Notes: M.N. Srinivas with Criticisms | Sociology Mains Optional for UPSC 2024 PDF Download

 Page 1


 
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Paper -2 
Indian Sociology 
Perspectives on the study of Indian society: 
1. Indology (GS. Ghurye). 
2. Structural functionalism (M N Srinivas). 
3. Marxist sociology (A R Desai). 
Structural functionalism (M N Srinivas) 
 
Studies particular functions that are performed by an institution or object for maintenance of 
Structure.  
 
Tries to explain the various social forms found in tribal societies in terms of their contributions to 
social cohesion. 
This perspective focus on the understanding of the ‘ordering’ and ‘patterning’ of the social world. 
It asks certain basic questions like –  
- How did various institutions or customs originate?  
- How does it fill in the broader context?  
- How does the part relate to the whole? 
Regarding this perspective, A.R. Radcliffe-Brown says that the total social structure of a 
society, together with the totality of social usages, constituted a functional unity, a condition 
in which all parts work together with a sufficient degree of harmony or internal consistency, that 
is, without producing persisting conflicts which can neither be resolved nor regulated. 
It treats changes as a slow, cumulative process of adjustment to a new situation.  
Its explanation consists essentially of pointing out how the different types of activity fit on top of 
one another, and are consistent with one another, and how conflicts are contained and 
prevented from changing the structure 
The structural-functional perspective relies more on the field work tradition for understanding 
the social reality so that it can also be understood as ‘contextual’ or ‘field view’ perspective of 
the social phenomena. 
Page 2


 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
Paper -2 
Indian Sociology 
Perspectives on the study of Indian society: 
1. Indology (GS. Ghurye). 
2. Structural functionalism (M N Srinivas). 
3. Marxist sociology (A R Desai). 
Structural functionalism (M N Srinivas) 
 
Studies particular functions that are performed by an institution or object for maintenance of 
Structure.  
 
Tries to explain the various social forms found in tribal societies in terms of their contributions to 
social cohesion. 
This perspective focus on the understanding of the ‘ordering’ and ‘patterning’ of the social world. 
It asks certain basic questions like –  
- How did various institutions or customs originate?  
- How does it fill in the broader context?  
- How does the part relate to the whole? 
Regarding this perspective, A.R. Radcliffe-Brown says that the total social structure of a 
society, together with the totality of social usages, constituted a functional unity, a condition 
in which all parts work together with a sufficient degree of harmony or internal consistency, that 
is, without producing persisting conflicts which can neither be resolved nor regulated. 
It treats changes as a slow, cumulative process of adjustment to a new situation.  
Its explanation consists essentially of pointing out how the different types of activity fit on top of 
one another, and are consistent with one another, and how conflicts are contained and 
prevented from changing the structure 
The structural-functional perspective relies more on the field work tradition for understanding 
the social reality so that it can also be understood as ‘contextual’ or ‘field view’ perspective of 
the social phenomena. 
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
The important followers of this perspective are M.N. Srinivas, S.C. Dube, McKim Marriott, I.P. 
Desai, D.N. Majumdar and others.  
In this section, we would discuss the structural-functional approach adopted by M.N. Srinivas, 
S.C. Dube and McKim Marriott in the study of Indian society. 
(WH – Wisers – Jajmani System – Structure Function |  
Relevance of Structure Function increased after welfare economy Policies in India. ) 
MN Srinivas 
1. M.N. Srinivas is to be credited for initiating the new line of structural-functional 
analysis in sociological and social anthropological research in India. 
2. Inductivism - Srinivas had initiated the tradition of basing macro-sociological 
generalizations on micro anthropological insights. 
3. Theoretical and Methodological Perspectives 
1. Moved from western textbooks or from indigenous sacred texts to "from 
direct observation, field study and field experience". 
Also Coorg Study revealed similarity in religious rituals. 
2. Field study of Coorgs between 1940-42.  
Rites in terms of worshipping Rivers (Ganga, Kaveri in Coorg)  
(Coorgs – People of the place Coorg)  
1. functional unity was explained by explaining the interaction in ritual 
context of different castes of Coorgs, mainly Brahmins (priests), 
Kaniyas (astrologers and magicians) and Bannas and Panikas (low 
castes) 
3. Studies of caste religion (1952, 1959, 1962, and 1966) highlighted not only 
their structural functional aspects, but also the dynamics of the caste system 
in rural setting 
4. Introduced new concepts 
1. proposed conceptual tools like ‘dominant caste’, ‘sanskritization-
westernization’ and ‘secularization’ to understand the realities of inter-caste 
relations and also to explain their dynamics. 
2. The concept of ‘dominant caste’ has been used in the study of power 
relations at the village level. 
5. Whole range of work can be classified into 5 
Page 3


 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
Paper -2 
Indian Sociology 
Perspectives on the study of Indian society: 
1. Indology (GS. Ghurye). 
2. Structural functionalism (M N Srinivas). 
3. Marxist sociology (A R Desai). 
Structural functionalism (M N Srinivas) 
 
Studies particular functions that are performed by an institution or object for maintenance of 
Structure.  
 
