history of sociology in india

7/17/2019 History of Sociology in India

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A science in the making: an overview of the history of the emergence of

Sociology in India

Unlike other sciences in the world, the emergence and development of social

sciences in dierent parts of the world are attributed to the existing economic,

social and political conditions of a particular society. At the same time, in physicalscience or natural science for instance, if somebody formulates a principle, theory

or equation, it’s supposed to work everywhere regardless of the nation or societies.

ociology in dierent parts of the world in this connection is found to develop

unique ways of study and patterns of research and concept which are !t to

particular societies.

imilarly, ociology as a science has emerged and developed in "ndia as a result of

the intellectual responds to the western sociological and anthropological thoughts

rather than by developing its own theories. #or example, the writings of $alcott

%arsons helped to understand the &ritish tradition of ociology focusing on social

structure, which was later applied in "ndia context.

"t can be said that, "ndian sociology in this connection is still grappling to develop

its own tradition in the knowledge of sociology. 'obert &ierstedt, who trace the roots

of sociology to %lato and Aristotle dismiss the tradition of sociology in the (ast. #or

him, the classical literatures and sacred texts in east were ethical rather than

sociological therefore missing the rational aspect and careful analysis of society.

$hese views however, were largely contested by )ohn *+-/ where he trace

dierent historical sources which give us a detail accounts of social, political and

economic life of "ndia.

"n fact, contrary to the !ndings of &ierstedt, "t can be found that the travelogue of 0egesthenes, a 1reek ambassador to )handra 1upta 0ourya in 234 to 255 &) give

detail account of the social, cultural, economic and political life of "ndians at that

time. Another famous Arabian traveler Al6&iruni, 726+525 explains about 8arna

theory of 9indu religion of the country. :ne of the famous scholars at the 0ughal

period, Abul #a;l in his accounts on the social life of the 9indus noted that, the caste

system in "ndia has to be viewed from the view points of kinship relation instead of

8arna system.

$he &ritish period also witnessed many ma<or contributions in this regard. &aden6

%owell’s work on the land system in &ritish "ndia *+=3/ gives a detail account of the

nature of "ndian villages and its relation to the &ritish6)olonial tate. #rancis&uchanan’s ethnographic survey in &engal in +=57 still stands as a ground work to

the ethnographic studies in sociology and social anthropology in "ndia. 0oreover,

the !rst all "ndia census by &ritish in +=-+ and ir 9erbert 'isley’s ethnographic

survey about tribes in +5+ were considered to be some of the contribution by the

&ritish o>cials.



9owever, the ethnographic surveys, census and other studies about "ndians in

&ritish period were basically intended to assist in the policy making of the &ritish6

)olonial state. $hey therefore, only seldom served the purposes of sociology and

ocial Anthropology. $he (nglish education and the interest in western philosophy

helped many scholars to get to know about the sociology through the writings of

0ax ?eber, @arl 0arx etc, who extensively wrote about "ndian society. &ut the basisof these writing was secondary data which proposed some biased approaches about

"ndia and its social system. "t forced "ndian sociology to develop as a reactionary

intellectual move against those writings.

Among early sociologists in "ndia, @ &ose, @ % )hottopadhyay played vital role in

the development of sociology in "ndia. 'a<endranath eal played a vital role in

starting the sociology course in )alcutta University in +57. A department of

ociology and )ivics started in &ombay University in ++ under the supervision of

the &ritish scholar %atrick 1eddes. 1eddes was "nterested in urban planning,

ecology and culture. Under his guidance, "ndia has produced many early

ociologists like 1 1hurye and '@ 0ukher<ee. 1hurye’s area of interest was sacred

texts, anskrit texts and other classical "ndian texts. #ew of his students, @0

@apadia and "ravati @arve followed similar methods. Under "ravati @arve, a

department of ociology was opened in Beccan )ollege %oona. 0.. rinivas, the

proponent of structural functional approach in "ndian society and A.'. Besai, the

follower of 0arxist approach in "ndian society completed their %hB under 1hurye’s

supervision. 1hurye further founded "ndian ociological ociety in +3 and was the

!rst editor of its <ournalC ociological &ulletin.

'. @. 0ukher<ee, another disciple of %atrick 1eddes, tried to provide alternative

philosophical view of "ndia based on sociological notions. 9e founded the

department of ociology in the University of Ducknow. 9is colleague in Ducknow

University, Br. B. %. 0ukher<ee was deeply inEuenced by 0arxist methodology and

tried to apply it in "ndian society which he called as F0arxological approach’. B.

0a<undar, another colleague of '.@. 0ukher<ee in Ducknow University and a famous

ocial Anthropologist in "ndia, founded (thnographic and #olk )ulture ociety and its

<ournalC (astern Anthropologist.

oon after independence, ociology in "ndia was under the shadow of %olitical

cience, 9istory and economics. $here were also many misconceptions about

ociology and ocial Anthropologist among the scholars and academics that it is a

foreign science and a threat to the "ndian academics. Amidst these unfriendlyconditions, sociology and social anthropology were able to establish in "ndia through

interesting studies and scholarships. 0. rinivas, '.@ 0ukher<ee, B.%. 0ukher<ee,

B.. 0a<undar, Andre &eteille, ) Bube, 8eena Bas etc. are prominent among them.

#urther, the community development programs in "ndia between ++ and +75

necessitated the guidance and supervision of sociologists and social anthropologists

to carry out various village surveys in a scienti!c manner.



)urrently, the science of ociology in "ndia has expanded its scope, sub<ect matter

and length through dierent universities throughout the country. $he areas which

the sociology covers in these days include, village, land reform, agrarian relations,

cheduled )astes and cheduled $ribes, &ackward class movements and sectarian

movements, @inship, caste and social strati!cation etc.

'eferences

• %atel, u<ata. *35++/, GBoing ociology in "ndiaG, ew BelhiC :xford University

%ress,

• Uberoi, %atricia, andini under and atish Beshpande. *eds/ *3557/,

GAnthropology in the (astC #ounders of ociology and Anthropology in "ndiaG,

)hicagoC )hicago University %ress

history of sociology in india

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