SOCIOLOGY

CHAPTER 1:
The study of our past has been broadly divided into three periods :

1. Ancient and Medieval India

2. Colonial period
3. Post-Independence period.

Religious beliefs and practices:

→ The impact of three ancient indigenous religions: Hinduism, Jainism and

Buddhism are significant especially up to the end of the Later Vedic period.

→ The Vedic period is usually divided into: Early Vedic Period (c. 100 BCE to
10000 BCE) and Later Vedic Period (c.1000 BCE to c.500 BCE).

→ For Hindus, the Puranas and Dharmashastras laid out a Code of Conduct
based on the Law of Karma (Action) rebirth, until it can attain moksha
(salvation).

→ Jainism is said to have been revealed by 24 Tirthankaras of which

Vardhaman Mahavir was the last. Ahimsa (non-harming) and Tapas
(penance) are important and integral components of the Jain way of life.

→ Buddha, with his teachings, advocated the middle path based on the
Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.

→ The Medieval Period (c. 650 CE – c. 1500 CE), saw several religions come
to India from outside. These include Judaism, Christianity, Islam and much
later Zoroastrianism.
→ The Sangham Period (6th century BCE to 3rd century CE) is the period of
history of ancient peninsular India.

→ The roots of Zoroastrianism are found in the Middle East region.

→ People of Jewish faith are believed to be one of the early foreign

religions to come to India.

→ It is in the 1st century CE that Saint Thomas, an Apostle of Jesus Christ,

brought Christianity to the shores of Malabar in South India.

→ Islam first came to India in the 8th century CE, the impact and influence
of the religion is seen only much later.

→ Like Judaism and Christianity, Islam also preaches Monotheism and the
faith centres on the Holy Quran. Muslims believe in the Five Pillars of Faith.

→ Sikhism emerged in the late 15th century CE and was founded by Guru
Nanak (1469 CE – 1539 CE). Like Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism, Sikhism
too preached the Karma theory.

→ The Bhakti movement emerged with the need to bring religious reform
in Hinduism during the medieval period.

Status of Women in Education:

 Indian women enjoyed a comparatively high status during the early

Vedic period.
 The Later Vedic period witnessed a decline in the status of women in
society.
 The status of women deteriorated even further in Medieval India.

Nature of education:

→ During the Early Vedic period the content of education was based on
sacred literature which was written in Sanskrit.

→ Vardhaman Mahavir was a religious teacher for three decades.

→ The Buddhist system of education was conducted through Buddhist
monasteries.

→ Education in the Sangham period was a widespread social activity.

→ The decline of Buddhist Viharas is significant as it marked the decline of

an organised system of education.

→ Education during the medieval period is centred on the Quran.

Social Life:

→ Harappan civilisation was known for its well-planned towns.

→ Sangham. literature makes reference to tribes and traditional castes. This

is indicative of their coexistence.

→ The Varna System during Vedic period referred to the social order or
class of people. Ashramvyavastha was prescribed for the so-called twice-
born castes.

→ This referred to the four stages in the life of a Hindu. The Classical Period
(i.e., the period of the Gupta Dynasty) believed to be the ‘Golden Age.
During the Delhi Sultanate, society experienced a synthesis of Indian and
Islamic culture.

Urbanisation:

→ The Harappan civilisation suggest that Harappa was indeed a well-

planned town with a ‘way of life’ that can be referred to as ‘first
urbanisation’.

→ The period c.500 BCE to c.200 BCE is considered the period of ‘second
urbanisation’ which brought a large-scale beginning of town life in the
middle Gangetic basin.
Colonial Period:

Consequences of Colonialism in India:

→ Education: The British set up a system of education which was secular in

nature, had far-reaching impact on Indian society and which led to the rise
of a new class of intelligentsia,

→ Culture: Many of the educated elite took to the lifestyle of the British, this
process of imitation was referred by M.N. Srinivasan as westernisation.

→ Administration: The British set in new systems of administration. A new

judiciary system was created, which took into consideration the earlier legal
traditions of the Indian communities. However, its implementation was
carried out on a secular basis.

→ Economy: The economic system got transformed by industrial growth

and urbanisation.

→ Transport and Communication: Development of transportation and

communication led to an increase in market outlets for Indian raw
materials.

→ The Nationalist Movement: The 19th century saw the emergence of the
Indian National Congress and Mahatma Gandhi as the key figure in the call
for independence.

→ Social Reform Movements: The 19th century is witness to the emergence

of many social and religious reform movements.
→ Social Legislation: The increase in the number of reformative groups
enabled Indians to exert pressure upon the British government, For passing
laws against prevalent social evils.

