Introduction to Sociology of India

This course will begin with a discussion on the various constructions of Indian society from colonial to contemporary times. The structural and cultural dimensions of Indian society are explored at the level of village, city, region, nation and civilization. Sources of differentiation, diversity and unity are explored through institutions such as caste, class and tribe; kinship, family, marriage and gender systems, religious traditions and political organisations. Transformations in these institutions are analysed and fault lines explored by studying contemporary issues of secularism, communalism, religious conversions, caste and identity movements. The sociological perspective remains key to interpreting changes in Indian society in the era of globalization and rapid economic change.