Department of Studies in Society and Development is anchored to the disciplines of sociology, anthropology and social work in articulating perspectives on development. The Centre aims to generate and disseminate knowledge on theoretical and applied aspects of society and development and the interfaces between them. Its courses introduce and engage with different theoretical formulations and debates concerning local as well as global social development. It tries to analyse different processes, actors, structures and power relations as constructed and contested by the state and different institutions as well. Teaching and research activities in the Centre have been oriented towards contemporary questions pertaining to theoretical and applied dimensions of society. The Centre engages in teaching courses like Theories of Society, Perspectives on Social Development, Research Methodology, Understanding Indian Society - Rural and Urban, Social Stratification, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Human Rights, Marginalisation and Social Exclusion, Political Economy, Globalisation, State and Social Justice, Health and Development, Migration and Diaspora, Corporate Social Responsibility and Social Entrepreneurship, at both M.A and M.Phil. levels. The pedagogy is based on interactive teaching and reflexive exercise.
1) M.A. in Sociology
MA Sociology is a two-year course. Admission to the programme is open to a graduate in any discipline. The programme. The programme syllabus includes courses such as, among others, Theories of Society, Perspectives on Social Development, Research Methodology, Understanding Indian Society – Rural and Urban, Social Stratification, Gender and Sexuality, Human Rights, Tribal Studies, Marginalisation and Social Exclusion, Political Economy, Globalization, State and Social Justice, Health and Development, Migration and Diaspora, Corporate Social Responsibility and Social Entrepreneurship. The pedagogy is based on interactive teaching and reflexive exercise. Field work is an integral component of the courses to grasp the complexity of social reality. Students are encouraged to partake in discussion and dialogue to deepen their academic horizon.
2) Ph.D. in Sociology
The Ph.D. in Sociology offers an orientation on quantitative and qualitative research methods and advanced sociological theories during its course work. The course work inculcates an orientation to conceptualize the research problem with the existing theoretical framework inherent in existing sociological theories. It also facilitates the scholars for the construction of the research design, application of research methods and data collection tools and analysis o qualitative and quantitative data for the student's research. The centre encourages interdisciplinary research with the application of quantitative, qualitative and mixed research methods. The centre has an interdisciplinary research team having faculty members from sociology, social work, media studies and extension education to facilitate inter-disciplinary research to unfold the social reality in the contemporary situation.