsin one area to over Workers Forum, Patriotic People for Sci- of conflict for the social control of the 30,000 in other areas. While some are ence and Technology (PPST), Sahayog, main cultural patterns." In some signifi- recent,others go back to over 40 years. Samajwadi Jan Parishad, and Vigyan cant respects, PSM constitutes those new Somegroups focus on a singleissue, while Siksha Kendra, among others. social movements because they differ in otherscover a vast range.Some work on These groups are committed to different their objectives, modes of operation, and reducingdisparity in scientificknowledge, notions of S and T in society and thus composition of activists from movements whileothers promote an alternative develop- encapsulate a diversity of activities. Yet, historically associated with the Left such mentmodel, based on local Indianscience their activities have been framed in terms as the Tebhaga struggle in 1946, the and technology(S and T). The core set of two cultures that have led to what some Telengana peasant uprising in 1948, the which brings various groups under the have called the 'science wars' in India Naxalbari upheavals in 1967, and the umbrellaof PSM is workingon the issue [Nanda 1997]. One school has been viewed railway workers revolts in 1974. of S and T in society and is not a direct as seeking to disseminate the worldview First, PSM does not work towards the divisionof Indiangovernment. All these of modem science among traditionalpeople central goal of destroying existing political groupshave given PSM a voice in the to generate what the late prime minister structure nor are new ones built after the mediaand political arena. Since the 1990s, Nehru called the 'scientific temper'. In victory in which economic exploitation of some PSM groups have been invited to sharp contrast, the other school has been one class by another class is done away makepresentations at the annualsessions viewed as opposing development based on with. Instead, PSM work on diverse issues of the IndianNational Science Congress, modern S and T that is impoverishing the such as: the development of S and T for which has been a platformfor project- majority to keep what has been called the people, protection of natural environment ing nationalgoals for the applicationof 'humanistic temper'. and forests, opposition to mega projects science. This article argues that there is a myth of global corporationsand the World Bank, Somegroups which represent PSM are: about science wars in India because the improvement in the conditions of life and All IndiaAnti-Imperialist Forum, All India two cultures problem suggests that ver- health, building cultural identity, promo- People'sScience Network, Azadi Bachao sions of reality should be on on either side tion of scientific knowledge among the Andolan, Bharat Jan Andolan, Bhopal in serious conflict, whereas the PSM works common people, research related to Gas AffectedWorking Women's Union, on a common platform. Without two sides people's health, innovation in scientific ChilkaBachao Andolan,Chipko Move- thatare dramatically opposite of each other, communication, and rediscovering Indian 4796 Economic and Political Weekly December29, 2001 heritage.It seeks to identify a set of focused not sufficient to analyse the Indian society. of supernaturalismand superstition. They objectives within PSM because they con- PSM are rooted in the middle classes and realised that science was one among many sist of many voluntary groups throughout theirgoals are class-unspecific and diverse. knowledge systems, yet stressed its su- India.The only common threaduniting these Their modes of action are based on grass premacy in the study of society. groups is that they fall on the interface roots activities that are informal, sponta- However, as KSSP experienced obstacles of S and T in society and are not a direct neous, and legal. Mahatma Gandhi's phi- in communicating their scientific goals to division of government. losophy of non-violence, tolerance, people, the lack of scientific temper as the Second, the agenda of PSM is not to spirtiualisation of politics, and self-reli- root cause of India's problems was target the state by forming trade unions or ance influence many PSM activists. Even criticised inside the movement. For one political parties of the socialist or commu- though PSM go along with the status quo, thing it amounted to blaming people for nist type to win state power by elections they advocate for changes in structured their misfortune. It was argued that the or underground activities. Instead, PSM inequality and empower people to stand scientific temperlike any other behavioural focuses on grass roots activities by form- for themselves. attribute could not be made a universal ing loose associations.Their organisational requirement for modernisation [Kumar structure is rather decentralised, lacking Political Activities of PSM 1984]. The Dependency School identified regulation, differentiation, control, and underdevelopment or poverty of the third power. Their officials and members con- After independence in 1947, India world (periphery) as the basis of develop- sist of voluntary workers who rely on emerged as underdeveloped in relation to ment or wealth of the west (core) [Frank nominal donation. They publicise their the west and sought to eliminate poverty 1975, Amin 1976, Wallerstein 1979]. They causes by speaking publicly and demon- and unemployment with large-scale rejected the possibility of self-sufficient strating against governmental policies. industrialisation.Nehru (1985: 31) believed capitalist development in the periphery Many groupsuse art,songs, poems, dances, that without 'catching up' with the scien- without breaking its historical linkages puppet shows, and plays to wage their tific and technological advances made in with the core. Indianscholars such as Amiya struggles. Tilly (1985) has argued that the west, India would remain weak and Kumar Bagchi, Nirmal Chandra, Sanjaya demonstrationhas become a key form of vulnerable to foreign domination. He felt Lall, Deepak Nayyar, Ashok Rudra and collective action due to the growth of that Indians must learn to think and behave Ranjit Sau showed that the main cause of elections and the beginning of popular scientifically to overcome traditional, the backwardness of India was due to the participation in national politics. mystical, supernatural, uncritical, and reproduction of economic and political Third, activists in PSM do not view inward-looking way of life so they can structures in accordance with the interests themselves in terms of a class, that is, a adapt to the modem age. The Communist of the metropolitan powers and the domi- group defined by a socio-economic con- Party of India (CPI) supportednationalists nant classes. Against the emphasis on ditions or in relation to the means of pro- as representing the interests of national internal behavioural factors, critics duction such as the working class or the bourgeoisie and sought peaceful transi- emphasised external political economic feudal landlords. Most activists come tion to socialism through participation in factors for modernisation or development primarilyfrom the educatedmiddle