WBCHSE Class 11 Syllabus for Sociology

SOCIOLOGY (SOCG)

Class – XI
FULL MARKS – 100
Theory : 80 Marks + Project : 20 Marks

Unit 1: Introducing Sociology
“ What is Sociology – ‘Sociological Imagination’ – C. W. Mills; Sociological perspectives
– Functionalist, Conflict, Symbolic Interaction, Feminist & Post Modernist;
Sociological and its relationship with other social sciences (viz. Anthropology, Political
Science, Economics, Philosophy, Psychology and History)
“ Emergence of Sociology as an academic discipline – different forces : University
Revolution (a very brief outline)
“ Scientific nature of Sociology
“ Sociological Methods – Quantitative & Qualitative; Positivist & Interactionist methods;
Research methodology: Social research, Stages of research, Social survey,
Observation, Questionnaire, Interview
“ Use of statistical tools & techniques – graphical representation of statistical data –
grouping of data (pie-chart, bar-diagram, histogram, frequency polygon)

Unit 2: Basic Sociological Concepts
“ Society – Concept, Structure and Process
“ Community & Association – Concept, Interrelationship and Differences
“ Organization – Concept and Types
“ Social Groups – Typology (special reference to Primary and Secondary Groups)

Unit 3: Culture, Social Interaction and Formation of Self
“ Meaning and Importance
“ Components of Culture – Values, Norms, Beliefs, Folkways, Mores, Laws,
Language and Technology
“ Types of Culture – Material & Non-material Culture, Culture and Civilization,
Cultural lag, Sub- culture, Popular Culture, Folk Culture, Consumer Culture,
Culture Pluralism (a very brief outline)

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“ Social Interaction – Verbal and Non verbal interaction
“ Socialization - Concept, Meaning, Agencies, Importance, Life Course, Socialized
vs. Unsocialized children
“ Socialization and Development of Personality (Cooley, Mead) – Nature vs.
Nurture debate
“ Socialization and Social control – Relationship and Importance
“ Social Conformity, Non conformity, Deviance and Delinquency (very briefly)
“ Crime – Concepts and Types (Gender crime, Organized crime, Cyber crime and
White
Collar crime)

Unit 4: Social Institutions
“ Meaning and Interrelationship among different institutions
“ Marriage and Family – Origin, Meaning, Features, Types, Significance – Global
trends in Marriage & Family – Cohabitation, Single Parent Family, Divorce rates,
Homosexual Family, ‘’In-Vitro” Fertilization – Kinship (in brief : Terminologies and
Importance, Descent, Lineage, Sib & Clan)
“ Economy – Types of Economic Systems – Means of Subsistence (in brief)
„ Direct Appropriation Economy
„ Pastoral Economy
„ Agricultural Economy
„ Handicraft Economy
„ Industrial Economy
Preliminary Concepts – Utility, Wealth, Property, Capital, Consumer Goods, Market
“ Politics – State (Definition and Significance) – Government (in brief : Concepts and
Types, viz. Democracy, Dictatorship, Federal, Unitary, Republic, Monarchy,
Presidential, Parliamentary) – Power and Authority (Nature and Differences)
“ Religion, Magic and Science – Basic Concepts, Relationship and Differences
“ Education – Meaning & Concepts, Functions of Education
“ Health, Illness & Ageing – Concepts (A brief idea about mental health)

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Unit 5: Social Stratification and Inequality

“ Social Stratification – Concept, Bases of Social Inequality (Caste, Class, Race and
Gender) Marxian concept of social stratification
“ Social Mobility – Concept, Types (Vertical and Horizontal Mobility)
Project Work: 20 Marks
Suggested Areas for Assignment:

1) Sociological Perspectives
2) Culture, Interaction and Formation of Self (Unit 3)
3) Health, Illness and Ageing

N.B. Topics for assignment should be altered every year from the suggested areas. Two
assignments should be completed in each year. Size of the assignment should be around
500 words. Marks will be awarded jointly by the internal and external examiners on the
basis of the written assignments and viva-voce.

References :
Browne, Ken (2008), An Introduction to Sociology, 3rd. ed. UK. Polity
Giddens. Anthony, Sociology, 5th & 6th, Edition Polity
Pullinger, (2011), Sociological Thinking, Rawat Publications
Alexander, J.C. & Thompson, K (2008) A Contemporary Introduction to sociology -
"Culture and Society in Transition", USA, Paradigm Publishers
Newman, David, M(2008). "Sociology; Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life"
USA, Pine Forge Press
Bryman, A lan, (2008) Social Research Methods, Oxford
Baker, Theresa, (1972) Social Statistics, Tata McGraw Hill
Elifson and others, (1997), "Fundamentals of Social Statistics", Mc Graw Hill

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