Teaching Sociology in India, EPR - Dec'05

The Practice of Sociology
MailrayeeChaudhury(ed);
Orient Longman. New De/hi. 2003;
pp x + 435. Rs 695.
PG JOGDAND

This edited volume consists of 15 articles including an exhaustive introduction by the editor. The opening remarks of the book make it amply clear as to how there was a felt need to examine the practice of sociology in India. It has been observed that something was missing when we teach this discipline in the classroom. There is no connection between the subject of sociology taught to the students and the everyday social reality they live in. There is a vast difference between theory and practice. Many issues have been discussed in this volume such as the relevance of sociology, its image, employment opportunities, the relationship between sociology, society and the self, theory and reality, etc. And to address these issues the contributors have drawn their analysis from close interactions with students. The syllabus that is being framed, the intellectual legacy and pedagogy adopted, and the relationship between the teachcr and the students - the volume makes a sincere attempt to interrogate all these important issues in a convincing manner.

The opening essay of Rudolf Heredia deals with prevailing syllabus and practice of pedagogy in Indian socioiogy. The subsequent articles by Avijit Pathak, Mohammad Talib and Savyasachi and George Jose also deal with the curriculum and the prevailing practice of pedagogy in Indian sociology. Pathak, demonstrates how a hierarchy of knowledge exists in society and he brings out the perceptions of the students about sociology (including its market value). He very strongly argues that sociology is not tless than any other science as itcan give newsight and vision.

It is emancipatory and this is the beauty of this discipline.Mohammad Talib and Savyasaachi's paper deals with the "bureaucratisatioll of curricula" in the university setting which blocks the critical minds of the. learners.
Therefore, it requires reformulation. They suggest that in order to have a holistic understanding of civil society, sociology ought to adopt the "participatory method"-learning through participation. This experiment is heing used at the department of sociology, lamia Millia Islamia.. George Jose takes a review of the undergraduate syllabi in the university of Mumbai. He emphasises the curriculum revision and the need for rethinking the required pedagogical skills. >>>