modulation institute best for online amie/ssc-je/ae/psu · modulation institute best for online...

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Modulation Institute best for Online AMIE/SSC-JE/AE/PSU

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Society

&

Environment

AMIE

GROUP- A

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SYLLABUS

Societal structure and Dynamics

An analysis of basic sociological concepts and their

applications to contemporary society

Social stratification, class ,cultural heritage ,occupation

,mobility and income distribution.

Social tensions and their causes, societal responsibilities

and social institutions.

Development Process

Parameters for development . Interrelationship between

social ,economic and scientific factors.

Role of science and technology in development . Planning

its objectives and assessment.

Technology Assessment

Historical development of science and technology.

Criteria for assessment of appropriate technology and

technology adaptation.

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Preface

Society and Environment has been an important subject of

AMIE Group-A , considering its valuable role in qualifying

Group A , these notes are prepared on behalf of

Modulation Institute.

These notes will provide a better outlook towards the main

topics included in the subject- Society and Environment.

And notes given will cover all the important topic effectively

and precisely so as to minimize the time consumption and

maximize effectiveness of understanding the subject.

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Meaning of society:

This term has been derived from a Latin word 'socious' that means association or

companionship.

Thus society means 'A larger group of individuals, who are associative with each other'.

What is society ?

Individual is the basic component of society. The interaction of individuals with each

other gives birth to group. The social groups interact with each other and develop

relationships with each other, leads to a society. The players in football or other games

came together is not a society, but just an aggregate of people. Within the society there

are patterns and groupings on the basis of likeness and differences. "Likeness" creates

a chain of relations among the individuals having similarity in one or more conditions'

like same profession, same residence, same caste, family and kinship, college, age, sex

etc."

Consciousness of kind is developed and the people of similar interests are joined

together rustling in the formation of various groups and categories. Without difference in

cultural conditions of a society the human life would have been monotonous and

probably limited in which little change is predictable. The system of give and take

relationship creates reciprocal roles in human life. These differences lead to variety of

human behaviors and social division of labor; the process of specialization is developed.

Man is dependent on society for basic needs satisfaction i.e. food, protection,

education, etc. There are societies on local as well as on national levels.

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Societal structure and dynamics

Basic sociological concepts :

Auguste Comte the French philosopher and sociologist had coined the term sociology

in 1839 .

‘Sociology’ & defined the subject matter and the methods of its study. Comte is thus

considered to be the father of the Science of Sociology.

It was in (427-347B.C), the ancient Greek philosopher made an analysis of the city

community in all its aspects. Plato’s republic is an evidence of this. His disciple Aristotle

(384-322BC) made systematic study of society and the state. Thus the subject of

sociology is not new subject.

Sociology is the scientific study of the human behavior all through the recorded history

of man.

Sociology is the study of the way in which social experience function in developing,

maturing and

repressing human beings through inter-personal simulation.

The word sociology has derived or composed from two latin words. Firstly the socius

which means the society or Association and secondly from the word Logos means the

science or study. We can say that sociology is simply the study of societies.

The definitions of “sociology’ according to auguste Compte called father of sociology

stated as “ The branch of social science which deals with the study of social

phenomena subject to natural and invariable laws, the discovery of which means the

subject of investigation is called “Sociology”.

According to Harry.M.Jhonson is The branch of social science which deals with the

study of social groups is known as sociology.

According to sociologist Orburn. The subject of social science which deals with the

study of social life of man and its relation to the concerning cultural natural environment

is termed as “Sociology”.

According to Morris ginsberg. The branch of social science, which deals with the study

of human interactions and inter-relations their conditions and consequences is known

as sociology.

From the above explanations of the different definitions by different sociologist their

opinions differ somewhat. But on the whole we can say that “sociology is mainly

concerned with the study of human behavior his social relations, conditions and

consequences with society.

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Scope of Sociology:

With the help of sociology we keep good relations with human beings, Economic

condition of the

country can be improved, complex problems of the society can be solved. Also the

personality of man can be maintained with the knowledge of sociology in the society.

With the help of this subject the national integrity can be promoted

Sociology is of great help in the mankind which keeps us up-to-date modern social

institutions and developments. The subject of sociology makes us to become more alert

towards the changes and developments that takes place around us and as a result we

can understand about changed roles and responsibilities and expectations.

Sociology is the youngest social sciences. It is mainly concerned with the study of

society which is

generally known as science of societies. But if we are to understand the entire scope of

sociology it is necessary to have different sociologist. Some sociologist say that

sociology has limited scope, but most

of the sociologist have mentioned that the sociology has very wide scope because prof.

Giddings has finally mentioned and pointed out the sociology tell us how to become

what we want to be.

Importance of sociology:

Society is the largest organisation of the individuals. Society has its own problems in

every field. It is through the study of sociology that the scientific study of society has

been possible. The study of society not only has a value in modern complex society, it

becomes indispensable.

