Social ecology and inclusive development: A sociological analysis of democratic participation in India and the global south

AbstractThis paper explores the conceptual and empirical intersections between social ecology and inclusive development in the Global South, with a specific focus on India. In an era marked by climate emergencies and deepening socio-economic inequalities, mainstream development paradigms continue to marginalise both people and ecosystems. This paper examines the interrelationship between social ecology and inclusive development, focusing on the Global South, particularly India. Drawing on interdisciplinary and sociological frameworks, the paper argues for a shift from exploitative, top-down development models toward participatory, community-based, and ecologically harmonious alternatives. It highlights how entrenched power structures, social inequalities, and environmental injustice obstruct inclusive development. The paper also interrogates the sustainability discourse through the lenses of social equity, local knowledge, and environmental justice. Drawing from interdisciplinary theories and rooted sociological analyses, this research articulates a critique of capitalist and technocratic models of growth. Using insights from thinkers like Murray Bookchin, Ramachandra Guha, Vandana Shiva, and Arturo Escobar, and with references to Indian grassroots movements and policy frameworks, the paper makes a case for reimagining development as ecologically harmonious, democratically inclusive, and socially just. It argues that without addressing structural inequalities and ecological dispossession, development cannot be truly inclusive. The paper concludes with an agenda for transformative alternatives rooted in participatory governance, local knowledge systems, and environmental justice.