About
Definition
“The task for sociology is to come to the help of the individual. We have to be in service of freedom. It is something we have lost sight of.” ~Zygmunt Bauman Sociology is the scientific study of society, including patterns of social relationships, social interaction, and culture. It is a social science that uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about social order, acceptance, and change. Many sociologists aim to conduct research that may be applied directly to social policy and welfare, while others focus primarily on refining the theoretical understanding of social processes. Subject matter ranges from the micro-sociology level of individual agency and interaction to the macro level of systems and the social structure. The traditional focuses of sociology include social stratification, social class, social mobility, religion, secularization, law, sexuality and deviance. As all spheres of human activity are affected by the interplay between social structure and individual agency, sociology has gradually expanded its focus to other subjects, such as health, medical, economy, military and penal institutions, the Internet, education, social capital and the role of social activity in the development of scientific knowledge. There are some MA and PhD sociologists which can obtain specialized training to become counselors, therapists, or program directors in social service agencies. They usually carry out the following functions:- Market and Quality studies.
- Social-economic studies, Demographics and opinions.
- Planning of services
- Organizational management
- Design of project evaluation
- Human Resources management
- Grant management and public agreements
- Satisfaction: marketing, communication and publicity
- Regional planning
- Local development
- Social and occupational guidance
- Analysis and evaluation of posts
- Institutional relationships
- Negotiation and conflict resolution
- Advice in the creation of businesses
Career Path
Colleges
- Acharya Nagarjuna University Centre for Distance Education, Guntur
- Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, Visakhapatnam
- Banasthali Vidyapith, Jaipur
- Delhi University (DU), New Delhi, New Delhi
- Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam, Guwahati, Assam
- GD Goenka University, Gurgaon, Gurgaon
- Kakatiya University, Warangal, Warangal
- Loyola College, Chennai, Chennai
- Magadh University, Bodhgaya
- Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Rohtak
- Mahatma Jyoti Rao Phoole University, Jaipur, Jaipur
- Maulana Azad College, Kolkata
- Parul University, Vadodara, Vadodara
- PDM University, Bahadurgarh, Bahadurgarh
- Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, Pune
- University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Hyderabad
- University of Lucknow, Lucknow
- University of Madras, Chennai, Chennai
- University of Rajasthan, Jaipur
Top Colleges
Kurukshetra
Key Skills
Career Prospect
- Community development worker
- Family support worker
- Teacher
- Social Worker
- International aid/development worker
- Social researcher
- Social worker
- Youth worker
- Actuarial analyst
- Staff Reporter
- Advisor
- Training Advisor
- Research Assistant
- Charity fundraiser
- Census Worker
- Social Theorist
- Counsellor
- Human Services Assistant
- Social Critic
- Research Assistant
Scope
- Charitable, Counselling and Voluntary Organizations
- Corporate Research Firms
- Education Sector
- Foreign Aid Programs
- Criminal Justice Field
- Humanitarian Organizations
- Communications Industry
- Labor Unions
- Newspapers
- Human Services
- Corporate Research Firms
- India Civil Services
- Politics
- Public Relations
- Radio Stations
- Social Work
- Television Studios
- Research Organizations
- Trade Associations
- Youth Services
- National Health Service
- NGOs
Pay Package
- Sociologists, depending on the level of qualification in education, are paid keeping in mind the location and kind of the job. The salary of a sociologist can be from ₹6,000 to ₹10,000 for beginners and will increase with experience and knowledge. Those employed under government sector earn in a range of ₹8,000 to ₹10,000 per month. Higher salaries can be expected from corporate houses.
Role Models
Andre Beteille
Andre Beteille, FBA is one of India's leading sociologists and writers. He is particularly well known for his studies of the caste system in South India. He is a Professor of Sociology at the Delhi School of Economics at the University of Delhi where he is Professor Emeritus of Sociology since 2003. He was appointed National Research Professor by the Government of India in 2007. He is a recipient of the Indian civilian honor of the Padma Bhushan.
Arjun Appadurai
Arjun Appadurai is a contemporary social-cultural anthropologist recognized as a major theorist in globalization studies. In his anthropological work, he discusses the importance of the modernity of nation states and globalization.
Tharailath Koshy Oommen
Tharailath Koshy Oommen is an Indian sociologist, author, educationist and Professor Emeritus at the Centre for the Study of Social Systems, Jawaharlal Nehru University. He was awarded Padma Bhushan, the third highest Indian civilian award in 2008 for his services to the fields of education and literature by the President of India.
Radhakamal Mukherjee
Radhakamal Mukerjee, a leading thinker and social scientist of modern India, was the Professor of Economics and Sociology and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lucknow. Mukerjee played an important and constructive role in the Indian independence movement. He was a highly original philosopher of history and a discerning interpreter of culture and civilization and a 1962 recipient of the third highest Indian civilian honor of the Padma Bhushan.
Further Readings
- http://jmi.ac.in/sociology/courses-name/MASociology-157/1
- http://www.ignou.ac.in/ignou/aboutignou/school/soss/programmes/detail/124/2
- http://www.kuk.ac.in/information.php?action=showContent4&L01_id=OA==&L01_direction=H&L02_id=Mzc=&L03_id=NDg=&L04_id=Mjg=&sublevel=y&lType=deptCourse
- http://nehu.ac.in/department/44/Sociology-Department
- http://www.unipune.ac.in/dept/mental_moral_and_social_science/sociology/default.htm
- https://www.uohyd.ac.in/index.php/academics/2011-10-27-18-38-04/school-of-social-sciences/dept-sociology
- http://sociology.du.ac.in/index.php/scholarships