Tries to explain the various social forms found in tribal societies in terms of their contributions to 
social cohesion. 
This perspective focus on the understanding of the ‘ordering’ and ‘patterning’ of the social world. 
It asks certain basic questions like –  
- How did various institutions or customs originate?  
- How does it fill in the broader context?  
- How does the part relate to the whole? 
Regarding this perspective, A.R. Radcliffe-Brown says that the total social structure of a 
society, together with the totality of social usages, constituted a functional unity, a condition 
in which all parts work together with a sufficient degree of harmony or internal consistency, that 
is, without producing persisting conflicts which can neither be resolved nor regulated. 
It treats changes as a slow, cumulative process of adjustment to a new situation.  
Its explanation consists essentially of pointing out how the different types of activity fit on top of 
one another, and are consistent with one another, and how conflicts are contained and 
prevented from changing the structure 
The structural-functional perspective relies more on the field work tradition for understanding 
the social reality so that it can also be understood as ‘contextual’ or ‘field view’ perspective of 
the social phenomena. 
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
The important followers of this perspective are M.N. Srinivas, S.C. Dube, McKim Marriott, I.P. 
Desai, D.N. Majumdar and others.  
In this section, we would discuss the structural-functional approach adopted by M.N. Srinivas, 
S.C. Dube and McKim Marriott in the study of Indian society. 
(WH – Wisers – Jajmani System – Structure Function |  
Relevance of Structure Function increased after welfare economy Policies in India. ) 
MN Srinivas 
1. M.N. Srinivas is to be credited for initiating the new line of structural-functional 
analysis in sociological and social anthropological research in India. 
2. Inductivism - Srinivas had initiated the tradition of basing macro-sociological 
generalizations on micro anthropological insights. 
3. Theoretical and Methodological Perspectives 
1. Moved from western textbooks or from indigenous sacred texts to "from 
direct observation, field study and field experience". 
Also Coorg Study revealed similarity in religious rituals. 
2. Field study of Coorgs between 1940-42.  
Rites in terms of worshipping Rivers (Ganga, Kaveri in Coorg)  
(Coorgs – People of the place Coorg)  
1. functional unity was explained by explaining the interaction in ritual 
context of different castes of Coorgs, mainly Brahmins (priests), 
Kaniyas (astrologers and magicians) and Bannas and Panikas (low 
castes) 
3. Studies of caste religion (1952, 1959, 1962, and 1966) highlighted not only 
their structural functional aspects, but also the dynamics of the caste system 
in rural setting 
4. Introduced new concepts 
1. proposed conceptual tools like ‘dominant caste’, ‘sanskritization-
westernization’ and ‘secularization’ to understand the realities of inter-caste 
relations and also to explain their dynamics. 
2. The concept of ‘dominant caste’ has been used in the study of power 
relations at the village level. 
5. Whole range of work can be classified into 5 
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
His work can be arranged and studied under the following heads -  
1. Social Change  
2. Religion & Society  
3. Study on village  
4. Caste  
5. Dominant caste  
 
1. Social change:  
Brahminization, Sanskritization (Religious + Secular), Westernization 
(Primary, Secondly, Tertiay )and Secularization 
1. Attempted to construct a macro-level analysis using a large number 
of microlevel findings on the processes of ‘sanskritization’, 
‘westernization’ and ‘secularization’. 
Coorgs – Sanskritisation – case of anticipatory socialisation – 
Generally inter – generation – Followed with rise in Secular mobility 
Rampur (village)  – Dominant caste  
When entire group gets mobility (Sanskritisation)  – Dominant caste  
2. Religion and society 
1. Coorgs of South India 
2. formulate the concept of ‘Brahminization’ to represent the process 
of the imitation of life-ways and ritual practices of Brahmins by the 
lower-caste Hindus. The concept was used to interpret changes 
observed through field study 
3. Later led to higher level concept, ‘sanskritization’, Brahminic model 
as frame of reference had limitations (copying of life ways and 
rituals of other higher castes also) 
4. Though referring mainly to the processes of cultural imitation, has 
a built-in structural notion, that of hierarchy and inequality of 
privilege and power, since the imitation is always by the castes or 
categories placed lower in social and economic status. Book- Social 
change in Modern India (1966) 
5. Sanskritization- ‘sanskritization’ as the process by which a ‘low’ 
caste or tribe or other group takes over the custom, ritual, beliefs, 
ideology and style of life of a high and, in particular, a ‘twice-born 
Page 4


 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
Paper -2 
Indian Sociology 
Perspectives on the study of Indian society: 
1. Indology (GS. Ghurye). 
2. Structural functionalism (M N Srinivas). 
3. Marxist sociology (A R Desai). 
Structural functionalism (M N Srinivas) 
 
Studies particular functions that are performed by an institution or object for maintenance of 
Structure.  
 
