In Britain, philosophy was dominated by an alternative and more scientific view that knowledge is gained primarily or mainly through the five senses. Direct experience is foundational for obtaining knowledge, and this position is known as empiricism.
During the first half of the 18th century, three great philosophers—Locke, Berkeley and Hume—argued for this approach, thus forming a philosophical movement known as British empiricism.
Science, scientific method and critique.
Major theoretical strands of research methodology.
Positivism and its critique.
Fact value and objectivity.
Non- positivist methodologies.
3. Research Methods and Analysis:
Research Methods and Analysis:
Qualitative and quantitative methods.
Techniques of data collection.
Variables, sampling, hypothesis, reliability and validity.
Notes
2. Sociology as Science:
Science, scientific method and critique.
Major theoretical strands of research methodology.
Positivism and its critique.
Fact value and objectivity.
Research Methods and Analysis:
Qualitative and quantitative methods.
Techniques of data collection.
Variables, sampling, hypothesis, reliability and validity.
Sociology Research Methodology and Methods
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Anu Kumari - 2017 All India Rank 2 explains how to prepare for Sociology
Mainly in Hindi
She did a lot of reading. She is from science background. But did well in Sociology.
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Sociology – Main Syllabus
Paper – I
FUNDAMENTALS OF SOCIOLOGY
1. Sociology - The Discipline
Modernity and social changes in Europe and emergence of sociology.
Scope of the subject and comparison with other social sciences.
Sociology and common sense.
2. Sociology as Science:
Science, scientific method and critique.
Major theoretical strands of research methodology.
Positivism and its critique.
Fact value and objectivity.
Non- positivist methodologies.
Research Methods and Analysis:
Qualitative and quantitative methods.
Techniques of data collection.
Variables, sampling, hypothesis, reliability and validity.
4. Sociological Thinkers:
Karl Marx- Historical materialism, mode of production, alienation, class struggle.
Emile Durkheim- Division of labour, social fact, suicide, religion and society.
Max Weber- Social action, ideal types, authority, bureaucracy, protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism.
Talcolt Parsons- Social system, pattern variables.
Robert K. Merton- Latent and manifest functions, conformity and deviance, reference groups.
Mead - Self and identity.
5. Stratification and Mobility:
Concepts- equality, inequality, hierarchy, exclusion, poverty and deprivation.
Theories of social stratification- Structural functionalist theory, Marxist theory, Weberian theory.
Dimensions – Social stratification of class, status groups, gender, ethnicity and race.
Social mobility- open and closed systems, types of mobility, sources and causes of mobility.
6. Works and Economic Life:
Social organization of work in different types of society- slave society, feudal society, industrial /capitalist society.
Formal and informal organization of work.
Labour and society.
7. Politics and Society:
Sociological theories of power.
Power elite, bureaucracy, pressure groups, and political parties.
Nation, state, citizenship, democracy, civil society, ideology.
Protest, agitation, social movements, collective action, revolution.
8. Religion and Society:
Sociological theories of religion.
Types of religious practices: animism, monism, pluralism, sects, cults.
Religion in modern society: religion and science, secularization, religious revivalism, fundamentalism.
9. Systems of Kinship:
Family, household, marriage.
Types and forms of family.
Lineage and descent.
Patriarchy and sexual division oflabour.
Contemporary trends.
10. Social Change in Modern Society:
Sociological theories of social change.
Development and dependency.
Agents of social change.
Education and social change.
Science, technology and social change.
Paper - II: Sociology Syllabus
1 INDIAN SOCIETY: STRUCTURE AND CHANGE A. Introducing Indian Society:
(i) Perspectives on the study of Indian society:
Indology (GS. Ghurye).
Structural functionalism (M N Srinivas).
Marxist sociology (A R Desai).
(ii) Impact of colonial rule on Indian society :
Social background of Indian nationalism.
Modernization of Indian tradition.
Protests and movements during the colonial period.
Social reforms.
B. Social Structure:
(i) Rural and Agrarian Social Structure:
The idea of Indian village and village studies.
Agrarian social structure - evolution of land tenure system, land reforms.
(ii) Caste System:
Perspectives on the study of caste systems: GS Ghurye, M N Srinivas, Louis Dumont, Andre Beteille.
Features of caste system.
Untouchability - forms and perspectives.
(iii) Tribal communities in India:
Definitional problems.
