SOCIOLOGY

Sociology Books For Preliminary Examination

• IGNOU Material
• Sociology - Sachideva & Vidhya Bushan.
• Sociology - T.B. Bottomore.
• Sociology Themes & Perspectives - Moralambose & R.M. Heald.
• Unique Guide.
• Dhilion Guide.
• Spectrum Guide.
• Sociology Dictionary - William P. Scott.
• Social Demography - Asha & Bandhi.
• Social Anthropology - Madan & Majumdar.
• Political System - Smelser.
• Cultural Anthropology -Madan and Majumdar
• Sociology - Horton and Hunt
• Harlambus - Introduction to Sociology
• Tribal India - L.P. Vidhyarthi
• Modernization of Indian Tradition - Y. Singh
• NCERT tests on sociology
• Oxford Dictionary / Collins
• Chapters from a good book on Demography and Urban geography.

Reference Books For Sociology Mains Exam

• Ram Ahuja: Society in India

• Ram Ahuja: Social problems in India
• IGNOU notes (especially for thinkers and topic on Indian system)
• Caste its 20th Century Avatar - M.N. Srinivas
• Participation as freedom - Amartya Sen and Jean Dreze
• Y. Singh - Modernization of Indian Tradition
• Y. Singh - Social tradition in India
• L.P. Vidhyarthi - Tribal India
• Yojana (Independence day special 2001 on population)
• Y. Singh - Social Change in India
• Niel J. Smelser for Economy and Society
• Abraham and Francis - Sociological theory

General Reference Books For Sociology

• Sociology - T.B. Bottomore

• Sociology - Harry M. Johnson
• Sociology: An introduction and analysis - Maclver and Page
• Handbook of sociology - Ogburn and Ninkoff
• Social anthropology - Madan and Majumdar
• Social Thought - Abraham and Morgan
• Social structure - M.N. Srinivas
• Dictionary of sociology - Dunean and Mitchel or Penguin

Topicwise Suggested Sociology Books

• Introductory sociology: T.B. Bottmore

 • Basic contribution of sociological and anthropological thinkers: dictionary of sociology, Social and cultural process:
Maclver and Page and Madan & Majumdar
• Deviance and central: Social stratification - Harlambos and T.B. Bottomore
• Illustrations - Johnson
• Political institutions - Bottomore
• Religious and social institutions - Madan & Majumdar
• Basic Concepts of Indian sociology - Y Singh (Modernization of Indian Tradition), Villavge, Town, City, Maclver & Page

Click here for - - Social issues reading, very good one.

Things to remember

Paper I
For short notes, these are the important sections in paper I:

• Sociology - The Discipline

• Scientific Study of Social Phenomena
• Techniques of data collection and analysis
• Economic System
• Political System
• Educational System
• Science & Technology

To prepare for the long questions in paper I, students are required to thoroughly prepare Pioneering contributions to Sociology. This
includes

• Karl Marx: Historical materialism, mode of production, alienation and class struggle.
• Emile Durham: Division of labour, social fact, religion and society.
• Max Weber: Social action, ideal types, authority, bureaucracy, protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism.
• Talcott Parsons: Social system, pattern variables.
• Robert K Merton: Latent and manifest functions, anomie, conformity and deviance, reference groups.

While revising Pioneering contributions to Sociology', students need to focus on areas like socio-economic and political background,
views of thinkers, their analysis, contemporary perspective and evolution. The section on `Pioneering contributions to Sociology' is
the most important part of paper I. It helps to understand the theoretical inferences of paper II. So, if you are thorough with this
section, it will be easier for candidates to get a gist of sections like Social Stratification, Economic System, Political System,
Educational System, Social Movements and Social Change and Development.

Candidates are required to understand argumentative aspect of thinkers like Karl Marx, Emile Durham, Max Weber, Talcott
Parsons, Robert K Merton, with an eye to use their arguments in other sections of paper I. The theoretical inference of these
thinkers needs to be carried forward in paper II wherever required.

For long questions, students need to focus on topics such as Pioneering Contributions to Sociology, Marriage and Family, Social
Stratification and Mobility, Political System, Social Movements and Social Change and Development. Students who can thoroughly
focus on these sections are expected to answer 70% of queries in paper I. They should, however, have an overall view of the paper
with focus on emerging trends like education, religion and economic developments.

Paper II

While preparing for this paper, students should ensure that they should not confine their preparation in terms of different sections.
They need to focus on interrelation between different topics. Students need to have an analytical eye with focus on continuity and
change. Like, despite so many changes, why caste system is still prevalent in our country. Or, despite the break-up of the joint
family system, the mentality of joint family still exists among Indians.

