Sociology Past Paper Questions (2005 - 2011)

INDIAN SOCIETY TRADITION AND CHANGES 

5 Marks Questions:

1. Write a note on 'Dharma'.
2. Mention the different forms of 'Talaq'.
3. Define joint family.
4. Give the meaning of 'Caste'.
5. Explain the impact of western culture on Indian Education.
6. What is 'Mahar'.
7. Explain the concept of 'Kinship'.
8. Explain any two features if traditional Indian society.
9. What are the Rinas? Explain.
10. What is Iddat?
11. Mention any legislation relating to Hindu marriage.
12. Briefly explain the impact of Buddhism on Indian society.
13. Mention the duties of Kshatriya Varna.
14. Explain the concept of 'Kama'.
15. Mention the duties of Sudra Varna.
16. Explain the process in execution of Talaq.
17. Explain the rituals of Hindu marriage.
18. Point out the significance of 'Artha'.

10 Marks Questions:

1. Explain the traditional features of Indian society.
2. Examine the conditions necessary for Muslim marriage.
3. Analyse the structural changes in joint family.
4. Bring out the traditional features of Caste system.
5. Explain the social significance of Ashrama Dharma.
6. Discuss the social significance of Varna system.
7. Examine the impact of Buddhism on Indian society.
8. Explain the Ashrama scheme of life.
9. 'Is Muslim marriage a civil contract?' Evaluate.
10. Examine the impact of legislation on Hindu marriage.
11. Analyse the functional changes in joint family.
12. Bring out the characteristics of Caste.
13. Describe the impact of Islam on Indian society.
14. Explain any two factors contributing to changes in Hindu marriage.
15. Explain the features of Christian marriage.
16. Analyse the impact of western culture on Indian society.
17. Explain the social significance of Pursharthas.
18. Describe the conditions of Muslim marriage.
19. Discuss the recent changes in Hindu marriage.
20. Define caste and explain its features.
21. Discuss the Iravati Karve's views on kinship.
22. Explain Brahmacharyashrama.
23. Hindu marriage is a sacrament. Discuss.
24. Examine the changing trends in caste system. 
25. Describe the impact of Buddhism on Indian society.
26. Discuss the role of caste in contemporary society.
27. Analyse the types of divorce among Muslims.

15 Marks Questions:

1. Explain the impact of Western culture on Indian society.
2. Analyse the changing trends in Hindu marriage.
3. Elucidate the characteristic features of Hindu joint family.
4. Explain the role of caste in contemporary society.
5. Elucidate the traditional features of Indian society.
6. Describe the marriage practices among Christians.
7. Bring out the social significance of Pursharthas.
8. Discuss Caste system in the 21st century.
9. Discuss the structural and functional changes in joint family.
10. Bring out the social significance of Ashrama Dharma.
11. Define joint family and explain the features of joint family.
12. Explain the marriage practices among Christians and bring out the recent changes.
13. What is Caste? Examine G.S Ghurye's analysis of the features of caste.

Impact of Buddhism to Indian Culture

Introduction

• Buddhism is one of the most important religions in the world.
• It originated in India during 6th century BC.
• Buddhism emerged as a challenge to the Brahamanical supremacy and the caste inequality.
• It declared that caste or varna should not come into the way of person's seeking to obtain 'Nirvana'. 

Buddha

• The founder of the Buddhism is Buddha.
• The Buddha was born Siddhartha Gautama, a prince of Sakya tribe of Nepal in 566 BC.
• When the Buddha was 29 years old, he left the comforts of home in order to seek the meaning of suffering he saw around him.
• After 6 years of Arduous Yogic training, he sat beneath a Bodhi tree on the full moon of May and with the rising of the morning star he became Buddha, the en-lighted one. 
• After that a community of monks are developed around him.
• The Buddha died at the age of 80.

Principles of Buddhism

1. To do no evil.
2. To cultivate good
3. To purify one's mind.

Impacts of Buddhism

1. It Reduced the Caste Inequality in India

• It emerged as a challenge to the caste inequality in India and to assure the social justice and equality. 
• A large number of people who belong to different castes, especially those who belong to lower castes started accepting Buddhism.
• Buddha who had a soft corner towards the lower community inspired Brahmins to correct themselves.

2. It Enriched the Spritual and Intellectual Life 

• Hinduism was full of rituals, customs, traditions etc, whereas humanity was the main source of Buddhism.
• In Buddhism all the monks are equal and they have simple philosophy. 
• As a result many Hindus accepted Buddhism.
• It has spread its influence both inside and outside the boarders of India.

3. Buddhism Introduced Idol-Worship

•  Idol-worship was introduced by Buddhist in India.
• After the death of Buddha, his followers created an image of Buddha and built temples for him to worship.
• The Mahabodhi Temple was one of the four holy sites related to the life of Buddha.
• This idea of ideal-worshiping influenced the Hinduism to a great extent.

