Sociology Answer Writing Thread

Jaime_Lannister

3.)Tradition and modernity are misplaced polarities in the study of social change in India. (2011)

Social change in India can be studied through various schools. The change in structure and function of its institutions like family (from traditional joint to modern nuclear), or the shift from traditional farming to commercial farming, or the subtle change from folded hand "namaste" to an outstretched shake of the hand - all indicate social change as seen through various paradigms of the discipline.

The common thread in all of them is the the distinction and diametric treatment of the old traditional and the new modern.

However on a closer look we can identify the existence of both simultaneously and hence the over-simplified dichotomy of tradition-modernity is not appropriate and accurate in Indian context.

Yogendra Singh and Singer recognize that elements of modernity, rather than displacing the traditional, have been accommodated within it. This is termed as "selective adaptation" wherein important elements of the modern era are embedded in traditional social landscape without a overt sense of paradox. Thus India adopts modern GM seeds and but does not give up traditional prayers and festivals for good harvest. It develops modern weapons but worships them on Dussehra.

This maintains social stability and absorbs any turbulent and sudden forces of change which may cause social disintegration or cause dissociation of functional social elements.

Although there exists a counter current of "identity assertive resilience", but the assimilative character of Indian society has prevailed so that "tradition" and "modern" coexist without mutual exclusivity.

@Sleeplessnights_89

sleepless

Hey Jaime..nailed it...do mention about little and great tradition and focus on concrete examples, GM crops vs festival can be rephrased as modern agriculture and technology vs old practices can look better...also we can crticize the Marxian modernization erspective of tradition and modernity are in conflict is not suited for Indian society...but apart from all that your answer humbled me.. ^:)^

CAESAR

@Jaime_Lannister

i think milton singer talked about "selective adaptation" only with respect to joint families in india and not about tradition - modernity in general.
redfield was the one who clearly challenged the concept of modernity tradition dichotomy in very broad sense.a r deasi can als be included as he said its need to study social tthings changng rather than the change as per se criticising teleological orientation of debate on modernity.

CAESAR

correct me if m wrng with respect t milton singer...i wrte on basis f what i could recall right nw.btw nice answer.

Jaime_Lannister

@CAESAR , MS continued from where RR left off i.e little and great tradition. In fact MS studied wider society through Hindu religion, businesses, industries etc and their organization and changes. The concept of selective adaptation has been used for these other institutional studies too.
No idea about ARD and tradition-modernity debate though.

Sleeplessnights_89

Q1. "Sociology emerged in Europe and flourished to begin with on social reformist orientation in the USA." Comment. 150w (2013)

Sociology as a separate discipline came as a product of many changes in the society in the age of enlightenment when there was a paradigm shift in society in various areas of social life like Government, Science, Urbanization, new wave of philosophical thinking. All this led to an age of reason which culminated in French revolution after which the prevalent scientific thinking gave rise to Positivist school of Sociology by which thinkers like Auguste Comte used natural science methods to social sciences leading to the its inception.

Later the growth of economic factors like banks, factory system and capital investments etc., gave rise to Industrial revolution which produced profound social changes and Sociology gained ground as a solid discipline with thinkers like Karl Marx, Weber and Durkheim proposing various theories which become several schools of thinking in the later ages.

Until this phase the influence of Sociology as a discipline was confine to Europe but later due to works of W.I.Thomas, Florian Znaniecki, Mead,Burgess, Helen Lynd etc., Sociology reached America where studies like migration, self concept, race relations, urban sociology and the study of cities became prevalent. A separate committee was set up in Chicago university and sociological research base map was produced to study the cultural areas and the life of people. Of particular significance is the Race relations study by Gunnar Myrdal where the contradictions between high democratic ideals of America and the way they treat the black race and its tensions were underlined.

These studies stressed for a need of urgent social reform in America and the rights and independence of black people and slaves came into picture. Later after first world war the influence of Marxian sociology began to take root and socialistic principles began to pressurize the society which continued even later thus Sociology initiated a huge social change in America.

@Jaime_Lannister
@all

Review

Jaime_Lannister

People who have joined some test series can also share those questions. I understand the reluctance owing to the huge amount of money paid. But at least you can share questions which are difficult and have you stumped. We can find the solution together and that way everyone gains.

CAESAR

Gandhis attempt at communal harmony (with sociological persepctive).

Jaime_Lannister

Gandhis attempt at communal harmony (with sociological persepctive).

Gandhi ji was the pioneer of communal unity in India. Before him, all the efforts were intra-religion and focussed on reform within like caste, sati etc. MKG was the first to focus on communal inter-relationship and harmony in modern Indian society.

Due to carrot and stick policy of the British, the muslim population was alienated from society and led a ghettoised existence. Gandhi ji sought to include them in wider social processes by mainstreaming them into national freedom struggle. He included the Khilafat demands and reconciled them with rowlatt satyagraha and mobilised muslims for national cause, thus integrating them with the wider society. Thus muslims became a part of the prevailing nationalistic anti-colonial social current.

Apart from strategy of inclusion he also stressed on micro-social interactions. This entailed his staying in predominantly muslim areas and interacting with the community in mundane and banal daily relationships. The strategy was also employed during partition, to reduce hindu-muslim enmity. This interaction was extended to christians (including clergy like C.F Andrews) as well, so that religious ideas flow naturally and dispel myths and fallacies borne out of isolation and distrust.

He promoted a more tolerant version of Hinduism than the prevailing "hindu" organisations like RSS and HMS. He wanted the cultures of all lands to be blown about his house as freely as possible. But he refuse to be blown off his feet by any. This indicated religious tolerance without conceding his religious beliefs and a spirit of cultural diffusion and assimilation.

He also refrained from structural reforms in other religions and left them to leaders from those communities, even though he did that in hinduism peacefully. This kept and conflict situation at bay and did not fan insecurities in the minority community of external interference and cultural subjugation.

@CAESAR

sinha47

The phrase 'baba industry' has become common today. How accurate is this as a description of religion in contemporary India.

Love Khan

Bhai kisi k paas harlambos and holborn hai to plz link do yaar....