About the Course

Introduction

Sociology is the mother of all social sciences., the crucible from which they have emerged. It deals with the eternal questions around understanding the individual, society, the inevitable tension and necessary equilibrium which has to exist between them.

This subject has its roots in the post-Industrial Revolution chaos in Europe. In recent times it has become a bastion of “Woke” theories.

 In the Indian context this is where the finely honed weapons to be used against it within the rubric of “caste”, “gender” “exploitative structure of society” etc. come from. If the mainstream narrative throws words like “Critical Race Theory”, “Brahmin Privilege”, “Patriarchy”, “Intersectionality”, “Deconstruction of Indian Mythology” at you, how do you understand and critique these ideas?

It is important for the contemporary seeker of knowledge to cut through the jargon and reach the heart of the matter, recognise the roots and applications of Eurocentric theories.

Learning Objectives

• Investigate the tenets and organizational structure of Vedic society and its relevance today.
• Understand how the post-industrial revolution in Europe shaped the current euro-centric sociology theories
• Analyze the Dharma Sutras and Grihya Sutras for a comprehensive Vedic vision of society.
• Integrate Indic sociological concepts into current theories of sociology to develop a Universal Sociology theory
• Appreciate the inapplicability of euro-centric lens to analyse and understand many ancient societies including the Indic society (caste, varna, jati etc)

Learning Outcomes

• Open doors to the Sociological Universe, providing a foundational understanding of the subject.
• Establish foundational tenets to build a comprehensive Universal Sociology theory
• Gain knowledge of Western Sociology and its fundamental concepts.
• Develop a comprehensive and critical understanding of society (both Indic and Western).