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Paper - 1 : Sociology Optional Notes (UPSC)
Fundamentals of Sociology
πSociology: The Discipline
π Modernity and social changes in Europe and emergence of sociology.
π Scope of the subject and comparison with other social sciences.
π Sociology and common sense.
πSociology As Science
π Science, scientific method and critique.
π Major theoretical strands of research methodology.
π Positivism and its critique.
π Fact value and objectivity.
π Non- positivist methodologies.
πResearch Methods And Analysis:
π Qualitative and quantitative methods.
π Techniques of data collection.
- Questionnaire
- Interview
- Observation
- Case study
π Variables, sampling, hypothesis, reliability and validity.
πSociological Thinkers:
π Karl Marx - Historical materialism, mode of production, alienation, class ββ struggle.
π Emile Durkheim- Division of labour, social fact, suicide, religion and society.
π Max Weber- Social action, ideal types, authority, bureaucracy, protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism..
π Talcolt Parsons- Social system, pattern variables.
π Robert K. Merton- Latent and manifest functions, conformity and deviance, reference groups.
π Mead - Self and identity.
πStratification And Mobility:
π Concepts- equality, inequality, hierarchy, exclusion, poverty and deprivation.
π Theories of social stratification- Structural functionalist theory, Marxist theory, Weberian theory.
π Dimensions β Social stratification of class, status groups, gender, ethnicity and race.
π Social mobility- open and closed systems, types of mobility, sources and causes of mobility.
πWorks And Economic Life:
π Social organization of work in different types of society- slave society, feudal society, industrial /capitalist society.
π Formal and informal organization of work.
π Labour and society.
πPolitics And Society:
π Sociological theories of power.
π Power elite, bureaucracy, pressure groups, and political parties.
π Nation, state, citizenship, democracy, civil society, ideology.
π Protest, agitation, social movements, collective action, revolution.
πReligion And Society:
π Sociological theories of religion.
π Types of religious practices: animism, monism, pluralism, sects, cults.
π Religion in modern society: religion and science, secularization, religious revivalism, fundamentalism.
πSystems Of Kinship:
π Family, household, marriage.
π Types and forms of family.
π Lineage and descent.
Patriarchy and sexual division of labour.
π Contemporary trends.
πSocial Change In Modern Society:
π Sociological theories of social change..
π Development and dependency.
π Agents of social change.
π Education and social change.
π Science, technology and social change.
Paper - 2 : Sociology Optional Notes (UPSC)
Unit - 1 : Introducing Indian Society
πPerspectives on the study of Indian society:
π Indology (GS. Ghurye).
π Structural functionalism (M N Srinivas).
π Marxist sociology (A R Desai).
πImpact of colonial rule on Indian society:
π Social background of Indian nationalism.
π Modernization of Indian tradition.
π Protests and movements during the colonial period.
π Social reforms.
Unit - 2 : Social Structure
πRural and Agrarian Social Structure:
π The idea of Indian village and village studies.
π Agrarian social structure - evolution of land tenure system, land reforms.
πSocial Classes in India:
π Agrarian class structure.
π Industrial class structure.
π Middle classes in India.
πCaste System:
π Perspectives on the study of caste systems: GS Ghurye, M N Srinivas, Louis Dumont, Andre Beteille.
π Features of caste system.
π Untouchability - forms and perspectives.
πSystems of Kinship in India:
π Lineage and descent in India.
π Types of kinship systems.
π Family and marriage in India.
π Household dimensions of the family.
π Patriarchy, entitlements and sexual division of labour.
πTribal communities in India
π Definitional problems.
π Geographical spread.
π Colonial policies and tribes.
π Issues of integration and autonomy.
πReligion and Society:
π Religious communities in India.
π Problems of religious minorities.
π Patriarchy, entitlements and sexual division of labour.
Unit - 3 : Social Changes In India
πVisions of Social Change in India
π Idea of development planning and mixed economy.
π Constitution, law and social change.
π Education and social change.
πPolitics and Society
π Nation, democracy and citizenship.
π Political parties, pressure groups , social and political elite.
π Regionalism and decentralization of power.
π Secularization.
πRural and Agrarian transformation in India
π Programmes of rural development, Community Development Programme, cooperatives,poverty alleviation schemes.
π Green revolution and social change.
π Changing modes of production in Indian agriculture.
π Problems of rural labour, bondage, migration.
πSocial Movements in Modern India
π Peasants and farmers movements.
π Womenβs movement.
π Backward classes & Dalit movement.
π Environmental movements.
π Ethnicity and Identity movements.
πIndustrialization and Urbanisation in India
π Evolution of modern industry in India.
π Growth of urban settlements in India.
π Working class: structure, growth, class mobilization.
π Informal sector, child labour.
π Slums and deprivation in urban areas.
πPopulation Dynamics:
π Population size, growth, composition and distribution.
π Components of population growth: birth, death, migration.
π Population policy and family planning.
π Emerging issues: ageing, sex ratios, child and infant mortality, reproductive health.
πChallenges of Social Transformation
π Crisis of development: displacement, environmental problems and sustainability.
π Poverty, deprivation and inequalities.
π Violence against women.
π Caste conflicts.
π Ethnic conflicts, communalism, religious revivalism.
π Illiteracy and disparities in education.

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