Tries to explain the various social forms found in tribal societies in terms of their contributions to 
social cohesion. 
This perspective focus on the understanding of the ‘ordering’ and ‘patterning’ of the social world. 
It asks certain basic questions like –  
- How did various institutions or customs originate?  
- How does it fill in the broader context?  
- How does the part relate to the whole? 
Regarding this perspective, A.R. Radcliffe-Brown says that the total social structure of a 
society, together with the totality of social usages, constituted a functional unity, a condition 
in which all parts work together with a sufficient degree of harmony or internal consistency, that 
is, without producing persisting conflicts which can neither be resolved nor regulated. 
It treats changes as a slow, cumulative process of adjustment to a new situation.  
Its explanation consists essentially of pointing out how the different types of activity fit on top of 
one another, and are consistent with one another, and how conflicts are contained and 
prevented from changing the structure 
The structural-functional perspective relies more on the field work tradition for understanding 
the social reality so that it can also be understood as ‘contextual’ or ‘field view’ perspective of 
the social phenomena. 
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
The important followers of this perspective are M.N. Srinivas, S.C. Dube, McKim Marriott, I.P. 
Desai, D.N. Majumdar and others.  
In this section, we would discuss the structural-functional approach adopted by M.N. Srinivas, 
S.C. Dube and McKim Marriott in the study of Indian society. 
(WH – Wisers – Jajmani System – Structure Function |  
Relevance of Structure Function increased after welfare economy Policies in India. ) 
MN Srinivas 
1. M.N. Srinivas is to be credited for initiating the new line of structural-functional 
analysis in sociological and social anthropological research in India. 
2. Inductivism - Srinivas had initiated the tradition of basing macro-sociological 
generalizations on micro anthropological insights. 
3. Theoretical and Methodological Perspectives 
1. Moved from western textbooks or from indigenous sacred texts to "from 
direct observation, field study and field experience". 
Also Coorg Study revealed similarity in religious rituals. 
2. Field study of Coorgs between 1940-42.  
Rites in terms of worshipping Rivers (Ganga, Kaveri in Coorg)  
(Coorgs – People of the place Coorg)  
1. functional unity was explained by explaining the interaction in ritual 
context of different castes of Coorgs, mainly Brahmins (priests), 
Kaniyas (astrologers and magicians) and Bannas and Panikas (low 
castes) 
3. Studies of caste religion (1952, 1959, 1962, and 1966) highlighted not only 
their structural functional aspects, but also the dynamics of the caste system 
in rural setting 
4. Introduced new concepts 
1. proposed conceptual tools like ‘dominant caste’, ‘sanskritization-
westernization’ and ‘secularization’ to understand the realities of inter-caste 
relations and also to explain their dynamics. 
2. The concept of ‘dominant caste’ has been used in the study of power 
relations at the village level. 
5. Whole range of work can be classified into 5 
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
His work can be arranged and studied under the following heads -  
1. Social Change  
2. Religion & Society  
3. Study on village  
4. Caste  
5. Dominant caste  
 
