B.A. SOCIOLOGY

PAPER - I
SOCIOLOGY: BASIC CONCEPTS AND PERSPECTIVES

1. Introduction to Sociology
Definition of Sociology – Nature and Scope of Sociology –Origins and development of Sociology – Founding fathers and their contributions: Auguste Comte, Herbert Spencer, Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim and Max Weber –Sociology and other social sciences – Sociology in India – Importance of Sociology.

2. Human Society and Culture
Human society, Definition, characteristics and functions – Individual and society- Culture and Personality- Heredity and Environment.

3. Structure of Human Society
Social groups and its major types – Community – Association – Institution – Status and Role – Norms, Values and Customs – Power and Authority- Concepts of State, Nation and Society and their differences.

4. Basic Social Institutions
Marriage, Family and Kinship, Religion, Economy, Education, Polity and Law

5. Socialization and Social Control
Concept of Socialization – Theories of development of ‘Self’ of G.H. Mead, C.H. Cooley and Sigmund Freud – Agencies of Socialization: Family, School, Religion, Peer group, Community and Government- Social Control: Concepts of Anomie, Deviance and Social Control – Means of Social Control: Formal and Informal means.

6. Social Stratification
Social Differentiation – Social Stratification: Theories of social stratification; Functional and Conflict theories – Dimensions of Social Stratification; Class, Caste, Power and Gender.

7. Social Interaction and Processes
Social Interaction – Social Processes: Cooperation, Competition, Conflict, Accommodation and Assimilation – Social Disorganization

8. Sociological Perspectives
a. Functional perspective
b. Conflict perspective
c. Symbolic Interactionist Perspective

PAPER - II

1. Structure of Indian Society
Diversity and Unity; Religious, Linguistic, Cultural and Regional diversities of Indian society – Basic tenets of Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Zoroastrianism- Hindu Social Organization: Purusharthas, Varnashrama dharma.

2. Social Institutions
Forms of Marriage, Family and Kinship among Hindus, Muslims and Christians and their changing trends. Decline of Joint family: causes and consequences

3. Economy
Land ownership and land distribution- Agrarian structure and relations and decline of Jajmani system - Present occupational structure- Features of Tribal economy; Urban Economy; Industrial, Service and Informal Sectors.

4. Stratification
Varna and Jati - Definition, features and functions of Caste system; Caste and Class; Class in India: Agrarian and Non Agrarian classes, Emergence of middle class- Dominant Caste; changing trends in caste system.

5. Polity
System of governance – Nation, State and Local Governance: Access to politics: Caste, Religion, Language and Region – Differential access to political power.

6. Education:
Traditional Educational System – Emergence of modern formal education system in India- Differential access to education in India- Education and Social Mobility.
7. Communities
Tribal Community, Rural community and Urban Community: Distribution of population - Difference between rural and urban communities- Village settlement patterns - Growth of urban centres, types of urban communities.

8. Problems of Indian Society
a. Tribal Society: Exploitation of Tribes, Land alienation and displacement and Problems of Health and Nutrition
b. Rural Society: Poverty and Unemployment, Indebtedness and farmers’ suicides and Illiteracy
c. Urban Society: Housing and civic services, Pollution, Crime and Juvenile Delinquency and HIV/AIDS.

PAPER III

1. Social Change
Meaning, definition and nature of social change-Factors affecting social change- Overview of theories of social change: evolutionary, structural and modernization

2. Development and Underdevelopment
Concepts of Development and Underdevelopment- Indicators of development and Human Development Indices - Concepts of Economic Development, Social Development and Sustainable Development - Globalization and consequences

3. British Rule and Social Change
Changes in administrative, Judiciary, agrarian (land revenue/ownership), educational institutional structure and their social impact (modernization)

4. Social Movements
a. Social reform movements: Abolition of Sathi and child marriage; Widow remarriages- Arya Samaj, Bramho Samaj.
b. Protest & Self respect movements: Non-Brahmin Movement, Backward Class and Dalit movements
c. Agrarian Movements and Peasant movements

5. Independent India and Trends of Social Change
Salient feature of constitution of India - Community development and Democratic decentralization- Land reforms- Constitutional Safeguards for weaker sections (SC, ST, BC, Women, Differentially abled and children)

6. Planned development
Meaning of planned development- Overview of objectives and achievement of Five Year Plans -Green revolution

7. Intervention Programmes
Poverty reduction programmes – Education, Health and Skills promotion- Social Exclusion & Inclusive Policies

8. Social Issues and Challenges
Population explosion -Migration & urbanization -Gender Issues: Domestic Violence, Trafficking; Empowerment -Development induced displacement -Problem of the elderly; Violation of Human Rights.

PAPER IV

1. Applications of Sociology
Introduction to applied sociology – sociology and social problems – sociology and social change – sociology and social policy and action – sociology and development – sociology and professions.

2. Participatory Development
Promoting Participatory Development: Need for Social Participation, Community Development and the Community Organization – Principles and Steps – Group Formation and Social Action – Capacity Building Strategies.

3. Participatory Development Techniques
Participatory development – Meaning, Techniques of Participatory Development, PRA techniques.

4. Counseling
Meaning; need; Types of counseling, Methods of counseling.

5. Field Survey & Report Writing
Need, Meaning of survey, types of survey Steps in conducting survey; Data collection methods ;Salient features of report writing