The practical aspect of sociology is too of great importance in the study of social

problems and in social work and social adjustment. The one social problem is of course

that of people living well and happily together. To achieve this a scientific study of

society is needed in order to make necessary adjustments.

Another specific aspect of the practical side of sociology is the study of the great social

institutions and the relation of the individual to each of them. There is, therefore, a

particular need for the strengthening of these institutions and one of the first essentials

is the scientific study of their problems and situations. Sociology has analysed the

causes of the many maladies of society and suggested the means for curing them.

Society is a complex structure. There must be a scientific study of its problems if they

are to be solved.

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One of the most important aspects and one of the greatest opportunities of sociology is

that of making scientific enquiries into the questions of social concern. It ought to be

clear that social evils do not just happen and everything has its due cause. It ought to

be clear that the world has gone on too long determining its social policies on unsound

basis and with insufficient knowledge.

Here are the some important points :-

The subject of sociology throws more light on the social nature of man since it tells

us why man

is a social animal and lives in groups’ communities and societies. It also tells us to

the

relationship between individual, society, and the impact of society on man and other

matters in

general.

The study of sociology helps us in understanding different societies in a systematic

& scientific

way. It helps us to keep good relations between top leaders of different national and

other human beings in general. The sociology is of great need for the under-developed countries since with its help,

the

economic conditions of the country can be improved to a greater extent. Sociology helps us in locating complex problems of the society thus finding the

magnitude

solutions of various problems. The study of sociology has helped several governments to promote the welfare pf

tribal people in

order to treat at pat with the civilized people.

The study of sociology is necessary for understanding and planning of society since

it acts as a

vehicle of social reform and social reorganizations. It also plays an important role in

the

reconstruction of society. The sociology helps us in promoting national integrity.

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The subject sociology helps us in establishing the relationship of democracy with

the social institutions like caste, class and family.

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Stratification of society :

Social Stratification refers to the socio-economic division of society into several sub-

units or sub-groups, where people belonging to a particular sub-unit or sub-group enjoys

superior or inferior power, status, opportunity, and wealth in relation to other sub-units

or sub-groups.”

Social Stratification is the condition of being arranged in a social strata or classes within

a group. In other words it is a system by which a society divides people and ranks them

in categories. These categories are then placed in a hierarchy. This is shown by a

pyramid where most fortunate ones are placed at the topmost level.

Stratification is the trait of every society in every part of the world. It is not an issue of

today but have persisted over the generations. It's format have continuously changed

over the years and among geographical boundaries but it has always been an integral

part of each and every society.

Stratification in Indian society :

Stratification in an Indian society is based on ascription. It means it is a type of culture in

which not on the basis of achievement but on the basis of "who a person is",

stratification is done. It could involve inequality on the basis of gender, economical

status and caste system. Thus here, in an Indian society, people are placed in the

stratification system by their ascribed status and the ideology is to follow the caste rules

without questioning its credibility. Such a system is a classic example of closed Social

Mobility.

When caste system depicts Closed Social Mobility, the Class system reflects Open

Social Mobility. In a class system, even blood relatives may have different social status

where one can move up and around the hierarchy based on personal merit and

achievements.

When stratification is done on the basis of wealth or income, a lot of mobility and fluidity

is observed. No caste or class difference is observed.

According to Davis Moore, "stratification has beneficial consequences for the operation

of a society. When certain job can be performed by anyone, some other job demands

the scarce talent of people with extensive training". So, the greater the demand of a job,

the more importance it is given and thus more reward is attached with it.

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Types of Social Stratification

There are many ways in which social stratification can manifest itself, based on different factors and elements. Mentioned below are the most common types of social stratification being followed in the society:-

1. The Caste system

The caste system is a system of social stratification in India, which divides Hindus into four main groups. We can even find the mention of these four varnas in important Hindu literatures. These four varnas are Brahmins, Kshyatryas, Vaishyas and Sudra caste. The powers, duties and financial status of each varna differ from each other.

The Brahmins at the top (i.e. the priests and the teachers), The Kshyatryas on the next level down (these are rulers and warriors), The Vaishyas (farmers, merchants and traders), The Shudras (i.e. the labourers) on the bottom rung of the social ladder.

When an individual is born into a particular caste, he or she remains to be a member of it forever. Every caste is identified by name, and marriage in such a social stratification system is also determined by the caste of the likely couples. Since the caste system is hierarchical, a society that practices it is often faced with the challenge of class resentment.

2. The Class system

Some countries, especially the western societies, have a class system, where people in society are divided into three classes: upper, middle and lower class. Stratification is majorly based on the wealth of an individual. Just as the name of each class suggests,

The upper classes tend to be aristocrats (or landed gentry) who have been born into lives of greater wealth and privilege. The high-class consists of eminent people in society. These people at the ‘top’ of a class based social hierarchy tend to be richer and are generally regarded as a successful people in the society.

