Sociological Thinkers:Karl Marx : Introduction, Histortical materialism, Class struggle, Alienation, Critical analysis

Science, scientific method and critique, Major theoretical strands of research methodology, Positivism and its critique, Fact value and objectivity, Non- positivist methodologies.

Concepts- equality, inequality, hierarchy, exclusion, poverty and deprivation, Theories of social stratification Dimensions , Social mobility- open and closed systems, types of mobility, sources and causes of mobility.

Lineage and descent in India. Types of kinship systems. Family and marriage in India. Household dimensions of the family.

Sociological Thinkers: Emile Durkheim : Theory of Division of labour, social fact, suicide, religion and society.

Sociological theories of power. Power elite, bureaucracy, pressure groups, and political parties. Nation, state, citizenship, democracy, civil society, ideology. Protest, agitation, social movements, collective action, revolution.

Qualitative and quantitative methods, Techniques of data collection, Variables, sampling, hypothesis, reliability and validity.

Sociological Thinkers: Talcott Parsons : Introduction, Social action, Pattern variables, Social system, AGIL, Cybernatic hirerrachy, Critical analysis

Family, household, marriage. Types and forms of family. Lineage and descent. Patriarchy and sexual division oflabour. Contemporary trends.

Sociological Thinkers: Robert Merton : Latent and manifest functions, conformity and deviance, reference groups.

Peasants and farmers movements. Women's movement. Backward classes & Dalit movement. Environmental movements. Ethnicity and Identity movements.

Agrarian class structure. Industrial class structure. Middle classes in India.

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

Sociological Thinkers: Max Weber : Social action, ideal types, authority, bureaucracy, protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism.

Definitional problems. Geographical spread. Colonial policies and tribes. Issues of integration and autonomy.

Crisis of development: displacement, environmental problems and sustainability. Poverty, deprivation and inequalities. Violence against women. Caste conflicts. Ethnic conflicts, communalism, religious revivalism. Illiteracy and disparities in education.

Sociological theories of religion. Types of religious practices: animism, monism, pluralism, sects, cults. Religion in modern society: religion and science, secularization, religious revivalism, fundamentalism.

Comparisons between thinkers

Evolution of modern industry in India. Growth of urban settlements in India. Working class: structure, growth, class mobilization. Informal sector, child labour. Slums and deprivation in urban areas.

Programmes of rural development, Community Development Programme, cooperatives, poverty alleviation schemes. Green revolution and social change. Changing modes of production in Indian agriculture . Problems of rural labour, bondage,migration

Idea of development planning and mixed economy. Constitution, law and social change. Education and social change.

Sociological theories of social change. Development and dependency. Agents of social change. Education and social change. Science, technology and social change.

Religious communities in India. Problems of religious minorities.

Nation, democracy and citizenship. Political parties, pressure groups , social and political elite. Regionalism and decentralization of power. Secularization

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

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

Social organization of work in different types of society, Formal and informal organization of work. Labour and society.

Indology (GS. Ghurye). Structural functionalism (M N Srinivas). Marxist sociology (A R Desai).

Social background of Indian nationalism. Modernization of Indian tradition. Protests and movements during the colonial period. Social reforms.

Modernity and social changes in Europe and emergence of sociology, Scope of the subject and comparison with other social sciences, Sociology and common sense.

Sociological Thinkers: G. H. Mead : Introduction, Theory of self and Identity , Critical analysis