CONTEXTUALIZATION OF INDIAN SOCIOLOGY

 

CONTEXTUALIZATION OF INDIAN SOCIOLOGY

 

Within the context of history, colonialism and its impact on the intellectual and cultural traditions in India, of which sociology and other social sciences are at a certain level of manifestations, provides an important historical backdrop for its theoretic, ideological and professional evaluation.

Sociology in India has been about a century old now. In the beginning for about six decades sociologists   

Major theoretical orientations in Indian society have shown varying degrees of ups and downs during the last century. The analysis is not possible without a framework of sociology of knowledge within the context of history have been working under the influence of Western theories and methods.

Undoubtedly most of them tried to evolve some approach to the study Indian society and culture. T.K. Oommen (1974) said that in the past six decades the context of sociology has been to study order and change and may be direction of change. He raised several questions concerning:

ü  appropriate units of analysis for sociological investigations in India.

ü  techniques of data collection

ü  theoretical propositions relevant for India

ü  attention has been given to understand the historicity of Indian social reality, colonialism etc.

Radhakamal Mukherjee, B.N. Seal and B.K. Sarkar continuously refuted the efforts of Western scholars. Seal had opinion that Institutions could only be compared when they were historically co-existed and parallel. According to Radhakamal Mukherjee Indian social institutions are unique and should be studied in Indian context.

Therefore, the study of any society should be done in the particular context of that society. Ideology, theory and method are related to the context. Without the context there is no relevance of any ideology, theory and method.

The Indian sociology, as an emergent discipline came as a borrowed concept during colonial period in India. During colonial period and post colonial period Indian sociology has been significantly influenced and patterned on Western paradigm. Almost all sociologists in India have used the theoretical paradigm of Durkheim, Weber, Marx and Parsons.

Based on Western paradigms according to Yogendra singh (1993), Indian sociologists have adopted four theoretical orientations:

1                    Philosophical

2                    Culturological

3                    Structural

4                    Dialectical-Historical

In an essay on Ideology, theory and method in Indian sociology by Yogendra Singh (1993), he covers a period of about a quarter century from 1952 to 1977 regarding the development of method, theories and orientation towards society’s explanations.

1                    1952-1960:            a period of adaptive changes and innovations

2                    1960-1965:            a period of significant shifts in theoretic priorities and beginning of some critical tensions in theory and ideology of Indian Sociology

3                    1965-1970:            a period of marked sociological self-awareness and growth of new directions in theoretical and substantive contributions

4                    1970-1977:            a period of new maturity and new horizons of knowledge

These four periods corresponds with four theoretical developments in Indian sociology.    

1                  The Philosophical orientation in Indian Sociology is associated with the contribution of Radhakamal Mukherjee, D.P. Mukherjee and A.K. Saran. This orientation has not made significant impact o the theoretical nature of the Indian sociology. According to Singh (1983) it is interesting to note that despite the profoundness of scholarship of these scholars, the impact is minimal.

2                  The Culturological orientation begins with the work of M.N. Srinivas, Religion and Society among the Coorgs of South India. Brahmanization, Sanskritization and Westernization were major concepts derived from this study. Sanskritization characterized a change within the framework of Indian Tradition.

3                  The Structural orientation focuses on power structure , social stratification, family structure, demography and similar aspects, which reveal patterns, arrangements and repetitiveness. The empirical aspects are converted into abstracted concepts, models and categories. The structural studies have also taken comparative framework.  

4                  The Dialectical-Historical orientation is primarily based on Marxist approach and method for the analysis of social reality. The dialectical method has not been termed as Marxist as adaptations have been made keeping in view the Indian social reality. It is however a less developed perspective of Indian sociology.         

D.P. Mukherjee (tradition and modernity) and Ramakrishna Mukherjee (Study of agrarian classes in Bengal Villages) emphasized the significance of dialectical model. A.R. Desai had consistently used dialectical-historical approach with ideological fervor and commitment. He has examined the contradictions in policies and programmes of change.

Historical orientation grew rapidly in the seventies, when micro-empirical realities were subjected to class observation along with macro-structural social and economic processes in India. (Y. Singh)      

Contextualization n Indian sociology recognizes the importance of cultural, historical and social context in understanding and addressing social issues, ultimately contributing to more informed and effective sociological research and practice in the Indian context.

 


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