4. Buddhism Introduced Organization

• In Hinduism there was no organization before. 
• Buddhism introduced organization by accepting one order or one leader.
• This influenced the Hindu thinkers and they started establishing organizations.
• Today in India we can see a large number of organizations.

5. It Encouraged the Development of Regional Language

• Contributions of Buddhism towards the development of regional language has been remarkable. 
• The language of culture hitherto had been Sanskrit and the text of Brahamanical region were in Sanskrit.
• Buddhist texts were written in Pali. This helped the development of Pali language and literature. 

6. Buddhism Encouraged Education

• Buddhism gave a special important to education.
• Buddhist monks are great scholars. 
• It extended the educational opportunities for women.
• Universities such as Nalanda and Taxila had earned names in ancient world.  

Traditional Features of Indian Society

India has a long history and its cultural tradition is quite old and extremely complex. India's cultural division is not only one of the most ancient, but also it is one of the most widespread and varied. Traditional features of India are very strong. French, British and other cultures are seen in India, but Indian value systems still remain. It is second most populated country in the world. It has its own geographic, ethnic, religious, and linguistic background.  

1. Geographical Factor

• The natural boundaries provide India a geographical unity.
• It is a country in South Asia that lies entirely on Indian Plate in the northern portion of Indo Australian Plate.
• The area of Indian society was so vast. The land area is 33 million square kilometer. India is the 7th largest country in the world.
• It lies north Equator.

2. Unity and Diversity

• India is the second most populous and seventh largest country of the world.
• It has 2.4 per cent of world’s land area and about 16 percent of world’s population.
• It has a history spanning over 5000 years of human habitation, 3000 years before Christ and 2000 years after Christ.
• It has a cultural heritage handed down by the immigrant Aryans from across the Himalayas, the natives – the pre-Aryan settlers called Dasyus or Dasas by the Aryans and invading civilizations.
• Its social, economic and cultural diversities are also reflected in habital conditions in rural, urban and semi-urban areas. 
• Despite these diversities, what is observed about India is that there is unity in diversity.
• This unity in diversity has become a part of India’s self identity.

3. Religious Factor

• India, being a democratic, socialistic and secular republic, has no state religion.
• India is the birth place of many world religions and almost all major world religions are practiced by their respective followers.
• India is a land where people of different religions and cultures live in harmony. This harmony is seen in the celebration of festivals. The message of love and brotherhood is expressed by all the religions and cultures of India. 
• The major religions of India are Hinduism (majority religion), Islam (largest minority religion), Sikhism, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and the Bahá'í Faith. 

4. Language

• The languages of India belong to several language families, the major ones being the Indo-Aryan languages (a branch of Indo-European) spoken by 74% of Indians and the Dravidian languages spoken by 24% of Indians.
• Other languages spoken in India belong to the Austro-Asiatic, Tibeto-Burman, and a few minor language families and isolates.
• The principal official language of the Republic of India is Standard Hindi, while English is the secondary official language.
• The constitution of India states that "The official language of the Union shall be Hindi in Devanagari script".
• Individual mother tongues in India number several hundred; the 1961 census recognized 1,652. 
• According to Census of India of 2001, 30 languages are spoken by more than a million native speakers, 122 by more than 10,000. 
• Three millennia of language contact has led to significant mutual influence among the four language families in India and South Asia.
• Two contact languages have played an important role in the history of India: Persian and English.

5. Races and Ethnicity

• Indian population is polygenetic and is a mixture of various races.
• There are many diverse ethnic groups among the people of India.
• The 6 main ethnic groups are as follows:

1. Negrito: 

• The Negritos were the earliest people to come to India. 
• They have survived in their original habitat in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• The Jarawas, Onges, Sentinelese and the Great Andamanese are some of the examples. 
• Some hill tribes like Irulas, Kodars, Paniyans and Kurumbas are found in some patches in Southern part of mainland India. 

2. Proto - Australoids or Austrics: 

• These were the next ethnic group to arrive in India after the Negroids. 
• They were people with wavy hair distributed all over their brown bodies, long faces with low foreheads and prominent eye ridges, thick jaws, noses with low and broad roots, large teeth and palates and small chins.

3. Mongoloids: 

• The Mongoiloids are found mainly in the North eastern parts of India in the states like Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Tripura. 
• They are also found in parts of West Bengal, Sikkim, and Ladakh.
• They are people with highly yellowish complexion, oblique eyes, high cheekbones, thin hair and of a medium height. 

4. Mediterranean or Dravidian: 

• These are the people of South India. 
• They have been believed to come before the Aryans. 
• They have different sub-groups like the Paleo-Mediterranean, the true Mediterranean, and the Oriental Mediterranean. 
• They appear to be people of the same stock as the peoples of Asia Minor and Crete and pre- Hellenic Aegean's of Greece. 
• They are reputed to have built up the city civilization of the Indus valley, whose remains have been found at Mohenjo- daro and Harappa and other Indus cities.

5. Western Brachycephals:

• These include the Alpinoids, Dinarics and Armenoids. 
• The Parsis and Kodavas also fall in this category.
• They are the broad headed people living mainly on the western side of the country such as the Ganga Valley and the delta, parts of Kashmir, Kathiawar, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. 

