AIR 61 · CSE 2022 · Sociology I · 52 pages

Tanmai Khanna: Sociology I answer copy

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

The questions

  1. Q1(a)Gender as a dimension of social stratification. 5. (a) "No society can be absolutely open or absolutely closed". Comment.10 marks
  2. Q1(b)One of Mead's most significant contributions to social psychology is his distinction between the "I" and the "Me". Elaborate.10 marks
  3. Q1(c)Distinguish between class and status in Weber's view of social stratification.10 marks
  4. Q1(d)It is observed that young adults around the world are less religious by several measures. Give some theoretical strands in support of this observation.10 marks
  5. Q1(e)"Marx's conception of 'class-in-itself' and 'class-for-itself' has been questioned on the basis of 'empirical studies'. Elucidate10 marks
  6. Q2(a)In what ways are Marx's and Weber's theories of class at odds with each other and to what extent can they be seen as complementary?20 marks
  7. Q2(b)"Emile Durkheim, division of labour could be 'functional' as well as 'anomic' for society". Explain20 marks
  8. Q2(c)"Religion is the opium of masses and an instrument of classes". Critically analyse10 marks
  9. Q3(a)"It is not the consciousness of individual that directs behavior but collective conscience that transcends the individual and shape his or her consciousness". Discuss in context of Durkheim's theory of social facts.20 marks
  10. Q3(b)“To Marx capitalism is rooted in irrationality but for Weber it is a reflection of rationality.” Discuss.20 marks
  11. Q3(c)"Merton's theory of anomie is a borrowing but essentially different from that of Durkheim". Critically examine.10 marks
  12. Q5(b)Critically examine various 'theories of revolution'
  13. Q5(c)Critically discuss 'Value-added theory' with respect to the social movements.
  14. Q5(d)Discuss what role Civil society has to play in restoring institutions that form the bulwark of democracy.
  15. Q5(e)Gramsci extended the Marxist ideas on Power and State by developing the concept of hegemony. Discuss
  16. Q6(a)"Durkheim's understanding of religion, like any other social theory, emerged and had greater relevance in a particular 'social context'." Critically analyze the statement20 marks
  17. Q6(b)Compare and contrast conflict and functionalist theories of social stratification.20 marks
  18. Q6(c)Protests and agitation are symptomatic of skewed development in society. Discuss in context of India along with relevant examples.10 marks

The answers

Question 1(a) · 10 marks · 363 words written

Gender as a dimension of social stratification. 5. (a) "No society can be absolutely open or absolutely closed". Comment.

Opening · a definition

None written.

Body · points

(a) Gender as a dimension of social stratification.

Social stratification is a process by which groups of people are ranked in society, in terms of relative positions of power and prestige.

Gender is one such category by which this stratification takes place. It has several dimensions in its manifestation:

  1. Occupation: Nursing, Receptionists, Primary school teachers see disproportionately more women; whereas high paying STEM fields, finance, and politics see very little representation. → Within these occupations, women suffer due to a wage gap, discrimination due to maternity leaves, and rampant sexual harassment. Thereby stratifying jobs, as well as women in those jobs.

(2) Religion: Several religious places block entry of women and consider menstruating women as impure. Therefore, religious followers are stratified, justifying social evils like Sati.

(3) Family: Within families, women are relegated to second class members under the patriarchs. They not only have power over decisions about their life, but after marriage even lose power over their own body.

Feminist theorists highlight how ethnicity, race, class, caste have been explored as dimensions of social stratification but gender continues to be ignored in mainstream sociology.

5. (a) "No society can be absolutely open or absolutely closed". Comment.

Close · a summary

Louis Dumont in his analysis of western societies and Indian societies posits that the former are homo equalis and the latter are homo hierarchicus. He analyses the caste structures in India, explores the purity-pollution principle and concludes that the society is inherently a hierarchy, i.e. a closed system. This is in contrast with western societies that are stratified but open systems as they allow for mobility.

Andre Beteille in his response says that no society is absolutely open or closed and criticised Dumont's narrow dichotomy.

In a deeper analysis of caste, one can see that mobility is not absent. Among jatis, there is a form of competitive inequality, be it for status or for benefits.

Similarly, it is clear that western societies are not free of hierarchies. They are deeply divided on the basis of race, the economic situation is severely skewed, and gender is a severe factor for discrimination.

Therefore, every society has structures with degrees of openness and not absolutes.