1. Social change:  
Brahminization, Sanskritization (Religious + Secular), Westernization 
(Primary, Secondly, Tertiay )and Secularization 
1. Attempted to construct a macro-level analysis using a large number 
of microlevel findings on the processes of ‘sanskritization’, 
‘westernization’ and ‘secularization’. 
Coorgs – Sanskritisation – case of anticipatory socialisation – 
Generally inter – generation – Followed with rise in Secular mobility 
Rampur (village)  – Dominant caste  
When entire group gets mobility (Sanskritisation)  – Dominant caste  
2. Religion and society 
1. Coorgs of South India 
2. formulate the concept of ‘Brahminization’ to represent the process 
of the imitation of life-ways and ritual practices of Brahmins by the 
lower-caste Hindus. The concept was used to interpret changes 
observed through field study 
3. Later led to higher level concept, ‘sanskritization’, Brahminic model 
as frame of reference had limitations (copying of life ways and 
rituals of other higher castes also) 
4. Though referring mainly to the processes of cultural imitation, has 
a built-in structural notion, that of hierarchy and inequality of 
privilege and power, since the imitation is always by the castes or 
categories placed lower in social and economic status. Book- Social 
change in Modern India (1966) 
5. Sanskritization- ‘sanskritization’ as the process by which a ‘low’ 
caste or tribe or other group takes over the custom, ritual, beliefs, 
ideology and style of life of a high and, in particular, a ‘twice-born 
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
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Sleepy Classes 
(dwija) caste. The sanskritization of a group has usually the effect 
of improving its position in the local caste hierarchy. 
6. Westernisation- westernization was a change resulting from the 
contact of British socio-economic and cultural innovations and 
ideological formulation after independence to deal with the 
question of religious groups and minorities 
3. Study of village 
1. Srinivas considers village as the microcosm of Indian society and 
civilization. It is the village, which retains the traditional 
composition of India’s tradition. Srinivas was concerned with the 
spread of Hinduism. 
2. Hinduism was being spread by the process of Sanskirtisation. 
Curiously did not take up why masses of Hindus still lie in low castes 
or no castes 
3. He was not fascinated by Hinduism in its holistic form. He looked 
for it in the caste system. 
4. Rampura village- dominant caste 
1. He conducted the study of Rampur- a Mysore village - 
which gave him the concept of ‘dominant caste’. The 
study has been contained in The Remembered Village 
(1976) 
4. Views on caste 
1. He showed how castes are interdependent in villages by his study 
of Rampura Village 
2. Srinivas has extensively talked about the social evils of the caste 
society, he pleads for change in caste system and discusses 
westernization and modernization as viable paradigms of 
changesSrinivas views caste as a segmentary system. Every caste, 
for him, is divided into sub-castes which are; 
Keyword - SOPCP 
1. Segmentory- The unit of endogamy; 
2. Whose members follow a common occupation; 
3. Pollution and purity 
4. Commensality 
5. Whose members are governed by the same authoritative 
body, viz., the panchayat? 
5. Dominant caste – Political  
1. He first proposed it in his early papers on the village of Rampura. 
2. In Rampura village there were many communities- Brahmins, 
peasants, untouchables. Peasants hold lands, and although they are 
Page 5


 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
Paper -2 
Indian Sociology 
Perspectives on the study of Indian society: 
1. Indology (GS. Ghurye). 
2. Structural functionalism (M N Srinivas). 
3. Marxist sociology (A R Desai). 
Structural functionalism (M N Srinivas) 
 
Studies particular functions that are performed by an institution or object for maintenance of 
Structure.  
 
Tries to explain the various social forms found in tribal societies in terms of their contributions to 
social cohesion. 
This perspective focus on the understanding of the ‘ordering’ and ‘patterning’ of the social world. 
It asks certain basic questions like –  
- How did various institutions or customs originate?  
- How does it fill in the broader context?  
- How does the part relate to the whole? 
Regarding this perspective, A.R. Radcliffe-Brown says that the total social structure of a 
society, together with the totality of social usages, constituted a functional unity, a condition 
in which all parts work together with a sufficient degree of harmony or internal consistency, that 
is, without producing persisting conflicts which can neither be resolved nor regulated. 
It treats changes as a slow, cumulative process of adjustment to a new situation.  
Its explanation consists essentially of pointing out how the different types of activity fit on top of 
one another, and are consistent with one another, and how conflicts are contained and 
prevented from changing the structure 
The structural-functional perspective relies more on the field work tradition for understanding 
the social reality so that it can also be understood as ‘contextual’ or ‘field view’ perspective of 
the social phenomena. 
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
The important followers of this perspective are M.N. Srinivas, S.C. Dube, McKim Marriott, I.P. 
Desai, D.N. Majumdar and others.  
In this section, we would discuss the structural-functional approach adopted by M.N. Srinivas, 
S.C. Dube and McKim Marriott in the study of Indian society. 
(WH – Wisers – Jajmani System – Structure Function |  
Relevance of Structure Function increased after welfare economy Policies in India. ) 
MN Srinivas 
1. M.N. Srinivas is to be credited for initiating the new line of structural-functional 
analysis in sociological and social anthropological research in India. 
2. Inductivism - Srinivas had initiated the tradition of basing macro-sociological 
generalizations on micro anthropological insights. 
3. Theoretical and Methodological Perspectives 
1. Moved from western textbooks or from indigenous sacred texts to "from 
direct observation, field study and field experience". 
Also Coorg Study revealed similarity in religious rituals. 
2. Field study of Coorgs between 1940-42.  
Rites in terms of worshipping Rivers (Ganga, Kaveri in Coorg)  
(Coorgs – People of the place Coorg)  
1. functional unity was explained by explaining the interaction in ritual 
context of different castes of Coorgs, mainly Brahmins (priests), 
Kaniyas (astrologers and magicians) and Bannas and Panikas (low 
castes) 
3. Studies of caste religion (1952, 1959, 1962, and 1966) highlighted not only 
their structural functional aspects, but also the dynamics of the caste system 
in rural setting 
4. Introduced new concepts 
1. proposed conceptual tools like ‘dominant caste’, ‘sanskritization-
westernization’ and ‘secularization’ to understand the realities of inter-caste 
relations and also to explain their dynamics. 
2. The concept of ‘dominant caste’ has been used in the study of power 
relations at the village level. 
5. Whole range of work can be classified into 5 
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
His work can be arranged and studied under the following heads -  
1. Social Change  
2. Religion & Society  
3. Study on village  
4. Caste  
5. Dominant caste  
 
