THE ROLE OF MEDIA IN SHAPING SOCIO POLITICAL NARRATIVES OF MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES IN INDIA

Abstract

This paper critically examines the dual role of media institutions in reproducing and resisting socio-political inequalities, particularly in relation to marginalised communities in India. Drawing from theories of cultural hegemony, subalternity, and participatory culture, it explores how traditional media reinforce dominant caste and class hierarchies through agenda-setting and framing biases. Conversely, it highlights how digital platforms have enabled counterpublics, such as #DalitLivesMatter, to disrupt hegemonic narratives—albeit within capitalist and algorithmically biased structures. Employing a qualitative, case-based methodology grounded in secondary sources, the study engages with global and Indian contexts to interrogate representational gaps, symbolic annihilation, and the performative limits of digital activism. Through thematic analysis, the paper reveals that while digital media offer new avenues for narrative agency, they are often constrained by structural inequities and commodification. Ultimately, the study contributes to the theorisation of media as both instruments of oppression and sites of resistance, underscoring the urgent need for inclusive media ecosystems and transformative policy interventions.