Sociology of Social
Transformation
Course Structure
2025 (IV Semester)
Course Description
This course is particularly important for law students besides being
important in other disciplines of science in general & is self-
explanatory. However a value free and objective understanding of
religion is crucial milestone of this course. All religions of the world
are seen either as history or belief/myth they all need a background
understanding of their growth evolution and implications. It is
generally expected that the students are encouraged to deliberate
upon these issues and try to separate their belief system from
science and history. The common assumption is that with the
enlightenment and scientific age religion will disappear from human
society which is not exactly true. The course is trying delineate,
deliberate and describe on these issues.
Expected Learning Outcomes
As the course description is mentioned above the expected outcome
is students will come out by separating belief/myth and
understanding culture while studying law.
Teaching Methodology
Lecture method with intense interaction with the students with examples
from their own social context, family, gender, ethnicity, region etc. We
also try to answer topics which are known confuse students under the
aegis of modernisation. These texts give also some idea to students of
commerce and science background how to attempt a detailed social
science analysis without giving any personal opinion. However in the
process students get to learn critical analysis of different phenomena
and are trained to have an open mind. This course encourages to have
intense critical thinking and discuss that without fear and favour. We
encourage extreme point views if any among the students and try to
deliberate upon the issues and generally giving a clarity of
understanding on the prevailing subject. The objective is to see that as
far possible personal biases are separated from law and social relations
by the time they complete this course.
Evaluation Pattern
Total Marks 100
End Term Exam 60
Project and Presentation 25
Tutorial 15
End-Term Project:
The students will be required to submit a hand-written term project (and
give a presentation of the project to the class). The term project due date
will be decided in advance. The project will include any religious figure,
belief system, mythological character, village deity. The students are
required to keep their project topic as specific and narrow as possible,
nothing too broad. For example, your project can be about Amba-Ambika,
the Pope, Ram, Cave of Hira, Ekalavya, Occult, etc. The written document
should contain the who, what, how, and why of the chosen project topic.
The final approval of the project topic rests with the professor and the
students are required to communicate their topic to the professor for
approval in advance. If any student’s chosen topic coincides with any sub-
topic in the course outline, they will be required to present it to the class
instead of the professor. Rest of the students will be presenting at the end of
the semester.
Monthly Tutorial Papers:
The students are required to submit 3 tutorial papers in total, one for each
month of the semester and 5 marks each. Each tutorial paper will be of 2-3
pages and will include what the student has learnt in the class for that
particular month. The papers should contained summarized notes of the
material taught in class. They are supposed to be hand-written and duly
labeled.
End-Term Exam:
The end-term paper will be of 60 marks and will essay-type questions
based on the given course outline and the material taught in class.
I. Religion Science and Society – 6 hours
Malinowski
Robert Bellah
Durkheim
Marx
Clifford Girtz
Peter Berger
Weber - Religion, concept and evolution of concepts,
divine and divinity, mystic and ascetic
II. Hinduism – 20 hours
What is Hinduism?
What are the Hindu Cannons ?
Are Hindus monotheists or polytheists? (imp)
Kathnotheism in Rig Veda, Vedanta monism, Puranic
polytheism, Monism and universalism
Fundamentalism and diversity in India
Concept of heresy in Hinduism
Belief in Veda and caste system
Shiva philosophy and Shankar
Buddha avatar in Vishnu in Gupta age
Toleration of intolerance in Hinduism
Vedas
Laws of Manu (imp)
Dharmasasthra (imp)
Kama sutra (imp)
Bisexuality and trans-sexuality in Hinduism
Kama and Karma in Hinduism (imp)
Arthasasthra (imp)
Jagannath Revisited: Studying Society, Religion & the
State in Orissa – Hermann Kulke-Will be taught very
briefly or will be entirely skipped
III. Islam – 8 hours
Basic theological concepts
Origin of Islam
Standing miracle
Five Pillars
Social Teachings
Race relations
Sufism
(Status of Women in Islam was deleted)
IV. Judaism – 5 hours
Meaning of creation
Inhuman existence
History, morality, justice, suffering
Revelations
Chosen people
V. Christianity – 8 hours
Christ of faith and Christ of history (imp)
Mystical body of Christ
VI. Other Religions – 13 hours
Confucianism
Jainism (will be taught with Hinduism)
Buddhism (will be taught with Hinduism)
Taoism (will be taught with Confucianism)
Tribal Religion (includes Shamanism)
References
John J. Macionis – Sociology
Max Weber – Sociology of Religion
Wendy Doniger – On Hinduism
Huston Smith – The World’s Religion: Our Great Wisdom
Traditions