The middle class comprises of people who can afford to live decently but are not wealthy enough to enjoy the type of fine living experienced by the upper class. They manage to earn average income and enjoy decent social status in society. The middle classes can be further subdivided into upper middle and lower middle class people.

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The lower class is the category with people having lowest social status in terms of their position and economic status. They do not earn much. The term lower class is a snobbish term, that reflects a divisive and derisive attitude towards people who are not in the upper echelons of society. As a result, most people who belong to this ‘lower’ stratum of society tend to prefer to be referred to as working class.

A class system can easily become entrenched, and it can be hard to move between the classes. Moving between classes – e.g. from the working class to the middle class – can be done through education, marriage or acquiring wealth. This is known as social mobility. Social mobility can be upward (moving into a ‘higher’ class) or downward (moving ‘down’ through the strata of society).

One group that has posed a puzzle for traditional classed society is the nouveau riche, or those who have become newly rich. These people are often middle class businesspeople who have struck it rich. This makes them too socially powerful to be truly classed as middle class, and yet they do not share the values or the hereditary privileges of the upper classes.

3. Estate system

This system comes from the medieval Europe origin. Estate based social stratification gives much importance on the original birth status. It also considers wealth and other possessions that belong to the individual. This means if a person was born in a particular class, he/she remains in the same until death, without any change. This kind of social stratification works on the principle that each estate has a state and remains with it, right from the beginning until the end.

4. Gender Stratification

Like caste and class gender is another kind of social stratification system. Gender,

perhaps is the oldest and permanent source of social differentiation. But within the

broad hierarchy of caste and class, gender cuts across caste and class. In present day

Indian society caste, class and gender are dynamic phenomena which vary between

groups, communities and regions. Recent years have witnessed a thorough and

widespread discussion on gender. It has claimed critical address within ender as a

concept and as a set of practices has occurred during the last three decades.

The origin of the concept gender can be traced to the 19th century women’s movement

and in Marxism. But it seems to have first appeared among American Feminists who

wanted to reject biological determinism. Feminists prefer the term gender than sex.

But the term gender means much more than sex and more inclusive than sex. It is a

socially constructed category rather than biologically determined. The gender of a man

is masculine and a woman is feminine. Neither a man nor a woman is sex alone.

Gender refers to the socially constructed and culturally determined role that men and

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women play in their day-to-day lives. Gender is the most potent significant and

enormously useful analytical concept used by the feminists.

It is a matter of social ascription, a socio-cultural construction and provided a deeper

analysis of inequalities existing between male and female. It refers to the social

institutionalization of sexual difference. In feminist literature gender is not a value free

concept rather a value loaded term and has acquired new dimensions. It is a conceptual

tool for analysis and is used to highlight different structural relationships of inequality

between men and women. As a socially constructed differences and relations between

males and females it very from time to time and from place to place.

Gender is defined as the social construction of relations between women and men and

among various groups of women and men. Feminist consider gender as the socio-

cultural manifestation of being a man or a woman.

(1) According to A. Masefield—”Gender can be defined as a notion

that offers a set of frameworks within which the social and

ideological construction and representation of differences between

sexes are explained.”

5. Slavery

Though slavery has been abolished in most part of the world, it is still in practice in some countries. People, being classified under this category, are known as slaves. Every slave is under a master whom he/she belongs to. This system remains so from one hierarchy level to the other. It continues for generations. The master, thus, owns the slave and by this his power on the slave remains unlimited. It also means that the master can technically use the slave for varied set of reasons. The master can assign any task to the slave. The slave has to complete that task as and when asked for.

Slavery is a social stratification system that no longer exists in most part of the world. Slave trade has been outlawed across most countries and international bodies such as the United Nations.The practice of slavery is against the principles of human rights. It is high time that focused efforts are taken to completely eradicate this evil practice.

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6. Mobility :

Social mobility refers to the movement within the social structure, from one social

position to another. It means a change in social status. All societies provide some

opportunity for social mobility. But the societies differ from each other to extent in which

individuals can move from one class or status level to another.

It is said that the greater the amount of social mobility, the more open the class

structure. The concept of social mobility has fundamental importance in ascertaining the

relative “openness” of a social structure. The nature, forms, direction and magnitude of

social mobility depends on the nature and types of social stratification. Sociologists

study social mobility in order to find out the relative ‘openness’ of a social structure.

Types of Social Mobility:

In social stratification the movement occurs in three directions.

(a) From lower to higher

(b) From higher to lower

(c) Between two positions at the same level.

Social mobility is of two types:

(i) Vertical mobility

(ii) Horizontal mobility

(i) Vertical mobility: It refers to the movement of people from one stratum to another or from one status to

another. It brings changes in class, occupation and power. It involves movement

fromlower to higher or higher to lower. There are two types of vertical mobility. One is

upward and other is downward mobility.

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