Table of Contents
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTION:
Q1.Why is the study of the origin and growth of sociology important?
Answer:
Sociology is the study of social life of humans, their groups and societies. The subject matter of sociology is our own behaviour as social beings. It is important to study this subject, in order to understand the society as a whole. Hence, sociology helps us in the understanding of interconnectedness of the social systems across. It is important to study the origin and growth of sociology because it helps in shaping the subject matter according to its principles and perceptions. The study of the origin of the subject also helps us to understand the ideas that led to its origin.
Sociology studies societies that are different in size, characteristics, etc. by using certain methods, material contexts and methodologies. The study of growth of sociology shows the new ideas that were involved in making it a distinct subject of social science. These ideas which were gradually involved in bringing up this subject affects its subject-matter. Therefore, studying the origin and growth of sociology is important to understand the various institutions and their functions present in the society.
Q2.Discuss the different aspects of the term ‘society’. How is it different from your common sense understanding?
Answer:
The different aspects of the term ‘society’ have been made by early sociologists like Auguste Comte, Karl Marx and Herbert Spencer. They classified the societies into two broad groups:
(i) Pre-modern societies such as, hunters and gatherers, pastoral and agrarian and non-industrial civilisations.
(ii) Modern societies such as the industrial societies.
Sociology studies society on the basis of some rules and principles that depend on concepts, data and methods. On the other hand, our common sense understanding of the society depends on our naturalistic or individualistic understanding.
Common sense knowledge does not question its own origins but Sociology has both the systematic and questioning approach that is derived from a broader tradition of scientific investigation.
In our common sense understanding of the society, the aspect of the term ‘society’ is very limited which is quite different from that of sociology.
Q3.Discuss how there is greater give and take among disciplines today.
Answer:
The give and take among disciplines today, is discussed below:
(i) Sociology, as a subject studies the society in the form of social behaviour, social institutions, social policies and programmes that get affected from the historical, political and economic policies.
(ii) Political Science studies the polity of the country. The political atmosphere, political policies, etc. have an impact on society and its economy. Sociology has shared common interests of research with political science. Political sociology focuses mainly on the study of political behaviour of the various institutions and their interactions. Studies have been conducted to understand sociological reasons for support of political parties, the role of gender in politics, the process of decision making in organisations, etc.
(iii) The economy is the subject matter of economics that studies economic activities, economic policies etc. that gets affected by political policies and the needs of the society. The economic behaviour and activities are looked upon through sociological approach in a broader context of social norms, practices, values and interests. Also, the subject of economic sociology has been introduced, because of the wide and critical perspective of both sociology and economics.
(iv) History as a subject has been different from sociology. However, the historians nowadays have started using sociological methods and concepts to understand the social matters, gender relations, customs and other important institutions of the past.
(v) Psychology is the science of behaviour. Society gets affected from individual behaviour in collective form and even the individual behaviour is affected by the society that makes sociology and psychology interrelated. This has introduced the subject of social psychology, which studies the primary interest in the individual by observing his/her behaviour in social groups.
(vi) Anthropologists study simple societies whereas sociology studies complex societies. Social anthropology and cultural anthropology are of concern for sociologists. Anthropology is often regarded as the sister discipline of sociology.
Polity, economy and society are interrelated and get affected by each other. Therefore, these three subjects are necessary to be studied together. Hence, the different disciplines of social sciences such as anthropology, economics, political science, history and psychology are interrelated as they share common interests, concepts and methods.
Q4.Identify any personal problem that you or your friends or relatives are facing. Attempt a sociological understanding.
Answer:
Note: Any answer supported with argument or explanation would solve the purpose.
One sample answer has been provided to you:
My uncle and aunt are looking for a groom for my cousin. They are looking for a boy who is well-qualified, government officer, decent and has a good family background.
However, my cousin wants a well-natured husband who might not be a government officer. She is looking for someone who would provide her freedom to pursue her career and allow her to live the way she wants to. Her family wants a government officer who can make them feel socially and financially strong. They also want the boy to be of same community because of social pressure, but my cousin wants a loving husband irrespective of his community background.
In the above example, it is clear that personal choice is often affected by one’s individual needs and thoughts.
The girl holds a modern thinking and does not believe in the barrier of caste or community to find a soul mate. Her views are shaped with the changing environment of her work place and peer group. On the other hand, her parents are affected by their community and feel the pressure from the society to find a son-in-law who belongs to their own social group. The views/opinions of the parents mentioned above are formed by the pressure of society and the wish to have a government officer as their son-in-law arises from their own need. Therefore, we can say that our needs and opinions or views are formed by the various institutions of society, such as work places, peer groups, etc.
