Overview

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Sociology developed as a Western knowledge that was later disseminated throughout the world. As per the uniqueness of the region, the indigenous sociological knowledge varies. During the British era, the subject of sociology along with social anthropology was introduced in India for the want of understanding the Indian social structure. Sociology as a discipline was introduced in the Indian context during the 1920s along with social anthropology. ‘India’ as the object of knowledge can be traced from the classical and Arab-Persian accounts and later during colonial and nationalist discourses. Indian society’s uniqueness can be understood from its cultural and religious context. India has several concepts which are culture-specific like the caste system and its village and agrarian class structure. India is viewed as a land of ‘village republics’ of self-sufficient corporately organized villages. The caste system, a major social institution in India, has an influence on almost all other Indian social institutions. The tribal profile of India is also diverse with its heterogeneity. The Indian culture and tradition are inclusive of family, marriage, and kinship which have their distinctiveness. India is a land of diversity where people of different religions live, where the knowledge of the practice of religion is needed to understand the social structure. The transition from the agricultural sector to the industrial is also a part of Indian society. The present course on Sociology of India – I cover the above-said content to contemplate the knowledge of Indian society from the historical, anthropological, political, and economic context.

Syllabus

Week – 1
1. Conceptualising Indian Society in the Pre-British Period2. Structure and Functioning of Indian Society – Empirical Knowledge3. The Indian Village view through the lens of British Colonialism4. East India Company’s role in collecting systematic information about the peoples of India

Week – 2
5. Initial Response to Colonial Power and Discourse6. Anti-colonialism and Consciousness Formation7. Nature and Approaches to Nationalism

Week – 3
8. A.R.Desai’s View on Nationalism9. Discourse of Nationalism10. The emergence of Indian Nationalism
Week – 4
11. Significance of Nationalism12. Nationalism Since Independence
Week – 5
13. Subaltern - a modern historical approach14. Subaltern perspective in Indian Sociology15. Subaltern Critique - the case of Indian Nationalism16. Gender, Caste and Denotified Tribes - Subaltern perspectives
Week – 617. Caste System in India – Introduction and Background18. Theories of Caste System19. Origins and Features of the Caste System in India20. The Structure of Caste System
Week – 7
21. Prohibitions and Sanctions22. Functions of the Caste System23. Role of Caste System in Indian Village24. Schedule Castes and Casteless Society
Week – 8
25. Indian Agrarian Structure–Views of Daniel Thorner – I26. The model of agrarian classes in India by D.N. Dhanagare - II27. Conceptualisation of Agrarian Classes in India by Utsa Patnaik - III
Week – 9
28. Industrial labour in post-colonial India29. Urban Economy – Factory workers30. Social Profile and lifestyle of workers31. The Assertion of dignity in the Formal Sector Industry in India
Week – 10
32. Characteristics of Tribe33. Tribal Population in India34. The Geographical Distribution of Tribes in India35. Social and Economic Organisations of Tribal Community
Week – 11
36. Understanding Villages: An Indian Perspective37. Village Studies in India - MN Srinivas38. Village Studies in India –S.C. Dube and A.R. Desai39. Changing Village Structure in India
Week – 12
40. Family41. Kinship42. Kinship Map 143. Kinship Map 244. Marriage
Week – 13
45. Religion and Religions in India46. Hinduism and Social Order47. Hinduism and the Polity48. Hindu Reforms and Modernisation
Week – 14
49. Islam and Islamization in India50. Chishtiya and other Orders in India51. Islamic Great Tradition and Indo-Islamic Little Tradition
Week – 15
52. Introduction to Sikhism53. Sikh Worships and Rituals – I54. Sikh Worships and Rituals – II55. Gurudwara, Sikh Code of Conduct and Reform Movements