6. Nordic Aryans or Indo-Aryans:

• This group were the last one to immigrate to India. 
• They came to India somewhere between 2000 and 1500 B.C. 
• They are now mainly found in the northern and central part of India.

6. Caste System

A social structure used to designate any social class of extreme rigidity. It is composed of four varna or classes, and from this, a rank-order of different subcastes or jati was formed.

1. Brahmins: The first and the highest class; intellectuals of the nations such as landowners, scholars, and priests.
2. Kshatriyas: A class directly follows Brahmins; mostly rulers and warriors. They manage the land, military service, and administration.
3. Vaisyas: The third class composed of traders, shopkeepers, moneylenders, farmers, and artisans; Trading and banking.
4. Sudras: The fourth class composed of laborers, craft-workers, servants and slaves.

7. Tribes

• India has the second largest tribal population in the world only next to Africa.
• According to 1941 census report tribal population of India was 2.47 crores.
• According to 1981 census it was 5.16 crores and it is estimated to have increased to 5.20 crores in 1991.
• It forms 7.8% of the country’s total population.
• About two-thirds of the total tribal population in India are found in the five states of Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar, Gujarat and Maharastra.
• More than 20 lakhs of tribal population are found in each state of Rajasthan, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh.
• In Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura tribals constitute 70% to 95% of the population of the states/territory.

8. Cultural Factor

• Indian Culture is very different.
• Hindu, Muslims and Christian marriages has their own values.
• Hinduism is a mixture of various cultures like, Islam, Buddhism, Christianity.
• Hindu philosophies are very strong and its culture was not much changed.

9. Political Factor

• India is called by other name Bharathavarsha.
• India’s political unity is an off shoot of the religious and cultural unity.
• India is a democratic country which has a written constitution.
• Indians enjoy certain fundamental rights and duties.
• India being democratic, socialistic republic is based on equality, justice, liberty and secularism. 
• Indian laws apply all people without any discrimination.

Forms of Marriage

Marriage is one of the social institutions. It is established by the human society to control and regulate the sex life of man in a culturally defined and socially approved way. It permits a man and a woman to live together as husband and wife. Marriage is not a biological affair but also a social affair. It is a social permission given to a man and a woman to live together with certain rights and obligations.

Definitions:

According to Malinowski, "Marriage is a contract for the production and maintenance of children." According to Gillin and Gillin, "Marriage is a socially approved way of establishing a family of procreation." H. M. Jonson viewed, "Marriage is a stable relationship in which a man and a woman are socially permitted, without a loss of standing in community, to have children."

A dictionary of Sociology defines marriage as "an institution that sanctions the relationship of a man and a woman and bids them in a system of mutual obligation as husband and wife and rights essential to the functioning of family life."

Forms or Types of Marriage:

Marriage is a universal social institution. It puts restrictions on premarital and extramarital sex relationship. The form of marriage varies from society to society. The main forms of marriage are -

(1) Monogamy
(2) Polygamy
(3) Group marriage
(4) Preferential marriage.

(1) Monogamy:

Monogamy, the most widespread form of marriage is found among the primitive as well as the civilized people. Monogamy is a form of marriage in which one man marries one woman. This marriage lasts till death. The union is unbreakable. Monogamy minimizes jealousy, hatred, quarrels etc. in the family. Monogamy is regarded as the most ideal form of marriage.

(2) Polygamy:

Polygamy is a plural marriage including more than one spouse at the same time. It is also divided into two types:

(a) Polyandry and (b) Polygyny.

1. PolyandryPolyandry is the marriage of one woman with several men. It is practised among the Tibetans, the Bahama of Africa, the tribals of Sarcoa and others. The Nayars of Kerala were polyandrous previously. Polyandry is often practised due to poverty and heavy bride price. Among the Jodo, property considerations have also caused polyandry. This polyandrous form of marriage is of two types:

(a) Fraternal polyandryWhen several brothers share the same wife, it is called fraternal polyandry. The wife goes to spend sometime with each husband. The marriage of Draupadi with the Pandava brothers is an example of fraternal polyandry.

(b) Non-fraternal polyandryWhen a woman marries several men who are not brothers it is called non-fraternal polyandry. They may be even persons living in different villages.

2. Polygyny

Polygyny is a form of marriage in which one man marries more than one woman at a time. Polygyny is more popular than polyandry. It exists in all parts of the world. A number of women not only increase man's wealth but also his importance, reputation and authority. Barenness of women, limited male population, index of high social position etc. are regarded as the main causes of polygyny.

Polygyny is also of two types-

(a) Sororal, and
(b) Non-sororal.

(a) SororalIt is a type of marriage in which the wives are invariably the sisters. It is found among the tribes which pay a high bride price.

(b) Non-SororalIt is a type of marriage in which the wives are not related as sisters.

For social, economic, political and other reasons both types are practiced by people.

