Sociology Department

Name of the Department: Sociology
Year of Establishment: 2010
Names of Programme/ Courses: UG
No. of Teaching posts sanctioned: 1
No. of Teaching posts filled: 1

Sociology is the youngest and perhaps most versatile of the social sciences. The Department of Sociology at Jawahar Lal Nehru Govt. College was established in 2010. The undergraduate major in Sociology provides students with theoretical and methodological tools, and substantive insights for understanding human social life and institutions. The major is designed to offer its students training in critical thinking, analytical problem solving and reasoned judgment as well as broad knowledge of human relations and social systems, providing useful tools for variety of careers. The curriculum and requirements are flexible enough to permit students to tailor their program to fit individual needs and interests. The undergraduate Sociology program includes opportunities to put sociological ideas into practice through research by means of independent studies. It also trains students to grasp the social structures, understand the social processes, map the dynamics of social change and make sense of individual and collective experiences in their proper social context. The department places emphasis on integrated learning based on classroom lectures, interactive tutorials, use of audio-visual material, seminars, extension lectures and internal assessment. We work with a five-point pedagogic philosophy: rigor of learning, engaged learning, learning in groups, democratization of knowledge, and egalitarian ethos.

Course Offered:

The Department of Sociology at JLN Govt. College Haripur offers 3 years BA (Program) in Sociology under Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) is as under:

Course Structure B.A with Sociology
(U.G Yearly Programme w.e.f.2018) Year

BA SOCIOLOGY

Program Objectives:

Sociology is the study of social groups, institutional structures and social interactions among individuals and social groups. More specifically, sociologists examine the cultural, ideological, economic and political contexts of human actions including the processes whereby social institutions are created, maintained, and transformed. It deals with the systems of beliefs and values, the patterns to which social relations conform and the processes whereby social institutions are built. Developing an understanding of these aspects of the sociological tradition, the interrelationship between social order and social change is one of the major objectives of the program. Another aim is the development of an appreciation for a disciplined inquiry, observation and research analysis of the social phenomena. It also focuses to understand the theoretical approaches, the nature of sociological research methods and major expressions of scientific research within sociology. The students will also be able to apply sociological perspective and sociological concepts and principles to substantive areas (like social inequality, political sociology, economic sociology, comparative sociology etc.) addressed by sociologists.

Program Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the B. A. Sociology Program, students will have the knowledge, skills and competence to:

• Demonstrate critical thinking by analyzing and evaluating social, political and cultural arguments across different issues and variety of areas such as inequality, social problems, race, class and gender.
• Exhibit sociological understanding of social phenomena.
• Formulate and communicate effective and convincing written and oral arguments.
• To use the major classical and contemporary perspectives in social theory in an articulate manner.
• To differentiate between methods and methodology and appropriately use them in sociological inquiries.
• Practice sociology as educated and civically engaged persons.
• Ability to understand and apply the tools of analysis and methods of sociology and their applicability to work and involvement in their community.

First year BA I

Core Course   DSC IA
Course Code   SOCL A101
Course Name   Introduction to Sociology

Objectives:

• This introductory paper is aimed to acquaint the students with sociology as a social science and the distinctiveness of its approach among the social sciences.
• To introduce the students with basic concepts like society, social processes and social institutions.
• To train students to understand and to interpret objectively role of social processes and social institutions in their lives.
• To familiarize the students with sociological concepts

Outcomes:

• Students will be able to understand the meaning, relevance and historical development of sociology.
• They will be able to correlate and differentiate sociology with other social sciences.
• They will be able to define, understand and explain the sociological concepts of the society.

Core Course   DSC 2A
Course Code   SOCL A102
Course Name   Society in India

Objectives:

• The course aims to present a comprehensive, integrated and empirically based profile of Indian Society.
• To build a better understanding of the basic institutions of Indian Society such as caste, class, kinship, marriage, religion etc.
• To indulge students to understand cultural ethnic diversities in respect of languages, religious beliefs, cultural patterns, caste etc.

Outcomes:

• Through this course students will enable themselves to gain a better understanding of their situation and region.
• Students will develop diverse knowledge of the structure and composition of Indian Society like villages, towns, tribes, dalits, women and population related issues.
• Students will also learn about the changing institutions, the processes, the agents and the interventions that bring about change in the Indian society.

