Globalization may be described as a gradual integration of the people of the countries through goods, services, capital, information, and persons across national borders.

How globalization has affected India’s social structure:

1. Changing Family Structures:

Nuclear families: In most cultures and particularly in the urban areas today, the traditional joint family is gradually being replaced by individual families. The causes for this are increased schooling and work among women, movement to seek better employment, and shifts in traditions..

Delayed marriages: Lifting standards, expanded educational chances for females and revolutions in the jobs people want have made them postpone their marriages and child bearing.

2. Growth of Consumerism:

-Exposure to Western culture: Westernization has brought the Indian consumer closer to ‘consuming’ the global brands through media, advertisements and other facilities. This has created consumption and changing the pattern on consumerism.

-Materialism and Individualism: It has disempowered traditions of collectivistic ideals of ethnicity; succeeded by capitalistic god of materialism and self-actualization.

3. Social Mobility and Inequality:

-Increased opportunities: People also pointed out that through globalization new economic avenues have been availed and social ladder has been climbed for some classes of society.

-Rising inequality: It has also deepened the existing disparities yet again as well. In this context, globalization is a continuing process that has not been able to allocate resources and distribute benefits evenly, thus increasing inequality as between the two classes: the rich and the poor.

4. Cultural Homogenization and Hybridity:

-Greater interaction and influence on culture: Globalization as indicated by more reciprocal actions regarding the ideas, processes that link India with the other nations.
-Hybrid cultures: New culture formation has occurred within it since it provides cultural form and manifestations that leads to mingling of Western cultures with Indian tradition.

Loss of prospects as a result of globalization due to vulnerability to lose its old cultures and values.
5. Social Problems

-Urbanization and migration: Globalization has been glorified as being responsible for increased urbanization and migration. This has come with it social and environmental implications especially in urban areas.

-Rise of social movements: Globalization has also led to the emergence of different social movements such as women’s rights, environmental protection, and social justice.