ICSSR Research Surveys and Explorations: Indian Sociology

Vol I: This is the first of a three-volume survey of research and developments in the field of sociology and its practice in India in the last decade, undertaken by Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR). The essays included in this volume scrutinize a gamut of contemporary and critical themes and concepts in Indian sociology. They contextualize sociological knowledge-building and theorization of both, the key structural elements of Indian society, such as, caste, class, community, and the processual changes of the rural-urban divide. This survey marks the emergence of new conceptual tools, and outlines and reviews the growth of literature capturing India's social, economic, and cultural transition in the last decade. Vol II: This volume brings together in-depth explorations in the key areas of sociological and social anthropological research in India from 2000 to 2010. The researches in this volume discuss sociology of development, of education, and law. The contributions use new conceptual and theoretical paradigms, leading to a comprehensive analysis of the themes they have undertaken for the review. This volume includes a paper that discusses the themes of sociology and economics-the interrelationship of economy and society as an important approach of developmental analysis. Another paper talks about the sociological research on school education in India, emphasizing the need for a sociological study of education to understand the complexity of this sphere of society and social reality in India. Other contributions discuss industrial sociology, sociology and law, and an assessment of the development of the sociology of health and medicine in India. The sociological ideas of justice and equality, distributive justice, diversity, and inclusive growth are also analysed. Vol III: The third volume includes researches focusing primarily on the nature of marginalization and demand for empowerment by the Dalits, tribes, religious minorities, women, and the displaced communities. One of the contributions offers a historical review of ideologies and commitments to policies on social justice and equality since Independence. Another paper presents a conceptual analysis of the place of the Dalits in the Hindu social order, making a distinction between the 'book view' and 'field view' of the social realities on this issue. Another paper offers a comprehensive survey of researches on tribal studies, dealing with family systems and institutions of marriage and kinship. There is a discussion on communication research in India-the predominant role of the state on media policies, its developmental objectives after independence, and the contemporary transitions. This volume also covers researches on religion and cultural pluralism, concepts of gender and its interface with social structure from a feminist point of view, and globalization and culture.