(3) Group marriage:

Group marriage means the marriage of two or more women with two or more men. This form of marriage is described as the worst form of marriage because it only occurs for sexual relationship.

(4) Preferential marriage:

It is of three types: cousin marriage, levirate and sororate.

Levirate
It is popularly known as devar vivah. In this type of marriage after the death of the husband the wife marries her husband's brother. It is found among the Gond, Munda, and the Oraon etc.

Sororate
In this type after the death of wife, the husband marries one of the sisters of his wife. When a man marries his wife's younger sister, it is called junior sororate and when he marries elder sisters of his wife, it is called senior sororate.

Meaning and Characteristics of Marriage

Definition of Marriage:

Marriage is one of the universal social institutions. It is established by the human society to control and regulate the sex life of man. It is closely connected with the institution of family. In fact, family and marriage are complementary to each other. As Gillin and Gillin have said, "Marriage is a socially approved way of establishing a family of procreation".

As Westermarck has remarked, "Marriage is rooted in the family rather than the family in the marriage". Marriage is an institution of society which can have very different implications in different cultures. Its purposes, functions and forms may differ from society to society, but it is present everywhere as an institution.

There is no definition which adequately covers all types of human marriage. It has given a number of definitions and explanations among which the following may be noted.

(i) Edward Westermarck in his "History of Human Marriage" defines marriage as "the more or less durable connection between male and female lasting beyond the mere act of propagation till after the birth of offspring".

(ii) Malinowski says that marriage is a "contract for the production and maintenance of chil­dren".

(iii) According to Robert H. Lowie, "Marriage is a relatively permanent bond between permis­sible mates".

(iv) Broadly speaking, however, marriage may be defined as "a socially sanctioned sex rela­tionship involving two or more people of the opposite sex, whose relationship is expected to endure beyond the time required for gestation and the birth of children".-Duncan Mitchell's "A dictionary of Sociology".

(v) Alfred McClung Lee writes, "Marriage is the public joining together, under socially speci­fied regulations of a man and woman as husband and wife".

Characteristics of Marriage:

 

1. Universality

Marriage is more or less a universal institution. It is found among the pre-literate as well as literate peoples. It is enforced as a social rule in some of the societies.

Examples:
In Japan, celibacy is publicly condemned. In Korea, unmarried individuals are called 'half persons. Among the Hindus, marriage is a sacrament which is regarded as more or less obligatory. The Todas of Nilagiri refuse to perform funeral rites for a girl if she dies before her marriage. But they do perform it after completing some sort of marriage ceremony for the corpse.

According to the Chi­nese philosopher Confucius, an individual who remains unmarried throughout his life commits a great crime. As Levi-Strauss has observed that the unmarried primitives of Central Brazil are made to lead a miserable life.

2. Relationship between Man and Woman:

Marriage is a union of man and woman. It indicates relationship between one or more men to one or more women. Who should marry whom? One should marry how many?-are the questions which represent social rules regarding marriage which differ significantly.

3. Marriage Bond is enduring:

Marriage indicates a long lasting bond between the husband and wife. Hence it is not coextensive with sex life. It excludes relationships with prostitutes or any other sexual relationship which is viewed as casual and not sanctioned by custom, law or church.

Marital relationship between man and woman lasts even after the sexual satisfaction is obtained. The Hindus, for example, believe that marriage is a sacred bond between the husband and wife which even the death cannot break.

4. Marriage Requires Social Approval:

A union of man and woman becomes a marital bond only when the society gives its approval. When marriage is given the hallmark of social approval, it becomes a legal contract.

5. Marriage is Associated with Some Civil or Religious Ceremony:

Marriage gets its social recognition through some ceremony. This ceremony may have its own rites, rituals, customs, for­malities, etc. It means marriage has to be concluded in a public and solemn manner.

Sometimes it receives as a sacrament the blessings of religion. Marriage among the Hindus, for example, is re­garded as a sacrament. It is connected with rituals such as - Homa, Saptapadi, Panigrahana, Mangalya- Dharana, etc.

6. Marriage Creates Mutual Obligations:

Marriage imposes certain rights and duties on both the husband and wife. Both are required to support each other and their children.

Functions of Family

The Family:

The family, almost without question, is the most important one of any of the groups that human experience offers. We join other groups for long or short period of time for the satisfaction of some interests. But the family is always with us or rather we are with it.

Really, family is a unique social institution for which there is no substitute. It is the most permanent and most pervasive of all social institutions. The word 'family' has come from Latin word 'famulus' which means the servant. The family is a small group consisting of father, mother, one or more children and some relatives.

Maclver defined family as "a group defined by sex relationship sufficiently precise, and enduring to provide for the procreation and upbringing of children.”

Eliot says" Family is the biological social unit composed of husband, wife and children."

Nimkoff says "Family is a more or less durable association of husband and wife with or without child, or of a man or woman alone, with children."

Functions of the Family:

Family is the most important primary group in society. It is an outstanding primary group, because the child develops its basic attitudes in the family. Family, as a social institution performs several functions.

