1:-Sociology – The Discipline:
- Modernity and social changes in Europe and emergence of sociology.
- Scope of the subject and comparison with other social sciences.
- Sociology and common sense.
2:-Sociology as Science:
- Science, scientific method and critique.
- Major theoretical strands of research methodology.
- Positivism and its critique.
- Fact value and objectivity.
- Non- positivist methodologies.
3:Research Methods and Analysis:
- Qualitative and quantitative methods.
- Techniques of data collection.
- Variables, sampling, hypothesis, reliability and validity.
4:Sociological Thinkers:
- Karl Marx- Historical materialism, mode of production, alienation, class struggle.
- Emile Durkheim- Division of labour, social fact, suicide, religion and society.
- Max Weber- Social action, ideal types, authority, bureaucracy, protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism.
- Talcolt Parsons- Social system, pattern variables.
- Robert K. Merton- Latent and manifest functions, conformity and deviance, reference groups.
- Mead – Self and identity.
5:Stratification and Mobility:
- Concepts- equality, inequality, hierarchy, exclusion, poverty and deprivation.
- Theories of social stratification- Structural functionalist theory, Marxist theory, Weberian theory.
- Dimensions – Social stratification of class, status groups, gender, ethnicity and race.
- Social mobility- open and closed systems, types of mobility, sources and causes of mobility.
6:Works and Economic Life:
- Social organization of work in different types of society- slave society, feudal society, industrial /capitalist society.
- Formal and informal organization of work..
- Labour and society..
7:Politics and Society:
- Sociological theories of power..
- Power elite, bureaucracy, pressure groups, and political parties.
- Nation, state, citizenship, democracy, civil society, ideology.
- Protest, agitation, social movements, collective action, revolution.
8:Religion and Society:
- Sociological theories of religion.
- Types of religious practices: animism, monism, pluralism, sects, cults.
- Religion in modern society: religion and science, secularization, religious revivalism, fundamentalism.
9:Systems of Kinship:
- Family, household, marriage.
- Types and forms of family.
- Lineage and descent.
- Patriarchy and sexual division of labour.
- Contemporary trends.
10:Social Change in Modern Society:
- Sociological theories of social change.
- Development and dependency.
- Agents of social change.
- Education and social change.
- Science, technology and social change.
PAPER – II
INDIAN SOCIETY : STRUCTURE AND CHANGE
- Introducing Indian Society:
1:- Perspectives on the study of Indian society:
1:- Indology (GS. Ghurye).
2:- Structural functionalism (M N Srinivas).
3:- Marxist sociology (A R Desai).
2:- Impact of colonial rule on Indian society :
1:- Social background of Indian nationalism.
2:- Modernization of Indian tradition.
3:- Protests and movements during the colonial period.
4:- Social reforms.
3:- Social Structure: :
1:-Rural and Agrarian Social Structure:
1:-The idea of Indian village and village studies.
2:-Agrarian social structure – evolution of land tenure system, land reforms.
2:-Caste System:
1:-Perspectives on the study of caste systems: GS Ghurye, M N Srinivas, Louis Dumont, Andre Beteille.
2:-Features of caste system.
3:-Untouchability – forms and perspectives.
- Tribal communities in India:
1:- Definitional problems.
2:- Geographical spread.
3:- Colonial policies and tribes.
4:- Issues of integration and autonomy.
- Social Classes in India:
1:- Agrarian class structure.
2:- Industrial class structure.
3:- Middle classes in India.
- Systems of Kinship in India:
1:- Lineage and descent in India.
2:- Types of kinship systems.
3:- Family and marriage in India.
4:- Household dimensions of the family.
5:- Patriarchy, entitlements and sexual division of labour.
- Religion and Society:
1:- Religious communities in India.
2:- Religious communities in India.
- Social Changes in India:
1:- Visions of Social Change in India:
1:- Idea of development planning and mixed economy.
2:- Constitution, law and social change.
3:-Education and social change.
2:- Rural and Agrarian transformation in India:
1:- Programmes of rural development, Community Development Programme, cooperatives, poverty alleviation schemes.
2:- Green revolution and social change.
3:- Changing modes of production in Indian agriculture .
3:- Problems of rural labour, bondage, migration.
- Industrialization and Urbanisation in India:
1:- Evolution of modern industry in India.
2:- Growth of urban settlements in India.
3:- Working class: structure, growth, class mobilization.
4:- Informal sector, child labour.
5:- Slums and deprivation in urban areas.
- Politics and Society:
1:- Nation, democracy and citizenship.
2:-Political parties, pressure groups, social and political elite.
3:-Regionalism and decentralization of power.
- Social Movements in Modern India:
1:- Peasants and farmers movements.
2:- Women’s movement.
3:- Backward classes & Dalit movement.
4:- Environmental movements.
5:- Ethnicity and Identity movements.
- Population Dynamics:
1:- Population size, growth, composition and distribution.
2:- Components of population growth: birth, death, migration.
3:- Population policy and family planning.
4:- Emerging issues: ageing, sex ratios, child and infant mortality, reproductive health.
- Challenges of Social Transformation:
1:- Crisis of development: displacement, environmental problems and sustainability.
2:- Poverty, deprivation and inequalities.
3:- Violence against women.
4:- Caste conflicts.
5:- Ethnic conflicts, communalism, religious revivalism.
6:- Illiteracy and disparities in education.