For short notes, the important sections are:

• Historical Moorings of the Indian Society

• Class Structure
• Marriage, Family and Kinship
• Education
 • Political System
• Population Dynamics
• Social Movements
• Social Problems

For long questions, the important sections are:

• Caste System
• Class Structure
• Agrarian Social Structure
• Industry and Society
• Political Processes
• Tribal Societies
• Social Change
• Social Movements
• Women and Society

Apart from these, students need to keep an eye on sections like Caste System, Agrarian Social Structure and Tribal Societies. You
can always have short or long questions from these three sections. Paper II actually works like mathematics and it is a high-scoring
paper.

There are many topics in paper II which seem to be essay-type. But in Sociology, they need to be approached through sociological
perspectives. Suppose you are asked a question on poverty, this can have theoretical inferences. You need to give empirical or
sociological or case studies examples to analyze the topics.

Writing Short notes:

You need to directly start answering the question. Avoid flowery language with an eye on all perspectives while answering the
question

Long questions:

Perspectives which have been asked needs to be kept in view while answering the question. Theoretical dimension are to be
substantiated with analysis.

Sociology Syllabus for Preliminary Examination

Paper-I

General Sociology/Foundations of Sociology/Fundamentals of Sociology

1. Sociology - The Discipline:

(a) Modernity and social changes in Europe and emergence of sociology.

(b) Scope of the subject and comparison with other social sciences.
(c) Sociology and common sense.

2. Sociology as Science:

(a) Science, scientific method and critique.

(b) Major theoretical strands of research methodology.
(c) Positivism and its critique.
(d) Fact value and objectivity.
(e) Non- positivist methodologies.

3. Research Methods and Analysis:

(a) Qualitative and quantitative methods.

 (b) Techniques of data collection.
(c) Variables, sampling, hypothesis, reliability and validity.

4. Sociological Thinkers:

(a) Karl Marx- Historical materialism, mode of production, alienation, class struggle.
(b) Emile Durkheim- Division of labor, social fact, suicide, religion and society.
(c) Max Weber- Social action, ideal types, authority, bureaucracy, protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism.
(d) Talcolt Parsons- Social system, pattern variables.
(e) Robert K. Merton- Latent and manifest functions, conformity and deviance, reference groups
(f) Mead - Self and identity.

5. Stratification and Mobility:

(a) Concepts- equality, inequality, hierarchy, exclusion, poverty and deprivation

(b) Theories of social stratification- Structural functionalist theory, Marxist theory, Weberian theory.
(c) Dimensions – Social stratification of class, status groups, gender, ethnicity and race.
(d) Social mobility- open and closed systems, types of mobility, sources and causes of mobility.

6. Works and Economic Life:

(a) Social organization of work in different types of society- slave society, feudal society, industrial /capitalist society.
(b) Formal and informal organization of work
(c) Labor and society.

7. Politics and Society:

(a) Sociological theories of power

(b) Power elite, bureaucracy, pressure groups, and political parties.
(c) Nation, state, citizenship, democracy, civil society, ideology.
(d) Protest, agitation, social movements, collective action, revolution.

8. Religion and Society:

(a) Sociological theories of religion.

(b) Types of religious practices: animism, monism, pluralism, sects, and cults.
(c) Religion in modern society: religion and science, secularization, religious revivalism, fundamentalism.

9. Systems of Kinship:

(a) Family, household, marriage.

(b) Types and forms of family.
(c) Lineage and descent
(d) Patriarchy and sexual division of labor
(e) Contemporary trends.

10. Social Change in Modern Society:

(a) Sociological theories of social change.

(b) Development and dependency.
(c) Agents of social change.
(d) Education and social change.
(e) Science, technology and social change.

Paper-II
INDIAN SOCIETY: STRUCTURE AND CHANGE

A. Introducing Indian Society:

(i) Perspectives on the study of Indian society:

(a) Ideology (GS. Ghurye).
(b) Structural functionalism (M N Srinivas).
(c) Marxist sociology (A R Desai).

(ii) Impact of colonial rule on Indian society:

(a) Social background of Indian nationalism.
(b) Modernization of Indian tradition.
(c) Protests and movements during the colonial period.
(d) Social reforms

B. Social Structure:

(i) Rural and Agrarian Social Structure:

(a) The idea of Indian village and village studies-
(b) Agrarian social structure - evolution of land tenure system, land reforms.