Geographical spread.
Colonial policies and tribes.
Issues of integration and autonomy.
(iv) Social Classes in India:
Agrarian class structure.
Industrial class structure.
Middle classes in India.
(v) Systems of Kinship in India:
Lineage and descent in India.
Types of kinship systems.
Family and marriage in India.
Household dimensions of the family.
.
(vi) Religion and Society:
Religious communities in India.
Problems of religious minorities.
Patriarchy, entitlements and sexual division of labour
PHILOSOPHY
PAPER-I
History and Problems of Philosophy
1. Plato and Aristotle : Ideas; Substance; Form and Matter; Causation; Actuality and
Potentiality.
2. Rationalism (Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz); Cartesian Method and Certain Knowledge;
Substance; God; Mind-Body Dualism; Determinism and Freedom.
3. Empiricism (Locke, Berkeley, Hume) : Theory of Knowledge; Substance and Qualities; Self
and God; Scepticism.
4. Kant: Possibility of Synthetic a priori Judgments; Space and Time; Categories; Ideas of
Reason; Antinomies; Critique of Proofs for the Existence of God.
5. Hegel : Dialectical Method; Absolute Idealism.
6. Moore, Russell and Early Wittgenstein : Defence of Commonsense; Refutation of Idealism;
Logical Atomism; Logical Constructions; Incomplete Symbols; Picture Theory of Meaning;
Sying and Showing.
7. Logical Positivism : Verification Theory of Meaning; Rejection of Metaphysics; Linguistic
Theory of Necessary Propositions.
8. Later Wittgenstein : Meaning and Use; Language-games; Critique of Private Language.
9. Phenomenology (Husserl): Method; Theory of Essences; Avoidance of Psychologism.
10. Existentialism (Kierkegaard, Sarte, Heidegger): Existence and Essence; Choice,
Responsibility and Authentic Existence; Being-in-the-world and Temporality.
11. Quine and Strawson : Critique of Empiricism; Theory of Basic Particulars and Persons.
12. Carvaka : Theory of Knowlegde; Rejection of Transcendent Entities.
13. Jainism : Theory of Reality; Saptabhanginaya; Bondage and Liberation.
14. Schools of Buddhism : Prat Ityasamutpada; Ksanikavada, Nairatmyavada.
15. Nyaya—Vaiesesika : Theory of Categories; Theory of Appearance; Theory of Pramana; Self,
Liberation; God; Proofs for the Existence of God; Theory of Causation; Atomistic Theory of
Creation.
16. Samkhya; Prakrit; Purusa; Causation; Liberation.
17. Yoga; Citta; Cittavrtti; Klesas; Samadhi; Kaivalya.
18. Mimamsa: Theory of Knowlegde.
19. Schools of Vedanta : Brahman; Isvara; Atman; Jiva; Jagat; Maya; Avida; Adhyasa; Moksa;
Aprthaksiddhi; Pancavidhabheda.
20. Aurobindo: Evolution, Involution; Integral Yoga.
PAPER-II
Socio-Political Philosophy
1. Social and Political ldeals : Equality, Justice, Liberty.
2. Sovereignty : Austin, Bodin, Laski, Kautilya.
3. Individual and State : Rights; Duties and Accountability.
4. Forms of Government : Monarchy; Theocracy and Democracy.
5. Political Ideologies: Anarchism; Marxism and Socialism.
6. Humanism; Secularism; Multi-culturalism.
7. Crime and Punishment : Corruption, Mass Violence, Genocide, Capital Punishment.
8. Development and Social Progress.
9. Gender Discrimination : Female Foeticide, Land and Property Rights; Empowerment.
10. Caste Discrimination : Gandhi and Ambedkar.
Philosophy of Religion
1. Notions of God : Attributes; Relation to Man and the World. (Indian and Western).
2. Proofs for the Existence of God and their Critique (Indian and Western).
3. Problem of Evil.
4. Soul : Immortality; Rebirth and Liberation.
5. Reason, Revelation and Faith.
6. Religious Experience : Nature and Object (Indian and Western).
7. Religion without God.
8. Religion and Morality.
9. Religious Pluralism and the Problem of Absolute Truth.
10. Nature of Religious Language : Analogical and Symbolic; Cognitivist and Non-cognitive.
YouTube Videos on Philosophy - Hindi Videos - Playlist