1. Social change:  
Brahminization, Sanskritization (Religious + Secular), Westernization 
(Primary, Secondly, Tertiay )and Secularization 
1. Attempted to construct a macro-level analysis using a large number 
of microlevel findings on the processes of ‘sanskritization’, 
‘westernization’ and ‘secularization’. 
Coorgs – Sanskritisation – case of anticipatory socialisation – 
Generally inter – generation – Followed with rise in Secular mobility 
Rampur (village)  – Dominant caste  
When entire group gets mobility (Sanskritisation)  – Dominant caste  
2. Religion and society 
1. Coorgs of South India 
2. formulate the concept of ‘Brahminization’ to represent the process 
of the imitation of life-ways and ritual practices of Brahmins by the 
lower-caste Hindus. The concept was used to interpret changes 
observed through field study 
3. Later led to higher level concept, ‘sanskritization’, Brahminic model 
as frame of reference had limitations (copying of life ways and 
rituals of other higher castes also) 
4. Though referring mainly to the processes of cultural imitation, has 
a built-in structural notion, that of hierarchy and inequality of 
privilege and power, since the imitation is always by the castes or 
categories placed lower in social and economic status. Book- Social 
change in Modern India (1966) 
5. Sanskritization- ‘sanskritization’ as the process by which a ‘low’ 
caste or tribe or other group takes over the custom, ritual, beliefs, 
ideology and style of life of a high and, in particular, a ‘twice-born 
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
(dwija) caste. The sanskritization of a group has usually the effect 
of improving its position in the local caste hierarchy. 
6. Westernisation- westernization was a change resulting from the 
contact of British socio-economic and cultural innovations and 
ideological formulation after independence to deal with the 
question of religious groups and minorities 
3. Study of village 
1. Srinivas considers village as the microcosm of Indian society and 
civilization. It is the village, which retains the traditional 
composition of India’s tradition. Srinivas was concerned with the 
spread of Hinduism. 
2. Hinduism was being spread by the process of Sanskirtisation. 
Curiously did not take up why masses of Hindus still lie in low castes 
or no castes 
3. He was not fascinated by Hinduism in its holistic form. He looked 
for it in the caste system. 
4. Rampura village- dominant caste 
1. He conducted the study of Rampur- a Mysore village - 
which gave him the concept of ‘dominant caste’. The 
study has been contained in The Remembered Village 
(1976) 
4. Views on caste 
1. He showed how castes are interdependent in villages by his study 
of Rampura Village 
2. Srinivas has extensively talked about the social evils of the caste 
society, he pleads for change in caste system and discusses 
westernization and modernization as viable paradigms of 
changesSrinivas views caste as a segmentary system. Every caste, 
for him, is divided into sub-castes which are; 
Keyword - SOPCP 
1. Segmentory- The unit of endogamy; 
2. Whose members follow a common occupation; 
3. Pollution and purity 
4. Commensality 
5. Whose members are governed by the same authoritative 
body, viz., the panchayat? 
5. Dominant caste – Political  
1. He first proposed it in his early papers on the village of Rampura. 
2. In Rampura village there were many communities- Brahmins, 
peasants, untouchables. Peasants hold lands, and although they are 
 
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Sleepy Classes 
lower in hierarchy than Brahmins they hold considerable power 
over them in the village 
Dominant Caste  
1. Six attributes: 
1. Sizeable amount of arable land 
2. Strength of numbers 
3. High place in the local hierarchy 
4. Western education 
5. Jobs in the administration 
6. Urban sources of income. 
2. Of the above attributes of the dominant caste, the 
following three are important: 
1. Numerical strength 
2. Economic power through ownership of land 
3. Political power.