Long Answer Type Questions :
Q1.Describe the growth of Sociology in India.
Answer:
The history of origin and development of Sociology in India is more than 4000 years old. The fundamental source of social ideology was religion. During Indian Vedic era, a systematic development of different social institutions of society was prevalent. Sociology in India has been influenced by various internal processes particularly the colonial regime which tried to prove their cultural superiority in comparison of Indian culture.
First of all, Sociology courses were taught at Calcutta University in the Department of Economics, Political Science, Human Geography and Anthropology. This was pioneered by philosopher Brajendra Nath Seal, Benoy Sarkar, anthropologist K.P. Chattopadhyay and human geographer Nirmal Bose.
- In 1914, the Department of Sociology was started for PG students of economics.
As Sociology is defined today have been first of all introduced in India in Bombay University under the guidance of Prof. Patriels in 1919. - In 1923, Mysore University introduced Sociology in BA course as a separate subject. Presently Sociology is being taught in most of the Indian universities as a BA pass or BA honours course and PG courses.
- Presently the premier institutes of India like JNU, Delhi School of Economics, Tata Institute of Social Science have special professional courses in Sociology.
- Indian sociologists who contributed significantly to make their subject flourish are Dr. Radha Kamal Mukherjee, Prof. P.N. Prabhu, Prof. Wadia, Prof. Shrinivas, Dr. R.N. Saxena, Prof. R.R. Shastri, Prof. Kapadia, Prof. N. Prasad, Prof. T.K. Oomen, Prof. S.C. Dubey, Prof Andrea.
Q2.How Sociology and Political Science are related to each other?
Answer:
Political science studies political institution such as state governments and its branches like legislative, executive and judiciary.
- Sociology studies power in terms of social context e.g. during elections.
- Political Science is restricted to study of formal organisation and institutions whereas sociology is concerned with study of behaviour of the people in power.
- Sociology focuses on social stress on the interpersonal relationship between political institution.
- The main task of a political scientist is to study the political behaviour whereas main task of sociologist is to develop knowledge that would explain both social and political behaviour along with the consequences of this behaviour.
- There are several areas of social life that need both the approaches e.g. implementing a law and its effect on people.
Q3.How success of French Revolution and Industrial Revolution caused changes in social life of people universally?
Answer:
Success of French and American Revolution
Enlightenment values of intellectual and political freedom found expressions in the French Revolution in 1789.
These revolutions popularised the nation that individuals possess alienable rights, monarchy was overthrown and democracy was brought in. Ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity put an end to the age of feudalism. Birth based privileges were abolished.
Industrial Revolution and Capitalism
Began in Britain in late 18th and early 19th centuries it had two major aspects.
(a) Systematic application of science and technology to industrial production: Invention of new machines, and harnessing of new sources of power revolutionised the production process. There was now factory production of goods on a large scale.
(b) Industrial revolution was based upon new, dynamic forms of economic activity. Capitalism revolutionised ways of organising labour and markets. Entrepreneurs were now engaged in the sustained, systematic pursuit of profit. Large scale production was geared towards distant markets, raw materials too were procured from all over the world.
These changes in production system led to many dramatic changes in social life too.
1. Before industrialisation, agriculture and textiles were the chief occupations of the British.
2. Most people lived in villages. Like in our own Indian villages, there were peasants and landlords, the blacksmith and leather workers, the weavers and the potters, the shepherds and the brewers.
3. Society was small. It was hierarchical, that is the status and class positions of different people were clearly defined. Like all traditional societies it was also, characterised by close interaction. With industrialisation each of these features changed.
4. One of the most fundamental aspects of the new order was the degradation of labour, the wrenching of work from the protective context of guild, village, and family. Both the radical and conservative thinkers were appalled at the decline of the status of the common labourer, not the skilled craftsmen.
5. Urban centres expanded and grew. It was not that there were no cities earlier. But their character prior to industrialisation was different. The industrial cities gave birth to a completely new kind of urban world. It was marked by the soot and grime of factories, by overcrowded slums of the new industrial working class, bad sanitation and general squalor. It was also marked by new kinds of social interactions.
Consequently many early sociologists like Karl Marx and Durkheim were concerned with the scientific analysis of the developments in industrial society.
Sociology was therefore bom as “Science of the new modem industrial society”.
Q4.What do you understand by Sociology?