Second Year BA II

Core Course   DSC 1C
Course Code   SOCL 1 201
Course Name   Sociological Theories

Objectives:

• To equip the students with theoretical insights and understand the issues related to development of sociology as a science.
• To analyze and interpret the social scenario around them and also familiarize them with the different sociological perspectives and theories.
• To use fundamental categories of theory to assess some of the most influential contributions to the sociological canon.

Outcomes:

• Students will be able to recognize how society came into existence and how it (avoids) disintegration.
• They can identify and explain the significance of the central concepts and arguments in sociological theory.
• They can identify the key source of social conflict and how social conflict is resolves or contained.
• Students also can utilize various sociological theories to predict society’s future.

Core Course   DSC 2 C
Course Code   SOCL A 202
Course Name   Methods of Sociological Enquiry

Objectives:

• The course is a general introduction to the methodologies of sociological research methods. It will provide students with some elementary knowledge of the complexities and philosophical underpinnings of research.
• It emphasizes the relevance of research methods for everyday lives of the students.

Outcomes:

• The course also aims to provide training in choosing methods, materials, scientific tools and technique to apply them to a problem.
• They will also be able to acknowledge how theory and research are inseparable from each other.
• The students will be able to understand the objective behind conducting social research and various ways to conduct social research.

Skill Enhancement Course   SEC 01
Course Code   SOCL A203
Course Name   Techniques of Social Research

Objectives:

• This course is intended to enhance the skills of students to understand and use techniques employed by social scientists to investigate social phenomena.
• The course also helps students to formulate research design, develop data collection tools and techniques and also learn to analyze huge data.

Outcomes:

• Students will be able to grab a hold on the basic steps involved in social research and types of social research along with their applicability.
• They will develop an insight into the need and types of research design and develop skills to attain objectivity in research.

Skill Enhancement Course   SEC 02
Course Code   SOCL A204
Course Name   Sociology of Environment

Objectives:

• The course aims to provide knowledge of sociological basis of environment and society interface.
• It also seeks to impart sociological skills in environmental concerns in order to understand the human suffering and depletion of environment resourced.
• The course also aims at providing knowledge of the debate on environmental and development with a focus environmental justice, policy and action.
• The course also aims to focus on the environmental issues in the perceptive of environmental sociology.

Outcomes:

• Students will be able to analyses the implications of environmental change for people, communities, flora and wildlife.
• Also understand the challenges presented by pollutions, garbage, tonic hazardous etc. and use sociological imagination to analyses the complex relationship between humans and environment.
• Also to identify the possible strategies to solve environmental problems and participate as an active citizen in their societies and communities, demonstrating respect for diversity, critical thinking and collaboration in problem solving.
• Assess the effects of human behavior on natural and social worlds and locate themselves within social structures and cultures to reflect on their impacts on society and environment.

THIRD YEAR BA III

Core Course   DSE 1A (Option 1)
Course Code   SOCL - A 303
Course Name   Religion and Society

Objective:

• To provide understanding of religion in sociological behavior.
• It acknowledges the students with the diverse forms of religion like Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism existing in India and provides an understanding how religions play an important role in Indian society.
• It acquaints the students with terms secularism and communalism.

Outcomes:

• The students will be to generate an insight about sociology of religion its meaning, scope and the various functions of religion.
• They will be able to understand and differentiate the social structure, institutions and rituals related to the various religions existing in the Indian society.
• They will be able to understand the meaning, characteristics and factors of both secularism and communalism.

Core Course   DSE 1A (Option 2)
Course Code   SOCL - A 304
Course Name   Marriage, Family and Kinship

Objectives:

• To provide an opportunity to the students to learn and critically appreciate the applications of sociological perspective to study concepts, issues and problems solving around the institution of marriage family and kinship.
• The course also aims to explain the concepts of social institutions, to provide an understanding of the role of social institutions in the organization and existence of society and reveal the functional relational ship between individual and the social institutions.
• The course also includes study of changes and emerging trends in marriage and family forms and those in definitions of kinship owing to developments like coming in of new reproductive technologies, globalization etc.

Outcomes:

• Students will understand how structural principles are used by societies to organize groups and categories and attach cultural meanings so that the societal objectives of social integration, social reproduction and social continuity are maintained.
• They will also understand different aspects of these three interrelated institutions in the Indian context.
• Students will aloes be able to recognize patterns of family and marriage and also explain why these patterns represent rational decisions within the cultural contexts.

