Important Questions: Indian Sociologists | Sociology Class 11 - Humanities/Arts PDF Download

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1: When did the University of Bombay become the first college to offer Indian sociology as an undergraduate discipline?
Ans: The University of Bombay started offering Indian sociology as an undergraduate discipline in 1919.

Q2: What were the unique challenges faced by Indian sociology in comparison to Western sociology?
Ans: Indian sociology faced challenges due to the distinct nature of Indian society, influenced by colonial subjugation and the coexistence of primitive and sophisticated societies. Theoretical perspectives were needed to understand this complexity.

Q3: Who were the pioneers of Indian sociology mentioned in the text?
Ans: The pioneers of Indian sociology mentioned are L.K. Ananthakrishna Iyer, Sarat Chandra Roy, G.S. Ghurye, D.P. Mukherjee, A.R. Desai, and M.N. Srinivas.

Q4: Which Indian sociologist is considered the first self-taught anthropologist to receive international recognition?
Ans: L.K. Ananthakrishna Iyer is considered the first self-taught anthropologist to receive international recognition.

Q5: What was the primary interest that led Sarat Chandra Roy to conduct extensive fieldwork and become involved in anthropology?
Ans: Sarat Chandra Roy's primary interest in anthropology was sparked by his professional obligation to explain tribal customs and laws to the court.

Q6: What key characteristics did G.S. Ghurye emphasize in understanding the caste system in India?
Ans: G.S. Ghurye emphasized six key characteristics of the caste system: division of society into segments, hierarchy, limitations on social connections, distinct rights and obligations, restricted career options, and limitations on marriage opportunities.

Q7: What was Herbert Risley's theory regarding the racial characteristics of different caste groups in India?
Ans: Herbert Risley's theory suggested that lower castes were largely composed of non-Aryan aboriginal, Mongoloid, or other racial groups, while the higher castes possessed Indo-Aryan racial characteristics.

Q8: Who differentiated two approaches to the study of Indian society as the "Book View" and the "Field View"?
Ans: M.N. Srinivas differentiated between the "Book View" and the "Field View" approaches to the study of Indian society.

Q9: According to A.R. Desai, what were the material conditions that led to the emergence of Indian nationalism?
Ans: A.R. Desai believed that Indian nationalism emerged due to the material conditions created by British colonialism, including industrialization, modernization, and new economic relationships.

Q10: What did Desai's critique reveal about the concept of the welfare state in advanced capitalist systems?
Ans: Desai's critique revealed that even advanced capitalist systems, commonly identified as welfare states, often fail to provide economic and social security to all citizens, reduce economic disparities, promote stable growth, and create employment opportunities.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q11: Discuss the challenges faced by Indian sociology in establishing itself as a discipline. How did the unique characteristics of Indian society influence the development of sociology in India?
Ans: Indian sociology faced challenges in establishing itself as a discipline due to the dissimilarities between Indian society and Western European societies. These challenges were influenced by colonial subjugation and the coexistence of primitive and sophisticated societies in India. Unlike Western sociology, which emerged as an attempt to understand modernity, Indian modernity was shaped by colonial oppression, leading to a distinct understanding of modernity. Social anthropology in the West originated from curiosity about primitive tribes, while India had both primitive and ancient societies, necessitating multiple theoretical perspectives. The role of Western sociology in a colonized India raised questions about its relevance, and the practical role of sociology in a sovereign nation transitioning toward democracy was also questioned. The pioneers of Indian sociology had to formulate new questions and answers to address these challenges, shaping the discipline through practical application in the Indian context.

Q12: Describe the contributions of L.K. Ananthakrishna Iyer and Sarat Chandra Roy to the field of Indian sociology.
Ans: L.K. Ananthakrishna Iyer was an early pioneer of social anthropology in India. He started as a clerk and later became a schoolteacher and college professor in Cochin state. His contributions earned him international recognition, including an honorary doctorate from a German university. Sarat Chandra Roy, on the other hand, became involved in anthropology due to his professional obligation to explain tribal customs to the court. He conducted extensive fieldwork and headed the first post-graduate sociology teaching department at Bombay University. His research papers and monographs gained recognition among anthropologists in India and Britain. Both Ananthakrishna Iyer and Sarat Chandra Roy played essential roles in establishing and promoting the field of Indian sociology.

Q13: Explain the key characteristics of the caste system in India as emphasized by G.S. Ghurye.
Ans: G.S. Ghurye highlighted six key characteristics of the caste system in India:

• Division of society into segments: The caste system divides society into various caste groups, each with its own social status and occupation.
• Hierarchy: The caste system is hierarchical, with some castes enjoying higher social status and privileges than others.
• Limitations on social connections: Caste imposes restrictions on social interactions and relationships between different castes.
• Distinct rights and obligations: Each caste has distinct rights and obligations within the caste system, defining their roles and responsibilities.
• Restricted career options: The caste system significantly limits an individual's career opportunities, as occupation is often determined by birth.
• Limitations on marriage opportunities: Caste restrictions extend to marriage, with rules governing whom individuals can marry based on their caste.

These characteristics help in understanding how the caste system functions in Indian society, shaping social interactions, occupations, and relationships.

Q14: Discuss A.R. Desai's perspective on the emergence of Indian nationalism and his critique of the welfare state concept.
Ans: A.R. Desai believed that Indian nationalism emerged due to the material conditions created by British colonialism in India. The British introduced industrialization, modernization, and new economic relationships, which had a profound impact on Indian society. Desai argued that when customs and economic relationships are intertwined, changes in the latter are inevitable due to changes in the former. He believed that as India underwent industrial growth, economic expansion, and education, traditional customs like the caste system would eventually vanish.
Desai's critique of the welfare state concept was comprehensive. He examined the characteristics of a welfare state, including its aim to provide economic and social security, eliminate income inequality, transform the economy for the community's benefit, promote stable development, and create employment opportunities. However, Desai found that these claims were often exaggerated, even in advanced capitalist systems. He argued that the welfare state idea was somewhat of a myth, as it failed to meet these criteria in practice. Desai's critique challenged conventional views of welfare states and their effectiveness.

Q15: Explain M.N. Srinivas's contributions to Indian sociology, focusing on his approach to village studies.
Ans: M.N. Srinivas made significant contributions to Indian sociology, particularly in the field of village studies. He played a key role in making village studies a primary area of study in Indian sociology and in establishing Indian sociology on the world map. Srinivas regarded the village as a crucial social unit and challenged the notion propagated by British anthropologists that Indian villages were unchanging and self-contained "small republics." He demonstrated that there had been significant changes in villages through historical and social facts.
Srinivas's village studies were based on ethnographic accounts of fieldwork conducted in villages and historical and conceptual discussions about Indian villages as units of social analysis. These studies provided detailed descriptions of rural India and helped policymakers and urban Indians gain insight into rural conditions.
While some sociologists, including Louis Dumont, opposed village studies, Srinivas believed that they were valuable because they highlighted ethnographic research techniques and provided firsthand reports on rapid social changes in rural India during the post-independence period. Village studies contributed to the application of sociology in the context of an independent India.