HIDAYATULLAH NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY

Raipur (Chhattisgarh)

Course Curriculum: Sociology (2016)

Syllabus for IIIrd Semester (Minor) 2016

Title of the Course: Indian Society: Structure & Processes

Course Instructors: Dr. Ayan Hazra

Unit 1: Evolution of Indian Society

Hindu Philosophy(Characteristics of Hinduism ,Vedas, four Vedas, division within each Veda,
socio- cultural importance of Vedas, Upanishads and its principles, objectives, Smritis and its
Contents, Importance of Bhagavad Gita The Purusartha (Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha) ,
The Ashrama Dharma , Importance of Ashrama system, Varna Dharma & its importance,
Impact of other religion-Buddhism and Islam

Unit 2: The Caste System

Perspectives on Caste, Caste and Varna, Theories of Caste (Traditional, Brahmanical, Racial,
Occupational , Ketkar, Hutton) Characteristics of Caste, Merits and Demerits of Caste system,
Causes for the changes in caste system

Unit-3- Changing Structure of Caste

Vedic Period, Brahmanical Period, Maurya Period, Harsh Vardhan Period, Raput Period, Muslim
Period, Pre- industrial British Period, Factors Moulding the Caste system, Pr- independence
Industrial Period, Urbanization, Post-independence Period
Unit 4: Tribal Life in India

Tribe, Characteristics of tribe, Tribal Zones(B.K.Roy Burman’s and Elwin’s classification ),

Characteristics of Tribal families(membership of family & nature of family members, form of
marriage), Prohibitions regarding marriage, Preferential marriages, Ways of acquiring mate,
Types of marriage, Changes in tribal marriage, Dormitories in tribal societies, Religion and
magic, Elements of Religion, Forms of Religion-Oral religion & religious of the book, Theories
of religion(Animism, Polytheism, Monotheism, Naturalism) Ritual its characteristics, functions,
Magic, Elements of magic.

Unit 5: Tribes in Transition

Tribal Movements (Birsa Munda Movement, Khasi Unity Movement, Naga Movement, Gond
Movement, Bodo Movement) Tribal Problems, Approaches to Solve ST problem, Tribal
Panchasheela, Measures for the upliftment of ST(Constitutional Safeguards- Article (15,
338,,46,164,224,342), special central assistance, economic programmes and facilities,
educational facilities, medical, research work, role of NGO

Unit 6: Radhakamal Mukerjee

Life Sketch, Writings, Indian Culture and Civilization, Universal Civilization, Economic
Transactions and Social Behaviour, Society and Values, Social Ecology

Unit 7: G.S.Ghurye

Life Sketch, Writings, Caste and Kinship, Tribe, Indian Sadhus, Rural- Urbanization, Culture &
Civilization, Religious beliefs & Practices in India, Indian Art & Architecture, Hindu – Muslim
relationship.

Unit 8: D.P.Mukerji

Life Sketch, Writings, Personality, Modern Indian Culture, Traditions, Role of New Middle
Classes

Unit 9: B.R.Ambedkar

Life Sketch, Writings, Concept of Dalit, Dalit Liberation, Religion, Caste, Untouchability,
Identity, Economy

Unit 10: Gender and Society

Gender, Gender and Biology, Gender Socialization, Social Construction of Gender, Gender
Order, Crisis Tendencies (R.W. Connell on dynamics of gender), Exploring
Masculinity(Domestic violence, Religion, Media, Sexuality, Notion of masculinity and
feminity)
Unit 11: Feminism

Origin, Causes, Types of Feminism (Liberal, Marxist, Radical, Social)

Unit: 12

Empowerment of Women: The Buddhist Perspective, Images of women in the Mahabharata,

Beeja- Ksetra – Nyaya: Some Considerations, Man- Women Relationship in Indian Philosophy,
The Doctrine of Purusartha: A Gender Perspective, (Essays taken from Feminism in search
of an indentity: The Indian Context , Edited by Meena Kelkar& Deepti Gangavane- Rawat
Publications).

Selected Readings

Sociology of Indian society by C.N.Shankar Rao

Indian Social System by Ram Ahuja

Sociology by Anthony Giddens

Domestic Violence against Women by Preeti Mishra

Feminism in search of an Identity: The Indian Context by Meena Kelkar and

Deepti Gangavane

Social Anthropology by S.L.Doshi

Indian Sociological Thought by B.K.Nagla

Indian Society by S.C.Dube

Social Problems in India by Ram ahuja

Exploring Masculinity by Kamla Bhasin

Understanding Gender by Kamla Bhasin

Indian Tribes:Then & Now by H.C Upreti