Core Course   DSE 2A
(Option 1) Course Code   SOCL – A 305
Course Name   Social Stratification

Objectives:

• 1. To help student understand various dimensions of social stratification and to be able to identify the factors involved in economic inequality including income, wealth and poverty.
• To be able to elaborate on relationship between social stratification and social mobility.
• To also classify the social stratification theories and define their basic features.

Outcomes:

• Students’ will be able to analyze the social mobility and social class relations in modern industrial and/or post-industrial societies.
• They will be able to identify stratification systems of different historical eras and also develop a theoretical and methodological framework for analyzing social inequalities.

Core Course   DSE 2A (Option 2)
Course Code   SOCL – A 306
Course Name   Gender and Sexuality

Objective:

• The student can conceptualize what is ‘Gender’ and what is ‘sex’ and draw a line of distinction between the two.
• They will be able to trace out the evolution and institutionalization of the institution of “patriarchy”.
• Students will also get to know the theories of Feminism that brought women issues and demands to the forefront.
• Also assess the initiative undertaken for gender development with the paradigm shift from time to time.

Outcomes

• The paper is expected to generate ideas and sensitivity about gender in a student which he/she can put into practice in daily life. This will lead to change the prevalent biases and gender practices and create a gender neutral social world where both men and women can enjoy their basic rights.
• The students will be able to describe how the effects of gender, sexuality, race, class and nation intersect in the construction of identity and institutional formations.
• They will also understand and evaluate major theories and texts central to Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.

Skill Enhancement Course   SEC – 03
Course Code   SOCL A 301
Course Name   Social Demography

Objectives:

• The course focuses on understanding the social demographic variables like fertility, mortality, morbidity and migration.
• Understand various facets of population studies and theories that depict population change.
• Develop specific idea on Indian population structure, policies adopted and programmes launched.

Outcomes:

• The students will acknowledge the scope and importance of social demography.
• They will also get acquainted with a perennial problem of the Indian society that is population growth and the measures introduced to control it.
• They will also be able to assess the role of various agencies in population control.

Skill Enhancement Course   SEC 04
Course Code   SOCL A 302
Course Name   Theory and Practice of Development

Objectives:

• The course aims to familiarize the students with development theoryfrom 80s onwards and equip them with some of the methodology in development practices adopted since then.
• To introduce the students with recent trends of development at global and national level.
• The course will also provide some elementary knowledge about PPP (Public Private Partnership) model and Panchayati raj system also their contribution towards economic and social development of the nation.

Outcomes:

• The students will be able to understand the historical development of sociology.
• Along with understanding recent trends of development of society they will also be able to grasp a good hold on the post-developmental theories.
• Also the students will understand the importance of sustainable development.

Generic Elective   GE I
Course Code   SOCL A 307
Course Name   Polity and Society in India

Objectives:

• To be able to comprehend the existing forms of states and their relative merits and demerits.
• To get to know about the political processes, participation types and determinants and the political institutions.
• To acquaint the students with the nature and functioning of political system(s) and the political processes.
• To generate in the minds of students an awareness of their status and role as citizens of the state and also to make them aware of the prerequisites of sound democratic political system and its vulnerability.

Outcomes:

• The students will be able to generate an insight about the political institutions, political processes, political culture he/she encounters in his/her daily life as a member of the society.
• They will understand and also differentiate between Power, Authority and Influence which guide and govern the political processes.
• They will acquire an understanding of recent social and political science explanations of political processes and events.

Generic Elective   GE II
Course Code   SOCL A 308
Course Name   Economy and Society

Objectives:

• The course introduces the students with various ways in which economy and society are embedded with each other.
• Students will have an overview of the historical developments between economy and society.
• Students will understand the relationship between economic activity, society and changes in the institutions that contextualize and condition economic activity.

Outcomes:

• The students will be able to analyze economic phenomena such as markets, corporations, property rights and work using the tools of Sociology.
• They will also develop the background knowledge about the diverse ways in which economy is interlinked with other aspects of society and culture.
• Students will also learn socio-cultural bases of various dimensions of economy such as production, distribution, exchange, consumption and markets while also emphasizing the impact of norms, social structure and social institutions on economy.