Ideology And Theory In Indian Sociology

This Is A Collection Of Essays Which Offers Insight Into The Normative And Ideological Underpinnings Of Indian Sociology In The Context Of Its Growth And The Challenges That It Has Encountered In The Realms Of Theory And Methodology. These Issues Have Been Analyzed In The Perspective Of Western Sociology And Its Own Theoretical And Methodological Evolution.

[Amartya] Sen Has Recently Given Us The Argumentative Indian; And Now, In Your Hands, Is [André] Béteille S Equally Compelling Collection Of Essays On Indian Ideas, Themes And Debates. -Ramachandra Guha One Of The Pioneers Of Sociological Studies In India, Professor André Béteille Has, Over The Past Four Decades, Contributed A Series Of Topical And Stimulating Articles To Various Newspapers. Some Of These Articles Were Collected In The Book Chronicles Of Our Time, Published A Few Years Ago. Ideology And Social Science Is A New And Riveting Collection Of Professor Béteille S Writings On Indian Society, Politics And Culture. The Fifty Articles In This Book Cover A Very Wide Range Of Subjects: From The Practice Of Sociology To The Prospects Of Political Liberalism, From Contemporary Debates About Caste And Caste Quotas To Old And Still Persisting Myths About What Is Said To Constitute The Essence Of Indian Culture. Béteille S Ambit Includes The Relevant And Important Themes Of Secularism, Diversity And Unity In Cultures, The Culture Of Tolerance, Discrimination At Work, Value Systems In The Changing Indian Family, And Caste Practices In Village Communities. Steering Clear Of Passing Intellectual Trends As Well As Partisan Politics, Béteille Reaches His Conclusions Based On A Careful Examination Of The Evidence, Not On A Search For Facts That Fit A Preconceived Theory. Through His Writings, He Makes A Cogent And Passionate Appeal To Separate Sociological Theory From The Frameworks Of Social Activism. For Students Of Sociology As Well As The General Reader, This Is A Book That Will Stimulate Thought And Generate Interest In Social And Political Issues That Are At The Core Of India S Modernity And Tradition.

Contributed research papers.

Unlike the West, India presents a fascinating example of a society where the pre-modern continues to co-exist with the modern. Modernity in Indian Social Theory explores the social variance between India and the West to show how it impacted their respective trajectories of modernity. A. Raghuramaraju argues that modernity in the West involved disinheriting the pre-modern, and temporal ordering of the traditional and modern. It was ruthlessly implemented through programmes of industrialization, nationalism, and secularism. This book underscores that India did not merely the Western model of modernity or experience a temporal ordering of society. It situates this sociological complexity in the context of the debates on social theory. The author critically examines various discourses on modernity in India, including Partha Chatterjee’s account of Indian nationalism; Javeed Alam’s reading of Indian secularism; the use of the term pluralism by some Indian social scientists; and Gopal Guru’s emphasis on the lived Dalit experience. He also engages with the readings on key thinkers including Vivekananda, Aurobindo, Gandhi, and Ambedkar.

This book analyzes Talcott Parsons' largest-scale effort to overcome the relativism and subjectivism of the social sciences. Harold J. Bershady sets forth Parsons' version of the characteristics desirable for social knowledge, showing that Parsons deems the relativistic and subjectivistic arguments as powerful challenges to the validity of social knowledge. Bershady maintains that all Parsons' intellectual labors exhibit a deep and abiding concern for social knowledge. From his first major work in the 1930s to his later writings on social evolution, Parsons' theoretical aim has been to provide an unassailable answer to the question, "how is social knowledge possible?"Ideological criticisms of Parsons' work, Bershady argues, not only miss his awareness of ideological influences upon social thought, but also miss the logical and epistemological strands of his thinking. This book sheds light on the persistent importance of the work of a major theoretical sociologist of the twentieth century. It also brings into the open and discusses issues of deepest concern to the philosophy and methodology of all of the social sciences.

One of the pioneers of sociological studies in India, Professor Andre Beteille has, over the past four decades, contributed a series of topical and stimulating articles to various newspapers. Some of these articles were collected in the book Chronicles of Our time, published a few years ago. Ideology and Social Science is a new and riveting collection of Professor Beteille’s writings on Indian society, politics and culture. The fifty articles in this book cover a very wide range of subjects: from the practice of sociology to the prospects of political liberalism, from contemporary debates about caste ad caste quotas to old and still persisting myths about what is said to constitute the essence of Indian culture. Beteille’s ambit includes the relevant and important themes of secularism, diversity and unity in cultures, the culture of tolerance, discrimination at work, value systems in the changing Indian family, and caste practices in village communities. Steering clear of passing intellectual trends as well as partisan politics, Beteille reaches his conclusions based on a careful examination of the evidence, not on a search for facts that fit a preconceived theory. Through his writings, he makes a cogent and passionate appeal to separate sociological theory from the frameworks of social activism. For students of sociology as well as the general reader, this is a book that will stimulate thought and generate interest in social and political issues that are at the core of India’s modernity and tradition.