Maclver classifies its functions into two types: (1) Essential or primary and (2) non-essential or secondary.

Essential / Primary Functions

The essential functions of family are:

(1) Stable Satisfaction of Sex need:

This is the Primary and essential function of family. Sex instinct is the natural urge of human being. The satisfaction of this need requires that both male and female should live together as life partners. It is the family where the husband and wife can satisfy their sex instincts easily and comfortably. Without family the satisfaction of sex need is almost socially quite impossible. A family not only satisfies but also provides the appropriate mechanism through marriage to regulate sexual behavior of husband and wife.

(2) Reproduction or procreation:

Reproduction or procreation is another essential function of family. The family along with regulating the sexual behavior in relation to the satisfaction of sexual needs secures a legitimate basis for procreation. Since the inception of family, it has been performing this fundamental function. This function of family contributes to the continuity of family and ultimately perpetuates the human race as a whole.

(3) Protection and care of the young:

Protection and care of the children is another essential function of family. It is regarded as an institution par excellence for the production and rearing of children. It is true that no other institution can take required care of the child like family. The child at birth is complete helpless and cannot survive at all without the help of the family. It is the family which provides care, protection, security (Physical, mental) and fulfills all other needs to make him fit in the society.

(4) Socializing Functions:

Family is one of the primary agents of socialization. Family members teach the child the norms, value morals, beliefs and ideals of society. In the family the children first learn what is good and bad, what is right and wrong. They develop specific habits, traits of character, attitudes and values. The senior members of the family pass the family culture to the new generation thought socialization process. Thus, family acts an instrument of culture transmission.

(5) Provision of a home:

Family makes a provision of a home or a common habitation for its members. Here both husband and if live together for procreation, protection and care of the children. It is a place of multifarious activities. All the members of the family depend on home for comfort, protection and peace. It is that institution which provides the mental or the emotional satisfaction. Members of the family exchange their love, sympathy and affection among themselves.

Non-essential / Secondary Functions

The non-essential functions of family are:

(1) Economic function:

The family fulfils the economic needs of its members. This has been traditional function of family. Family fulfils all the economic needs of its members such as food, clothing, shelter etc. The goods required by its members are produced at home.

(2) Educational function:

Mazzin says, "The first lesson of child is learnt between mother's kiss and father's care". Family is regarded as the first school of children. The family provides the basis for the child's formal learning and gives the child his basic training in the social attitudes and habits.

(3) Religious function:

The family is a centre for the religious training of the children. The family used to teach the children the religious values, moral precepts etc. It is through the family the religious inheritance is passed on to the next generation.

(4) Recreational functions:

Family is the centre of recreation. It serves as a centre of all recreational activities like singing, dancing, playing indoor games etc. The small children are the source of recreation for the elders.

(5) Protective function:

Family always looks after the health of its members both young and old. It takes up the responsibility of its members and maintains sound and good health.

Meaning and Characteristics of Social Change

Meaning

Sociologists describe social change as the fundamental alterations in the patterns of culture, structure, and social behavior over time.
It is a process by which society becomes something different while remaining in some respects the same.

• Society is a system of social relationship which is never permanent; rather they are subject to incessant changes.
• The human composition of society changes over times.
• Thousand years ago in Asia, Europe and America the shape of society was vastly different from the shape of society thousand years later.
• So change is the ever present phenomenon. In other words, change is the unchangeable law of nature.
• Any alternation, difference or modification that takes place in a situation or in an object through times, can be called change.

The term 'social change' is used to indicate the change that takes place in human inter-relation.

The dictionary meaning of the term 'change' is inter-personal.

• According to H.M. Jonson, "Social change refers to the change in social structure."
• According to K. Davis, "By social change is meant only such alternation, that occurs in the society, that is, the structure and function of society."
• In the view of Jones, "Social change is a term used to describe variation in or modification of any aspect of social process, social pattern, social interaction or social organization."
• According to Merrill and Eldredge. "Social change means, that a large number of persons are engaging in such activities that differ from those which they or their forefathers engaged in sometime before."

Sources of Social Change.

Many factors interact to generate changes in people's behavior and in the culture and structure of their society, including:

• the physical environment, 
• population, 
• clashes over resources and values, 
• supporting values and norms, 
• innovation (discoveries and inventions), 
• diffusion, and 
• the mass media.

Underlying Perspectives

Functionalism	Conflict Theory	Symbolic Interactionism
·      social movements are not the actual activities, but are ways for people to vent their frustrations and emotions ·      venting upsets the balance of society ·      movements also bring individuals together, allowing those who feel isolated and alone to feel as though they are part of something bigger	·      social structures are the cause of social movements ·      people concentrate on the things that they do not have, and inequality causes discontent ·      discontent causes people to seek out change, either from within the system or with outside forces ·      opposing parties fight for resources, so social movements are a way for groups to mobilize and seize power and resources	·      social movements are caused by relative deprivation ·      when a person’s expectations are not met, he or she are discontent ·      if their expectations are continually not met, they are likely to resort to social movements ·      perception is key

  

Characteristics of Social Change.