(ii) Caste System:

(a) Perspectives on the study of caste systems: GS Ghurye, M N Srinivas, Louis Dumont, Andre Beteille.
(b) Features of caste system.
(c) Untouchability - forms and perspectives

(iii) Tribal communities in India:

(a) Definitional problems.
(b) Geographical spread.
(c) Colonial policies and tribes.
(d) Issues of integration and autonomy.

(iv) Social Classes in India:

(a) Agrarian class structure.
(b) Industrial class structure.
(c) Middle classes in India.

(v) Systems of Kinship in India:

(a) Lineage and descent in India.
(b) Types of kinship systems.
(c) Family and marriage in India.
(d) Household dimensions of the family.
(e) Patriarchy, entitlements and sexual division of labor.

(vi) Religion and Society:

(a) Religious communities in India.
(b) Problems of religious minorities.

C. Social Changes in India:

(i) Visions of Social Change in India:

(a) Idea of development planning and mixed economy.
 (b) Constitution, law and social change.
(c) Education and social change.

(ii) Rural and Agrarian transformation in India:

(a) Programs of rural development, Community Development Program, cooperatives, poverty alleviation schemes.
(b) Green revolution and social change.
(c) Changing modes of production in Indian agriculture.
(d) Problems of rural labor, bondage, migration.

(iii) Industrialization and Urbanization in India:

(a) Evolution of modern industry in India.
(b) Growth of urban settlements in India.
(c) Working class: structure, growth, class mobilization.
(d) Informal sector, child labor
(e) Slums and deprivation in urban areas.

(iv) Politics and Society:

(a) Nation, democracy and citizenship.
(b) Political parties, pressure groups , social and political elite.
(c) Regionalism and decentralization of power.
(d) Secularization

(v) Social Movements in Modern India:

(a) Peasants and farmers movements.
(b) Women’s movement.
(c) Backward classes & Dalit movement.
(d) Environmental movements.
(e) Ethnicity and Identity movements.

(vi) Population Dynamics:

(a) Population size, growth, composition and distribution.
(b) Components of population growth: birth, death, migration.
(c) Population policy and family planning.
(d) Emerging issues: ageing, sex ratios, child and infant mortality, reproductive health.

(vii) Challenges of Social Transformation:

(a) Crisis of development: displacement, environmental problems and sustainability.
(b) Poverty, deprivation and inequalities.
(c) Violence against women.
(d) Caste conflicts.
(e) Ethnic conflicts, communalism, religious revivalism.
(f) Illiteracy and disparities in education.

Sociology Syllabus for Main Examination

Unit I:

Basic Concepts:

Society, community, association, institution. Culture-culture change, diffusion, Cultural-tag, Cultural relativism, ethnocentrism,
acculturation. Social Groups-primary, secondary and reference groups. Social structure, social system, social action. Status and
role, role conflict, role set. Norms and values-conformity and deviance. Law and customs.
Socio-cultural processes : socialization, assimilation, integration, cooperation, competition, conflict, accommodation, Social
distance, relative deprivation.

Unit II:

Marriage, Family and Kinship:

1. Marriage: Types and norms, marriage as contract, and as a sacrament.

2. Family: Types, functions and changes.
3. Kinships: Terms and usages, rules of residence, descent, inheritance.

Unit III:

Social Stratification:

Forms and functions; Caste and Class. Jajmani system, purity and pollution, dominant caste, sanskritisation.

Unit IV:

Types of Society:

Tribal, agrarian, industrial and post-industrial.

Unit V:

Economy and Society:

Man, nature and social production, economic systems of simple and complex societies, non-economic determinants of economic
behavior, market (free) economy and controlled (planned) economy.

Unit VI:

Industrial and Urban Society:

Rural-Urban Continuum, urban growth and urbanization-town, city and metropolis; basic features of industrial society; impact of
automation on society; industrialization and environment.

Unit VII:

Social Demography:

Population size, growth, composition, and distribution in India; components of population growth-births, deaths and migration;
causes and consequences of population growth; population and social development; population policy.

Unit VIII:

Political Processes:

Power, authority and legitimacy; political socialization; political modernization, pressure groups; caste and politics.

Unit IX:

Weaker Sections-and Minorities:

Social justice-equal opportunity and special opportunity; protective discrimination; constitutional safeguards.

Unit X:

Social Change:
Theories of change; factors of change; science, technology and change. Social movements-Peasant Movement, Women's
Movement, Backward Caste Movement, Dalit Movement.