Answer:
Capitalism was the new economic system that emerged in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. This system became the driving force behind industrial growth. Karl Marx believed that capitalists were factory owners and entrepreneurs who were engaged in the systematic pursuit of profit and became rich at the expense of their workers who remained poor.
The key to capitalism as a social system was the complex relationship between factory owners, workers and the means of production i.e. factories, machinery and tools. Renaissance was a European intellectual movement of the late 17th and 18th centuries, which laid emphasis on reason, individualism and rational thought. The ideas of fraternity, equality and liberty became important and resulted in the French Revolution, which abolished the monarchy, ended feudalism and privileges based on birth. The central idea of Renaissance was that all men are born with certain rights that had to be respected.
Positivism was a theory developed by Auguste Comte, regarded as the “Father of Sociology.” Positivism is based on the theory that on the basis of verifiable facts it is possible to observe social life in a methodical way to establish reliable, valid knowledge which can be used to affect the course of social change and improve human conditions. Positivism has had little influence on contemporary sociology, however, because it is argued that it encourages a misleading emphasis on superficial facts without any attention to underlying mechanisms that cannot be observed.
Q5.In what ways did the Industrial Revolution lead to the birth of Sociology in Europe?
- The Industrial Revolution began in Britain in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It marked the beginning of the scientific age and led to changes in social lives of people.
- Before industrialization the rural sector was important. The chief occupation was farming and weaving. Society was hierarchical, status and class conscious. People worked according to their needs, factors like daylight and deadlines.
- Industrialisation meant there was a systematic application of science and technology. Huge factories were set up for large-scale production of goods like textiles and iron and steel. New forms of economic activity gave rise to capitalism as the pursuit of profit was geared to markets in distant colonies.
- There was a dramatic change in social life as a new working class emerged. Farmers migrated to industrial cities, which were characterised by overcrowded housing, poor sanitation and general squalor.
- An indicator of this new society was the emergence of “clock time”. The tempo of work was set by the clock and calendar. Factory production meant that work began punctually and people worked in shifts for set hours and were paid according to what they produced.
- Karl Marx and Durkheim were appalled at the degradation of factory workers and became concerned with the scientific analysis of developments in industrial society. Sociology was bom as a result of this as it was based on the understanding of “science of a new modem industrial world”.
Q6.Discuss the revolutionary changes in 19th century Europe that led to the emergence of Sociology.
Answer:
1. Sociology was born in 19th century Europe as a result of the revolutionary changes brought about by Enlightenment, the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution.
2. Medieval Europe was a feudal society. The church dominated all spheres of society including matters of state and the king was regarded to be divinely ordained to rule over his people as he deemed fit. Gradually people began to question every aspect of life including the authority of the church and the monarchy.
3. This led to the Age of Enlightenment, which laid great emphasis on reason and
rationality. There was a growing conviction that the methods of natural sciences could be extended to study affairs of human society. Eg. Poverty began to be seen not as a natural phenomenon but as a social problem caused by exploitation and human ignorance. Hence poverty could be redressed and resolved.
4. Enlightenment values of intellectual and political freedom found expression in the French Revolution of 1789. This revolution popularised the notion that all individuals possessed the right to liberty, equality and fraternity. The revolution ended monarchy and ushered in democracy. The age of feudalism ended and birth based privileges were abolished.
5. The Industrial Revolution began with the advancement of science and technology. It brought in capitalism as industry became economically very important. Farmers left their holdings to work in factories in the industrial cities of Britain. The features of society changed and the working class became important. Once again society was transformed as a new social order emerged.
6. People like Comte, Marx and Durkheim tried to make sense of these revolutionary changes and restore order to chaos. Their efforts helped the emergence of Sociology, as they believed that the scientific study of Sociology would help in the reconstruction and reorganization of a strong and healthy society.
Q7.Discuss relationship between Sociology and History.
Answer:
Sociology and the other social sciences have much in common. Recently there has been a gradual coming together of various social sciences. Pioneers of Indian sociology like DP Mukerji have stressed on an inter-disciplinary approach within the field of Sociology.
While there are many similarities between other social sciences. They are different in focus, orientation and emphasis.
Differences between Sociology and History:
History is concerned with the description of the past of the society while Sociology is primarily concerned with the present of society and to some extent its future too. Historians try to narrate historical events in their chronological order. Primary interest of sociology is to discover the general laws of society and to establish causal relationships between social phenomenon.