(1) Social change is universal

• It means that social change is not confined to a particular society or group. 
• It occurs in every society, sociologically, speaking an unchangeable society is considered as a dead society. 
• Thus, no society is free from the impact of social change.

(2) Speed of social change is related to time factor

• The speed of social change is not uniform.
• It differs from period to period.
• In modern society the speed of social change is rapid or faster than traditional society.

(3) Speed of social change is unequal and comparative 

• We can argue that speed of social change is more or less similar in each society. 
• It is slow in traditional society whereas it is rapid in modern society. 
• In urban areas the speed of social change is faster than the rural areas.

(4) Social change is an essential law

• Essential law means a law which occurs and over which we have no control. 
• It may be planned or not, it must occur.

(5) Social change may be planned or unplanned

• Planned changes are those which occur by some deliberate or conscious effort.
• On the other hand, unplanned change refers to the change which occurs without any deliberate effort like earth-quake, war, political revolution and other natural calamities.
• Thus, social change occurs both in planned and unplanned manner.

(6) Social change may be short term or long term

• Some change brings immediate change which is known as short term change, like fashion, behavior of the individual etc. 
•  But other changes take years to produce result which is known as long term change. 
• Custom, tradition, folkways, mores etc. are long term changes.

(7) Social change lacks definite prediction

• Prediction means 'foretelling' in case of social change we are well aware of various factors but we cannot predict although it is a law. 
• Definite prediction of social change is not possible, because what will the result of social change we cannot say.

(8) Social change is a community change 

• Social change does not refer to the change which occurs in the life of an individual or life pattern of individuals. 
• It is a change which occurs in the entire community and that change can be called social change which influences a community form.

(9) Social change is the result of the interaction of various factors

• A single factor can trigger a particular change but never causes social change.
• It is always associated with other factors such as Cultural, Biological, Physical, Technological and others.
• It is due to the material interdependence of social phenomena.

Factors of Social Change

Factors of Social Change

In every society, social control is exercised with a view to making individual members conform to its standard.

In other words, social values and objectives are laid down by the society. It is through the social process that the individual is made to conform to the ways of social life.

In a society, two opposing forces always operate. They are;

1. Centripetal

• The centripetal force wants to keep the tradition of the society intact.
• It moves backward. 

2. Centrifugal

• On the other hand, the centrifugal force wants radical changes.
• Because of these opposing forces there is a necessity to maintain balance between the two.

Main Factors of Social Change

The main factors of Social Change include;

1. Education
2. Technology
3. Legislation

1. Education

• The role of education as an agent or instrument of social change and social development is widely recognized today.
• Social change may take place:

1. When human need change,
2. When the existing social system or network of social institutions fail to meet the existing human needs and
3. When new materials suggest better ways of meeting human needs.

• Social change do not take race automatically or by themselves.
• As Mac Iver says, social charge take place as a response to many type of change that take place on the social and non-social environment.
• Education can initiate social changes by bring about a change in the outlook and attitude of men.
• It can bring about a change in the pattern of social relationships and thereby it may cause social changes.

• There was a time when educational institution and teachers were engaged in transmitting a way of life to the student.
• During those days, education was more a means of social control than an instrument, of social change.
• Modern schools and universities do not give much emphasis upon transmitting a way of life to the students.
• The traditional education why heart for an unchanging, state society.
• Not marked by rapid changes.
• But today education aims at imparting empirical knowledge.

• Education when associated with religion however becomes secular today.
• It is an instrumental in preparing the way for the development of science and technology.
• Education has brought about phenomenal charges in every aspect of man's life.
• It is a process, which enables every individual to effectively participate in the activities of society and to make positive contribution to the process is of society.

2. Technology

• Technological factors also exercise influence on social change.
• These factors change us by way of changing our environment.
• Technology has introduced change in agriculture, medicine, transport and communication.
• W. F. Ogburn and Karl Marx have supported the role of technological sectors in bringing out social change.
• Technology has exerted tremendous effects on family, social values, economic life, social life and the state.

Effects on family life:

• Technology leads to the disintegration of the joint family.
• Modern women being educated and employed do not like to stay in joint family. Urbanization and industrialization have brought women from home to office and factories.
• The women have got full liberty.
• The structure of family has changed from jointness to nuclearisation.
• Marriage customers are also not free from the effects of the technology. Love marriages, inter-caste marriages, late marriages are increasing day by day.
• Invention of family planning techniques have enabled people to control birth rate. As a result small family is possible today.
• Technology has decreased the importance of family as an agency of social control. So other formal agencies are acting as agencies of social control in family life.

Effects on social life:

• It has changed the old bases of social stratification. Caste has been replaced by wealth and power as the new determinants of social stratification.
• It has created the problem of housing that have grown largely in cities.
• It has led to the fall of community life. In the place of 'we-feeling', 'I - feeling' has come up.
• It has made recreation commercialized. People have opted for cinema, theatre and picnic as means of recreation.
• It has made social relationship contractual, formal and fragmentary. Each has become a stranger for the other.
• It has given rise to psychological conflict and mental tensions. The modern industrial man suffers from great mental strain and emotional instability.

