AIR 223 · CSE 2023 · Sociology I · 45 pages

Shubham: Sociology I answer copy

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

The questions

  1. Q1(c)Though all valid data is reliable, but reliability alone does not ensure the validity of an experiment. Discuss. Q.1(e) "No society can be absolutely open or absolutely closed." Comment.
  2. Q1(d)It is argued that the scope of sociology has evolved through the epoch of time. Discuss the change in scope of sociology with specific reference to pandemic time. Absolute objectivity is an idea which is regarded as obsolete in sociology research. Discuss. Q.1(d) One of Mead's most significant contributions to social psychology is his distinction between "I" and the "me". Elaborate.
  3. Q03(a)'Though they take very different approaches to study society, both 'micro' and 'macro' sociology aid our ability to understand the social world. Comment.
  4. Q3(b)To Marx capitalism is rooted in irrationality but for Weber it is a reflection of rationality. Discuss. What can be the best research method for determining the impact of Covid-19 on our society? Discuss with example.
  5. Q5Participant Observation is a convenient approach to gather information particularly qualitative data about a population, but it can be grossly misleading as well. State out the advantages as well as disadvantages of Participant observation in sociological analysis. To what extent does the study of social mobility play a vital part in understanding the class structure of our society? Merton's theory of anomie is a borrowing but essentially different from that of Durkheim. Critically examine. Do you think the feminisation of work has led to gender equality? Justify your answer with logical arguments. Protests and agitation are symptomatic of skewed development in society. Discuss in context of India along with relevant examples. Highlight the various "social pathologies" within marriage in contemporary times. It is observed that young adults around the world are less religious by several measures. Give some theoretical strands in support of this observation. Discuss Ogburn's theory of social change. What are the major dimensions of secularisation in the modern world? Discuss the factors inhibiting the growth of secularisation in India. The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 and The Surrogacy Regulation Act, 2021 reinforce the idea of family as a patriarchal heterosexual and casteist institution and fail to account for other models of chosen families. Discuss.
  6. Q07(c)China's cheque book diplomacy is a new form of dependency. In this context, discuss the dependency theory and its new forms in the present world.

The answers

Question 1(c) · 474 words written

Though all valid data is reliable, but reliability alone does not ensure the validity of an experiment. Discuss. Q.1(e) "No society can be absolutely open or absolutely closed." Comment.

Opening · a definition

Q.1(c)

Body · points and prose

→ Validity refers to the correctness of data, i-e, the researcher's data does indeed justify what he is studying. On the other hand reliability refers to ability of other researcher to get to the same conclusion when following the same methodology.

Is all valid data, reliable?

Alan Bryman says, valid data showcase the truthness of study, but since human have different perspectives one set of data can lead to 2 conclusion. For example, Presence of sects is used as example of both secularisation and religious revivalism by Steve Bruce. Though valid data may also produce reliable data too.

Similarly validity are of 4 kinds → (i) External, Internal, measurement and ecological validity.

Since human is in real life situation, it becomes very hard to achieve external validity, i.e., to apply same conclusion to others as different people have different conscience.

On the other hand reliability too does not ensure validity, as people can follow the same qualitative method and get same results, but that result may not measure what they wanted too.

Eg. we can ask everyone if they liked Pizza or not. But if we wanted to generalise the result, if people in general wanted to be healthy it will have internal validity and measurement validity error.

So, it Both validity and reliability are different goals, and as per Hammersley both must be pursued separately using triangulation of method.

Q.1(e)

→ Society which tends to justify social mobility (movement from one social position to others) are called as Open societies. eg. U.S, British meritocracy, achievement based.

Close · a summary

On the other hand, societies which tends to block or even discourages social mobility are called as close societies. Eg. Caste system, Old China, ascriptive.

But in reality in both types, there is only relatively more or less mobility, and not absolutely full or absolutely zero.

Peter Saunders, liberalist, says even in meritocracy of U.K, there are barriers due to economic and structural, which discourage mobility. Pierre Bourdieu says, due to different level of Capital, different class have different ability for improvement.

Goldthrope and Oxford study also showed children with their father in class 7, were less likely to enter class 1. Similarly, feminist like Sylvia Walby says due to pay gap, it is evident women have less chance of mobility in democracy as there is also glass ceiling effect. On the other hand, as M.N. Srinivas's concept of sanskritisation shows even in closed caste society, many castes like Teli in Orissa (F.G. Baily), Koli in Gujarat improved their social position. Not just sanskritisation, their also used to happen fission and fusion of caste to improve their chances of social mobility. Caste associations also played a role.

So it can be said in both types of society the difference is only the relative rate of mobility and the value system if mobility is legitimised or not.