Indian Society: Sociological Perspectives

ABOUT THE COURSE:This course aims to provide a broad overview of the multiple theoretical and methodological perspectives adopted by sociologists to understand Indian society. It provides a historical overview of the discipline, major perspectives such as Indological, Structural-functionalist, Marxian, Structuralist and Subaltern perspectives. The subsequent chapters also examine emergence of Dalit perspective and Feminist perspectives in Indian Sociology. The course also discusses several contemporary debates such as standpoint theory and decoloniality in the Indian context.INTENDED AUDIENCE: Undergraduate as well as postgraduate students of sociology, aspirants of competitive examinations and general public who are interested in the discipline of sociology.

Week 1: Introduction to the course: Theoretical and methodological perspectives within sociology and social anthropology Week 2:Historical background of the study of Indian society. Colonialism, Anthropology and emergence of sociology in IndiaWeek 3:Orientalism, Indology and knowledge production: CritiqueWeek 4:Orientalist understanding of India: GS Ghurye and othersWeek 5:Structural Functionalist perspective: M N Srinivas and othersWeek 6:Marxian Sociology in India: A R Desai, Kathleen Gough and othersWeek 7:Structuralist perspective: Louise Dumont, Veena DasWeek 8:Subaltern perspective and critiqueWeek 9:Feminist perspective and gender studies in Indian sociologyWeek 10:Dalit sociology and Dalit feminism in Indian sociologyWeek 11:Recent debates on epistemology and methodology: standpoint theoriesWeek 12:Recent debates on decoloniality in Indian sociology