Effects on economic life:

• It has brought division of labour and specialization of work in the economic field.
• It has raised the standard of living of the people. At the same time heavy consumption and unhealthy competition in the style of living have also come up.
• It has caused industrial unemployment by introducing more machineries and labour-saving devices in industries.
• Different types of classes have been emerged in the modern industrial and capitalistic society.
• The employer-employee relationship has been changed and it has given birth to trade union movement to protect the interest of the labourers.

Effects on the State:

• It has made the state as a secular state.
• It has increased the size, function and power of bureaucracy.
• The old barriers of nationalism have been broken and the idea of the world-state is becoming popular as a result of rapid development in the field of communication and I.T.
• The idea of welfare state have become popular. The activities of the welfare like maternity and child care, labour welfare, village welfare, better education facilities for weaker sections etc. have been taken up.

Effects on social values:

• Technology has brought a number of changes in the values of life.
• The old values have been completely changed.
• Wealth and money have been given top priority.
• Religion has lost its importance.
• Moral values are losing importance.
• All the matters are being judged from scientific angles.
• People are becoming more and more self-centered.
• Man is involved in mad race of competition without knowing the goal.

Effects on agriculture:

• In the field of agriculture, introduction of new methods of cultivation, new machines, new types of fertilizers, pesticides and new varieties of seeds have increased the quantity and quality of agricultural products.
• So technology has brought a lot of changes in different aspects of society.

Sociology First Semester Syllabus

Unit 01: Emergence of Sociology

• Meaning of Sociology 
• Nature of Sociology 
• Subject Matter of Sociology 
• Relevance of Sociology 

Unit 02: Basic Concepts 

• Meaning of Society 
• Evolution of Society 
• Types of Society 
• Characteristics of Society 
• Meaning of Institutions 
• Characteristics of Institutions 
• Functions of Institutions 

Unit 03: Marriage and Family 

• Marriage: Meaning, Characteristics 
• Marriage: Functions 
• Marriage: Forms 
• Marriage: Recent Trends in Marriage 
• Family: Meaning, Characteristics 
• Family: Functions 
• Family: Types [a) Matriarchal (b) Patriarchal (c) Joint families (d) Nuclear families] 
• Family: Recent Trends 

Unit 04: Culture and Socialization 

• Meaning and Characteristics of Culture 
• Types of Culture 
• Meaning of Socialization 
• Stages of Socialization 
• Agencies of Socialization (Family, Peers, Education and Mass Media) 

Unit 05: Social Change 

• Meaning and Characteristics of Social Change 
• Factors of Social Change (Education, Technology and Legislation) 

Sociology Third Semester Syllabus

INDIAN SOCIETY TRADITION AND CHANGE

Unit 1: Study of Indian Society

• Traditional Features of Indian Society
• The Philosophical Basis of Hindu Social Organization

1. Purusharthas
2. Varna System
3. Ashramas

Unit 2: Cultural Dimensions of Indian Society

• Impact of Buddhism
• Impcat of Islam
• Impact of the West

Unit 3: Marriage in India

• Hindu Marriage - Hindu Marriage as a Sacrament
• Muslim Marriage - Muslim Marriage as a Civil Contract, Divorce among Muslims
• Christian Marriage - Marriage Practice among Christians
• Changing Trends in Hindu, Muslim and Christian Marriages

Unit 4: Family in India

• Joint Family and Nuclear Family - Meaning and Characteristics
• IravathiKarve’s views on Kinship

Unit 5: Caste System

• G.S. Ghuryes Analysis of Caste and its Features
• Caste in Contemporary Indian Society

Past Paper Questions (2005 - 2011)

Books for Reference

1. A.P.Barbabas & C.Subhash Mehta / Caste in changing India
2. C.P.Bhatnagar / The Crisis in Indian Society
3. Devabrata Bose / Problems of Indian Society
4. S.C.Dube / Indian Society
5. J.H.Hutton / Caste in India
6. R.Indira / Bharatiya Samaja
7. K.M.Kapadia / Marriage & Family in India
8. B.Kuppuswamy / Dharma & Society-A Study in Social Values
9. T.N.Madan (ed) / Islamic Social Institutions
10. David G.Mandelbamm / Society in India I Community and Change, II Change and Continuity
11. M.Nanjammanni / Bharatiya Samajada Samsthanagalu
12. M.Narayan & Vishwa / Bharatiya Samajada Adhayana
13. P.N.Prabhu / Hindu Social Organisation
14. C.N.Shakara Rao / Bharatiya Samaja
15. S.Rajashekara / Bharatiya Samaja
16. S.K.Rmachandra Rao / Social Institutions among the Hindus
17. R.N.Sharma / Indian Society
18. B.N.Varma / Contemporary India

Past Paper Questions: Unit 05 - Karl Marx

5 Marks:

1. Mention the types of classes of Karl Marx.
2. Write a note on alienation.
3. Write a note on polarization of classes.
4. What is class consciousness.

