About the Book
Foundations of Sociology designed as a course book for Graduate and Post Graduate students of different Indian Universities brings out all the essential course materials along with required references. This book is specially written for aspiring students of sociology for state and indian administrative services main and preliminary. This book has been prepared in a concise manner only sticking to the course requirements. Detailed in a logical and coherent manner the book is immensely valuable for students and teachers alike.
CONTENTS
Preface
1. Sociology: The Discipline
• Importance of Sociology • Scope of Sociology • Sociology as a Science and as an Interpretative Discipline • Impact of Industrial and French Revolution on the Emergence of Sociology • Sociology and its Relationship with Other Social Sciences
2 Scientific Study of Social Phenomena
• Problem of Objectivity and Value Neutrality • Issue of Measurement in Social Science • Elements of Scientific Method-concepts • Research Design
3 Techniques of Data Collection and Analysis
• Basic Requirements of Data Collection • Participant and Quasi-participant Observation • Interview • Questionnaire • Schedule Case Study • Sampling-size
• Reliability and Validity • Scaling Techniques-social Distance and Likert Scale
• Likert Scale
4 Pioneering Contributions to Sociology
• Karl Marx • Mode of Production • Alienation and Class Struggle • Emile Durkheim (1858– 1917) • Max Weber (1864– 1920) • Social Action • Bureaucracy • Talcott Parsons (1902– 1979) • R.K. Merton (1910–)
5 Marriage and Family
• Types and Forms of Marriage • Rules of Marriage • Family-structure and Function
• Personality and Socialisation • Social Control • Family, Lineage, Descent and Property • Changing Structure of Family • Gender Issues • Role Conflicts
6 Social Stratification
• Concepts-hierarchy • Inequality and Stratification • Theories of Stratification
• Forms and Functions • Ifferent Conceptions of Class • Caste and Class
7 Social Mobility
• Types of Mobility • Intra and Inter-generational Mobility • Vertical and Horizontal Social Mobility • Social Mobility and Social Change
8 Economic System
• Sociological Dimensions of Economic Life • Impact of Economic Process on the Larger Society • Social Aspects of Division of Labour and Types of Exchange
• Features of Pre-industrial and Industrial Economic System • Industrialization and Social Change • Social determinants of Economic Development
9 Political System
• The Nature of Power • Community Power • Power of the Elite • Class Power
• Organisational Power • Authority and Legitimacy • Pressure Groups and Political Parties • Voting Behaviour • Modes of Political Participation Democratic and Authoritarian Forms
10 Educational System
• Education and Culture • Equality of Educational Opportunity • Social Aspects of Mass Education • Problems of Universalisation of Primary Education • Role of Community and State Intervention in Education • Education as an Instrument of Social Control and Social Change • Education and Social Control
11 Religion
• Origins of Religious Beliefs in Pre-modern Societies • The Sared and the Profane
• Social Functions and Dysfunctions of Religion • Monistic and Pluralistic Religion
• Semitism and Anti-semitism • Sect and Cult • Magic
12 Science and Technology
• Ethos of Science • Social Responsibility of Science • Social Control of Science
• Social Consequences of Science and Technology • Technology and Social change
13 Social Movements
• Concepts of Social Movements • Genesis of Social Movements • Social Movements of India • Self-respect Movement • The Mahar Movement • Ideology and Social Movement • Social Movement and Social Change • Types of Social Movements • Women’s Movement • Backward Caste Movement
14 Social Change and Development
• Continuity and Change as Fact and as Value • Theories of Social Change
• Technological Impact on Social Change • Social Policy and Social Development
Bibliography
Index
About the Author
Professor Arun Garg is a known name in the field of modern social thoughts. His regular articles in Hindustan Times and Times of India has earned a place for him in the circle of social critics. He is now teaching in the AMITY UNIVERSITY. Before joining to AMITY he used to teach as a visiting professor to South Africa. His specializations include Marx and Weber. He has written four books on sociology and all the books are prescribed as course books for different Indian Universities.