Post-Independent Period:

→ Constitution of India: The Constitution of India was framed by the

Constituent Assembly, founded on 6th December 1946 which recognises
various diversity of Indian society.

→ Legislation: Several laws related to civil and criminal matters have been
enacted, which may be amended or repealed from time to time.

→ Economy: The economic growth of India until recently was guided by

Planned Development, through twelve Five-Year Plan.

→ Education: There has been significant expansion of number of

educational institutions.

→ Polity: In Post-Independent India, a system of governance based on the

principle of democracy has been adopted by us.
CHAPTER 2:

Tribal Community

→ The tribal segment constitutes 8.6% of the different identity and are
referred to by various names.

→ The Constitution of India calls them Scheduled Tribes.

→ Each tribe has its distinct identity (e.g., Warli, Mizo, Toda, Bhil, Jarawa.
Gond, Santhal, Munda, Andamanese)

→ Tribes are found in various parts of India. They have their unique
characteristics and their culture has set them apart from others.

→ However, due to contact with rural and urban people, tribal people have
undergone many changes and this has impacted their way of life. There is
cultural disintegration taking place in tribal areas.

→ After Independence, the Government of India has taken various efforts

for Tribal Development.
 Tribal Religion Term introduced by
Animism Edward Tylor
Animatism Robert Marett
Totemism James Frazer
Manaism Robert Marett
Naturism Max Mueller

Rural Community:

→ Most of India lives in its villages. Villages constitute the rural segment
their predominant economic activity is agriculture. Institutions such as joint
family, caste and panchayat are considered the pillars of rural society.

→ There are a large number of villages which suffer from major problems.
Problems of Indian rural community:

→ Several programmes have been started for rural development and

reconstruction.

Urban Community:

→ Urban areas are distinct when compared to tribal and rural segments of
Indian society. This is due to tertiary occupations like business, trade
commerce, professions etc. urban areas are more heterogeneous,
impersonal and individualistic

→ Urban areas have their own set of problems from inadequate

infrastructure to meeting growing demands, crime, poverty, class extremes,
alienation, environmental pollution, diseases etc.
Major Urban Problems:

→ The government has taken up various programmes for urban

development. Several steps have been initiated to meet the challenges
posed by the urban crisis.

CHAPTER 3:

→ India is a land of diversities and yet there is a sense of we-feeling that

unifies us, as a people.

Diversities are of various kinds:

Diversity in India:
Layered Regional Identities:

Factors that have contributed towards a sense of unity:

→ Geographical Unity- Sharing of the natural resources which cut across

the length and breadth of India, festivals gives the people a sense of
oneness.

→ Religious Unity- Religious unity in India finds its expression through

places of worship scattered all over the country.

→ Political Unity- The Constitution of India has established the “rule of law”
throughout the country.

Linguistic Unity:

The Three Language Formula

1. 1st language: Regional Language or Mother Tongue.

2. 2nd language: English or Modern Indian Language (in Hindi speaking
States) Hindi or English (in non-Hindi speaking States)
 3. 3rd language: English or modern Indian language in Hindi speaking
states

→ Cultural Unity- Festivals like Diwali, Onam, Eid, Raksha Bandhan, New
Year, Christmas are remembered and celebrated all over the country.

Need for unity:

→ To strengthen and enrich our cultural Heritage

→ To protect the multiple diversities of Indian society

→ To protect Human Rights of all citizens.

→ To boost workplace, organizational and community morale.

→ For effective and inclusive Communication

→ For conflict resolution

→ For peaceful coexistence

→ For the welfare of all people irrespective of caste, creed, sex, gender,
race, economic class, culture etc.

→ For prosperity of our land and its People.

Forces that threaten national unity as well as national integration:

→ Casteism: Casteism refers to loyalty to one’s own caste before loyalty to

the nation.

→ Communalism: Communalism refers to loyalty to one’s own religion

before the nation.
→ Regionalism: Regionalism refers to loyalty to one’s own State or region
before one’s nation.

→ Linguism: It is a form of excess loyalty towards one’s own language.

→ Economic inequality: unequal distribution of wealth.

→ The need of the hour is to develop an empathetic understanding of our

multiple diversities and work towards strengthening the overall sense of
national unity and emotional integration.

→ Some policies must promote social cohesion and interdependence. So

also, rights and responsibilities are for all.