10 Marks:

1. Examine Karl Marx's theory of social change. 
2. Analyze Karl Marx's theory of class struggle.
3. Discuss Karl Marx's view on economic determination. 

Past Paper Questions: Unit 04 - Max Weber

5 Marks:

1. Briefly explain the life history of Max Weber.
2. Mention any five features of bureaucracy. 

10 Marks:

1. Analyze Max Weber's theory of protestants ethic and the spirit of capitalism. 
2. Explain Weber's types of social action. 

Past Paper Questions: Unit 03 - Emile Durkheim

5 Marks:

1. Define social facts. 
2. What is altruistic suicide? 

10 Marks:

1. Explain Durkheim's view on social fact.
2. Explain the concept of mechanical solidarity. 
3. Explain Durkheim's view on religion.
4. Explain Durkheim's theory of suicide.
5. Analyze Durkheim's theory of division of labor. 

Past Paper Questions: Unit 02 - Herbert Spencer

5 Marks:

1. Write the meaning of social evolution. 
2. State Herbert Spencer's view on types of society.

10 Marks:

1. Discuss Herbert Spencer's theory of organic analogy.
2. Examine the theory of Social evolution. 

Past Paper Questions: Unit 01 - Auguste Comte

5 Marks:

1. Analyze the theological stage of the social development.
2. Explain Auguste Comte's social statics.
3. Explain Comte's classification of sciences.
4. Write a brief note on Comte's social static and dynamic.

10 Marks:

1. Explain the theory of classification of sciences. 
2. Explain Comte's law of three stages. 
3. Explain the religion of humanity.

Alienation

Alienation may be described as a condition in which men are dominated by the forces of their own creation. This is the most important aspect of Marx theory of class struggle. To Marx, all major institutions in capitalist society such as religion, state, political and economic are marked by a condition of alienations. According to him alienation confronts man in the whole world of institutions in which he is enmeshed but alienation in the work place assumes important because man was above all.

Class Struggle

The perpetual tension, conflict or the antagonism between the owning and the non-owning class is called Class struggle. The concept of class and class struggle is central to Marxian theory of social thought which is based on the famous saying "the history of all the hitherto existing society is the history of the class struggles". 

Marxian sociology is often called "The Sociology of Class Conflict". The term "class" is said to be originated from the latin word "Classis" meaning a group called arms, a division of people. It is an economic group based on criteria of income.

According to Marx the modern society is an antagonistic society and at every stage in the history, there is war between the classes. Example; The landowners exploit the landless and factory owners exploit the  workers. The idea of class war emerges from the theories of dialectical materialism, materialistic interpretation of history and surplus value. The word 'class' was applied to large groups of people  into which human society came to be divided. Therefore, class struggle is the moving power of history which leads to the revolution.

Protestant Ethics and Spirit of Capitalism

Sociology of religion was an area studied by many early sociologist. Marx and Weber have written extensively about the relationship between society and religion and the role of religion in socio-economic changes. "The Theory of Religion" or "Sociology of Religion" established by Max Weber clearly indicated that there is a close relationship between the religious beliefs of the people and their economic activities.

Weber's essay on "Protestant Ethics and Spirit of Capitalism" contributed more, than any other work to his fame. Weber’s sociology of religion says that there is a direct link between the economic system and the practical ethics of a community. So both are interdependent. The economic system affects the ethical ideas and the ethical attitudes are responsible for developing a particular economic system.

Max Weber’s Theory of Bureaucracy

Max Weber (1864-1920), who was a German sociologist, proposed different characteristics found in effective bureaucracies that would effectively conduct decision-making, control resources, protect workers and accomplish organizational goals. Max Weber's model of Bureaucracy is oftentimes described through a simple set of characteristics, which will be described in this article.

Max Weber's work was translated into English in the mid-forties of the twentieth century, and was oftentimes interpreted as a caricature of modern bureaucracies with all of their shortcomings. However, Weber's work was indented to supplant old organizational structures that existed in the earlier periods of industrialization. To fully appreciate and understand the work of Max Weber, one therefore has to keep the historic context in mind, and not "just" see his work as a caricature of bureaucratic models.

Bureaucracy

A bureaucracy is a group of non-elected officials within a government or other institution that implements the rules, laws, ideas, and functions of their institution.The term 'bureaucracy' finds its origin from the French word 'bureau' which means desk and a government which is run from table is called a bureaucratic government. The word implies a particular system of administration. Historically, it has associated with the rules of government and government officials. 

In this form of the government there is concentration of power in the hands of departments. Sociologists regard bureaucracy as a form of administration that is found in formal organisations pursuing a wide variety of goals.

As a technical term in sociology, "bureaucracy" is associated with Max Weber. He gave it a precise definition and suggested that it was the best administrative form for the rational pursuit of organisational goals.