AIR 212 · CSE 2024 · Sociology I · 52 pages

AMITEJ PANGTEY: Sociology I answer copy

19 answers by AMITEJ PANGTEY, as written in the test. Each question opens a page with how other toppers answered it.

The questions

  1. Q1(a)History is the past Sociology and Sociology is the present history. Discuss.10 marks
  2. Q1(b)Considering the impact of globalization, examine the evolving scope of sociology and how it has adapted to study and address contemporary social issues.10 marks
  3. Q1(c)Methodology encompasses a system of rules, principles, and procedures that form the basis of scientific investigation. Comment.10 marks
  4. Q1(d)Discuss the role of socialization and cultural transmission in shaping conformist and deviant behavior among individuals.10 marks
  5. Q1(e)Discuss the role of reliability and validity in a sociological research.10 marks
  6. Q2(a)People are rational and they use practical reasoning, not formal logic, in their daily life. Discuss the perspective of ethnomethodology as a study of people's life.20 marks
  7. Q2(b)Power is the ability to control others and it may reside in individual or individual’s status or position. In light of this statement, critically examine the elite theories of power.20 marks
  8. Q2(c)Discuss how gender socialization and norms contribute to the differentiation of the "I" and the "Me" in men and women.10 marks
  9. Q3(a)"The fate of our times is characterized by rationalization and intellectualization and, above all, by the disenchantment of the world." How far is the Weber's statement valid in today's society?20 marks
  10. Q3(b)How far do you agree that Euro-centric theories of social stratification have not been able to fully capture the complexities and nuances of India's diverse and stratified society?20 marks
  11. Q3(c)Case studies may be useful for generating new hypothesis which can then be tested against other data. Discuss.10 marks
  12. Q5(a)Write a short note on each of the following in not more than 150 words. (a) Democracy is a necessary evil. Comment on the concept of democracy from Sociological perspective.10 marks
  13. Q5(b)Compare Max Weber and Parsons Perspectives on power relations within society.10 marks
  14. Q5(c)The process of secularisation was greatly aided by transformation of human consciousness triggered by the popularisation of scientific ideas among common people. Discuss.10 marks
  15. Q5(d)"Rising divorce rates are indicative of changing attitudes towards marriage and commitment in contemporary societies." In light of this, discuss the reasons behind increasing number of divorces in contemporary times.10 marks
  16. Q5(e)Structural functionalism views social change as a gradual process of adaptation and equilibrium restoration in societies. Explain.10 marks
  17. Q7(a)Present day mass media has been seen to have an overt purpose, such as information dissemination, and covert functions, like shaping cultural norms and reinforcing social hierarchies. Analyse the role of mass media in India through Merton's theory of latent and manifest functions.20 marks
  18. Q7(b)Using the concept of hegemony from Antonio Gramsci's theory, discuss the dominant ideologies and cultural norms that reinforce power structures in Indian society. How do these ideologies shape people's perceptions and behaviours, contributing to the reproduction of existing power relations?20 marks
  19. Q7(c)The Supreme Court of India, through various judgements, has granted coparcenary rights to women. In light of this, discuss the concept of lineage and descent.10 marks

The answers

Question 1(a) · 10 marks · 172 words written

History is the past Sociology and Sociology is the present history. Discuss.

Opening · a definition

Mallari defines History as the description of past events. Sociology as defined by Bierstedt is the study of human interactions & interrelations.

History is the past Sociology

Body · points

  1. Thinkers borrow historical records for analyzing past societies. → e.g. Weber used them in Protestant ethic formulation.
  2. Use of historical comparative method is very common in sociology. → e.g. Durkheim compared societies from the past & present vis-a-vis their suicide Rates.
  3. History's descriptive nature aids sociology of postmodern methodology. → e.g. use of history by Foucault in his 'Madness & Civilization'

Sociology is the present History

  1. Social institutions like caste, family will be studied in future as historical aspects.
  2. Rise of Historical Sociology by [Nisbet & Balandier] has also brought the 2 disciplines closer.
  3. Evolution of societies itself forms basis of history → as Marx believed.

Close · a summary

However, Lockwood points out the difference that history is time & space limited, whereas, sociology transcends both restrictions.

Despite this, the more historical sociology becomes & more sociological history becomes, better for both.