CHAPTER 4:
→ Indian society has undergone many changes. Sociologists
have studied these changes and identified concepts to
explain these changes.
→ The term social change refers to changes that takes place
in the structure and functioning of social institutions.
Impact of processes of social change:
→ Industrialisation is a process whereby human energy to
produce was replaced by mechanical process and machines
to enable higher production.

→ Urbanisation is the process of migration of people from

rural to urban areas.
→ Modernisation is the process where there is the use of
scientific and rational thinking that is deep-seated.

→ Globalisation is basically an economic process that has

opened the markets to a global economy.
→ Digitalisation is a process of the impact of computers on
various aspects of life.

CHAPTER 5:
→ Social movements are used to denote a wide variety of
collective actions which attempt to bring about a change in a
certain social systems or to create a new order or resist
change.
→ The Women’s Movement began in the British era where
many social reformers fought against unwanted and
outdated customs. Through women’s movement, women
have become aware of their rights and they have stood
together to improve their position in the society.
→ The Workers’ Movement in India date backs to period of
industrialization in the Indian society Exploitation of the
workers where they faced various problems like long working
hours, low wages, poor working conditions, lack of
promotions, etc.
→ Which further saw formation of trade unions where
workers came together and fought for their rights. This unit
we will see role of trade unions in improving the worker s
working conditions and resolve industrial disputes.
→ The Farmers’ Movements focuses on the lives of farmers,
their livelihoods, land rights and farmers’ issues.
→ The Environment Movement has come up with various
issues like global warming’s, ecology, save forest life,
deforestation, tribal rights, preserve and protect
environment.

Social Movements:
→ Meaning: Social movement is a collective effort by group
of people with a common objective to promote or resist
change in the society
→ Features: Collective action, Ideologies and objectives, Pre-
planned leadership, Social change
→ Factors: Cultural drift, Social disorganisation, Perceived
social injustice, Normative structures.
Types of Social Movements:

Women’s Movement India:

Worker’s Movement:

Farmers Movement:

→ Exploitation of Zamindar’s, moneylenders, exorbitant

rates of land revenue all these led to growth of peasant
movements in the absence of proper leaderships.
→ Emergence of Peasant Organization (Kisan Sabha
Movement), worsening of peasant position, culminating into
a series of revolts.
→ Emergence of strong farmers’ organisation,
industrialisation and Globalisation leading to agrarian crisis,
and Farmers’ Strike.

Environmental Movement:
Emergence of the Environmental Movements in India:
→ Environmental Movement in India:
Modern environmentalism – 1960s. Awareness about
environmental degradation and organisation of many
activities.
→ Causal Issues:
Modern science and technology and inequalities in society
reasons for environmental degradation.
→ Significant Environmental Movements in India:
It encompasses issues related to ecology, health, human
rights, tribal rights, eco-feminism etc.
Chipko Movement:
Sundarlal Bahuguna -Chamoli district in the Himalayan
rëgion, protest of the inhabitants by hugging the trees to
save the forest from the contractors.
Narmada Bachao Aandolan:
Medha Patkar – Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
Against the construction of Sardar Sarovar Damon the river
Narmada and, against displacement of local inhabitants.
Abbreviations:
→ AITUC – All India Trade Union Congress
→ AIWC – All India Women’s Conference
→ BKU – Bharatiya Kisan Union
→ HMS – Hind Mazdoor Sabha
→ INTUC – Indian National Trade Union Congress
→ ILP – Independent Labour Party
→ NBA – Narmada Bachao Andolan
→ SEWA – Self Employed Women’s Association.
→ CTUO – Central Trade Union Organisation
→ BKD – Bharatiya Kranti Dal
→ BLD – Bharatiya Lok Dal
→ BMS – Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh
→ UTUC – United Trade Union Congress
→ CITU – Centre of Indian Trade Union.

CHAPTER 6:
→ A social problem is a condition affecting a significant
number of people in ways considered undesirable, about
which it is felt that something can be done through collective
social action.
→ Individual problem is a problem experienced by an
individual and it is the individual who must make an effort to
solve one’s problem.
→ A social problem is different than an individual problem.
→ Unemployment is a growing problem in Indian society.
According to NSSO, an unemployed person is one who puts in
less than 14 hours of paid work in a week.

→ The past decade has witnessed an increasing number of

farmers’ suicides. Farmers’ suicides are a serious social
problem in India.

→ Domestic violence refers to abuse within the family.

Domestic violence cuts across all classes, age categories,
sexes and genders.

→ The term ‘addiction’ is usually used to refer to a situation

of psychological and/or physical dependence on alcohol,
correct to, internet or mobiles.