Conventional history has been more about the history of kings and war. The history of less glamorous events such as gender relations within the family have traditionally been less studied by historians but formed a core area of the sociologist’s interest.
Convergence of History and Sociology:
However, recently history and sociology are beginning to converge. This is because the present of society cannot be understood without looking at its past. Sociologists therefore, very often use historical records and refer to the works of historians for their own research.
Even history is often studied now from a sociological point of view. To quote G.E Howard, “History is past sociology and sociology is present history”. Historians today are using sociological methods and concepts in their analysis.
The coming of history and sociology together has led to the emergence of the specialization of historical sociology. It deals with social patterns, gender relations, customs other than the acts of rulers and wars.
Q8.Discuss relationship between Sociology and Economics.
Answer:
Differences between Sociology and Economics:
- Economics is concerned with the study of production and distribution of goods and services in society. On the other hand, sociology is the systematic study of social relations and interactions.
- The classical approach in economics dealt almost exclusively with the interrelations of pure economic variables such as price, demand, supply, money flow etc. Focus of traditional economics has been on a narrow understanding of economic activities.
Convergence of Sociology and Economics:
- Despite the difference irTfocus economics and sociology share a two way relationship because the economic activities of human beings do not exist in a vacuum.
- Production, consumption and distribution of goods and services in a society are influenced by non-economic, socio-cultural considerations like traditions, social norms, consumer nationalities etc.
- The large investment in the advertising industry is directly linked to the need to reshape life styles and consumption pattern of consumers. In fact, a number of MNC’s often refine or change their products to suit local taste and culture.
Q9.Discuss relationship between Sociology and Political Science.
Answer:
Differences between Sociology and Political Science:
- Sociology studies all aspects of society whereas conventional Political Science focused on the study of power embodied in formal institutions such as the state, government, political parties etc.
- Sociology stresses on the interrelationship between different social institutions like religion, education, politics etc whereas political science has tended to focus on the processes within the government.
Convergence of Sociology and Political Science:
- Despite these differences there are similar interests of researchers as well as increased interaction of methods and approaches between sociology and political science.
- The interface of political science and sociology is termed as political sociology. It acts as a bridge between the two subjects. For example, political sociology studies how religious and caste identities are used as vote banks.
Q10.How Sociology is related with Social Anthropology?
Answer:
Relationship between Sociology and Social Anthropology:
1. Types of Society: Sociology emerged as the study of modem, industrial complex societies while Social Anthropology emerged as the study of primitive, simple and small scale societies.
The anthropologists of the past documented the details of simple societies apparently in a neutral scientific fashion. In practice, however, they were constantly comparing those societies with the model of the western modern societies as a benchmark.
2. Scale of study: Social anthropology tended to study society (simple societies) in all their aspects, as a whole. In so far, as they specialised, it was on the basis of area. For example, the Andaman Islands. Sociologists study complex societies and
would therefore often focus on parts of society like the bureaucracy or religion or caste or a process such as social mobility.
3. Methods of Study: Social Anthropology has been associated with the ethnographic methods of participant observation. It is characterised by long field work tradition, living in and with the community being studied for a long time and learning their language.
Sociologists have often relied on survey methods and quantitative data using statistics and the questionnaire mode.
Convergence of Sociology and Social Anthropology:
- Today the distinction between a simple society and a complex one itself needs major rethinking. India itself is a complex mix of tradition and modernity, of the village and the city, of caste and tribe, of class and community.
- Consequently, there is a coming together of sociology and social anthropology in India. There have been fruitful interchanges between the two disciplines and today often methods and techniques are drawn from both.
- On the other hand, Sociology too has been using quantitative and qualitative techniques, macro and micro approaches for studying the complexities of modem societies.
Q11.Discuss relationship between Sociology and Psychology.
Answer:
Relationship between Sociology and Psychology:
Psychology is often defined as the science of behaviour. It involves itself primarily with the individual. It is interested in her/his intelligence and learning, motivations and memory, nervous system and reaction time, hopes and fears.
Sociology attempts to understand behaviour as it is organized in society, that is the way in which personality is shaped by different aspects of society. For instance, economic and political system, their family and kinship structure, their culture, norms and values.
It is interesting to recall that Durkheim who sought to establish a clear scope and method for sociology in his well-known study of suicide left out individual intentions of those who commit or try to commit suicide in favour of statistics concerning various social characteristics of these individuals.
Social psychology, which serves as a bridge between psychology and sociology, maintains a primary interest in the individual but concerns itself with the way in which the individual behaves in social groups, collectively with other individuals.