Irrespective of your educational background – whether you’ve done your graduation in science, arts or commerce – and your life’s circumstances, please read these books (or study materials) extensively.
- Introducing Sociology (NCERT Class- XI)
- Understanding Society (NCERT Class -XI)
- What Is Sociology? – Alex Inkeles
- Contemporary Sociology – M. Francis Abraham
- IGNOU BA – ESO 13 & 14
- IGNOU MA – MSO 002
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.
- What Is Sociology? – Alex Inkeles (Chapters 1 and 2)
- Sociology – T B Bottomore (Chapters 1 and 4)
- Sociology – Harry M. Johnson
- Sociology – Anthony Giddens (Chapter 1)
- Sociology – Haralambos and Holborn (Introduction)
- Sociological Theory – George Ritzer (Chapter 1)
- Sociological Thought – Francis Abraham and John Henry Morgan
- IGNOU – BA – Sociology – Study Materials (Relevant Units)
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.
- Sociology – Anthony Giddens (Chapter 1 and 2)
- What Is Sociology? – Alex Inkeles (Chapters 3 and 7)
- IGNOU – BA – Sociology – Study Materials (Relevant Units)
3. Research Methods and Analysis:
Qualitative and quantitative methods.
Techniques of data collection.
Variables, sampling, hypothesis, reliability and validity.
- Research Methodology – C R Kothari
- Methodology and Techniques of Social Research – Bhandarkar and Wilkinson
- Methods in Social Research – William J. Goode and Paul K. Hatt
- Scientific Social Surveys and Research – Pauline V. Young
- Sociology – Anthony Giddens (Chapter – 14)
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.
Talcott Parsons – Social system, pattern variables.
Robert K. Merton – Latent and manifest functions, conformity and deviance, reference groups.
Mead – Self and identity.
- Sociological Theory – George Ritzer (Chapters 2, 3, 4, 7 and 10)
- Modern Sociological Theory – M. Francis Abraham
- Contemporary Sociology – M. Francis Abraham
- Sociological Thought – Francis Abraham and John Henry Morgan
- Masters of Sociological Thought – Lewis A. Coser
- Sociology – Anthony Giddens (Chapter 3)
- Sociology – Haralambos and Holborn (Chapter 15)
- IGNOU – BA – Sociology – Study Materials (Relevant Units)
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.
- What Is Sociology? – Alex Inkeles (Chapter 6)
- Social Stratification – Melvin Tumin
- Sociology – Anthony Giddens (Chapter 12)
- Sociology – Haralambos and Holborn (Chapter 1)
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.
- Sociology – Anthony Giddens (Chapter – 7)
- IGNOU – BA – Sociology – Study Materials (Relevant Units)
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.
- Sociology – T B Bottomore (Chapter 9)
- Sociology – Anthony Giddens (Chapter 9)
- IGNOU – BA – Sociology – Study Materials (Relevant Units)
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.
- Sociology – T B Bottomore (Chapters 13)
- Sociology of Religion – Thomas F. O’Dea
- Sociology – Anthony Giddens (Chapter 17)
9. Systems of Kinship:
Family, household, marriage.
Types and forms of family.
Lineage and descent.
Patriarchy and sexual division of labour.
Contemporary trends.
- Sociology – Anthony Giddens (Chapters 10 and 15)
- The Family – W. Goode
- Sociology – T B Bottomore (Chapter 10)
- IGNOU – BA – Sociology – Study Materials (Relevant Units)
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.
- Sociology – T B Bottomore (Chapters 15, 16, 17)
- Social Change – Wilbert E Moore
- Sociology – Anthony Giddens (Chapter 4)
- IGNOU – BA – Sociology – Study Materials (Relevant Units)