Sociology is the most contemporary and versatile of the Social Sciences. It trains students to grasp social structures, understand social processes, map the dynamics of social change, decipher social interactions and make sense of individual and collective experiences in their social, historical and cultural contexts. Sociology is at once critical and constructive; conceptual and applied; theoretical and empirical. It is a science that cohabits comfortably with literary flair, speculative sensibility, historical imagination and statistical rigor. It is incessantly reflexive about its methods, exacting about its research techniques and standards of evidence. Sociology is ever so subtle about the conceptual distinctions it draws and ardent about its disciplinary boundaries and identity. At the same time, Sociology is the most open and interdisciplinary of social sciences. The pursuit of Sociology is a systematic effort at recovering, mapping and making sense of our kaleidoscopic collective self under the sign of modernity. It is both historical and comparative. Sociology as an academic discipline is committed to the ideal of generating public knowledge and fostering public reason. It embodies the best of enlightenment virtues: scientific reason, tolerance of diversity, humanistic empathy and celebration of democratic ideals. It is the science of our times.
The Department of Sociology at LSR is three decades old. From its inception in 1993 it carved a niche for itself among the undergraduate Sociology departments in the university. It is known for its rigorous teaching and learning process; unflinching fidelity to disciplinary ethos, careful mentoring, extensive use of multimedia resources in the pedagogic process. It has a vibrant student body that is interactive, creative and engaged. The department is committed to learning through doing and learning as an act of dialogue. The academic calendar is dotted with a range of formal and informal activities that will keep up the excitement of learning. Students are encouraged to participate in the academic and cultural life of the university and the city. A key component of the department’s pedagogic practice is its emphasis on fieldwork. The department has the singular distinction of the entire third year class going for a two-week annual field trip accompanied by faculty. For students, this fieldwork provides an opportunity to connect and test the concepts, theories and methods acquired in the classroom in an empirical context. The department is at the top of the university results consistently on multiple parameters. The department believes in the holistic development of student’s competencies and critical faculties. It endeavors to equip them to take on wide-ranging career paths upon graduating, it supports them through the process.
Programmes and Courses
BA (Hons.) Sociology and BA (Prog.) Sociology is the flagship program that the department offers. The curriculum followed is the Delhi University’s Undergraduate Curriculum Framework (UGCF 2022) in accordance with the new National Education Policy. This framework offers flexibility for students to tailor the program of study to fit their specific needs. ( https://www.dr.du.ac.in/files/UGCF-2022.pdf ) Under this framework a student enrolled for BA (Hons.) has to do twenty Discipline Specific Core Courses (DSC) of four credits each over 8 semesters.
These courses are distributed at three courses each over the first six semesters and one course each during seventh and eighth semesters. Students can choose from a wide range of Discipline Specific Electives from third semester onwards. The DCC course line up for the first two semesters is: DSC 01: Introduction to Sociology; DSC 02: Sociology of India I; DSC 03: Introduction to Sociological Research DSC 04: Sociological Perspectives; DSC 05: Social Stratification; DSC 06: Families and Intimacies.
Students enrolled in BA (Prog.) Sociology may pursue it with sociology as a Major or a Non-Major. Those who opted for a sociology major had to do fourteen Discipline Specific Core Courses (DSC) of four credits each over eight semesters. Two per semester over the first six semesters and one each in seventh and eighth semesters. If a student enrolled in BA (Prog.) Sociology wants to pursue it as a non-major; they have to do one specified DSC per semester. The DSC course line up for the first two semesters of BA (Prog.) is: DSC 01: An invitation to Sociology (For Major & Non-Major); DSC 02: Family and Marriage (For Major only); DSC: 03 Sociology of India (For Major & Non-Major); DSC 04: Religion and Society (For Major only).
The detailed syllabus for the first two semesters may be checked at:
https://sociology.du.ac.in/ugcf-sociology-semester-i-approved-by-the-academic-council/
https://sociology.du.ac.in/b-a-sociology-ugcf-approved-syllabus-sem-ii/
The department also offers a range of Generic Elective Courses (GEs) every semester to students who have taken admission in the other departments of the college (i.e., non-sociology students). Interested students planning to take admission in other disciplines may check the syllabus of the Generic Electives offered by the department in the above documents.
The sociology department had an eventful year that saw a plethora of activities organised throughout the year. A series of talks and lectures were organised that included an online lecture by Dr. Aviram Sharma on ‘Traditional Water Harvesting Practices from STS Perspectives’, Prof. Maitrayee Chaudhuri’s inaugural lecture on ‘The Sociological Perspective’, Prof. Surinder Singh Jodhka’s lecture on ‘The Other India: Rural Lives in the 21st Century’, and Prof. Sudha Vasan’s lecture on ‘Sociological Imagination and Climate Change.’ The Department in collaboration with the Office of International Programme hosted Prof. Menah Pratt, The Executive Vice-President and Provost, Virginia Tech University, USA, for a session on ‘The Power of a Women’s Voice’ in February. Ruchira Gupta shared her experience of writing the book I Kick and I Fly with the students. The book is based on the journey of women surviving through human trafficking in Bihar.
The Annual Conference of the Department of Sociology Kula was held on the theme ‘Sociology of Senses’. Through a series of events, the department facilitated the students to engage, reflect and understand the many profound ways in which sensory experiences shape the understanding of the world. It sought to uncover and encourage students to see how our senses deeply impacted every aspect of our social being. The two-day fest consisted of 7 events, ranging from academic talks to movie screenings and student-led discussions and activities. The event was inaugurated with a panel discussion on ‘the Sociology of the Senses’ that comprised three distinguished intellectuals from the field. Dr Ishita Dey led the discussion on the sociology of smell. Dr Subhashim Goswami discussed the sociology of senses and their use in everyday life. Dr Brahma Prakash shed light on sensory experiences involved in the regional theatre and performance traditions of India and South Asia about the questions of marginality, aesthetics and cultural justice. In his discussion, he examined the forms of labour and how erotic performances are viewed. The panel discussion was followed by an inter-college quiz competition titled, ‘Senses and Sensibilities’. An Exhibition titled, ‘Immerse: A Sensorial Walk’ was also curated around four dimensions of senses; intimacy, olfactory, perception and audio for two days to develop a holistic understanding of the sociology of senses. The exhibition witnessed great participation from the students and teaching faculty from within and outside the department. Student-led initiatives were held on both days. On the first day, a socio-adda was organised in collaboration with the department
newsletter, Beacon.
On the second day of Kula, the department successfully organised an undergraduate research Paper Presentation competition on ‘The Sociology of Senses’ where many students across colleges of DU participated and presented their research papers. Students also organised Potlatch: A Food Exhibition which facilitated many conversations around diversity of food from different parts of the country.
The two-day event culminated with one of the most admired initiatives hosted by students where students from across the sociology department of Delhi University actively participated and discussed their views on the film, ‘95 senses’. The Department Orientation was organised as was the Fresher’s Meet. The Department Student’s Union conducted a peer support program ‘Socio Adda’ facilitating an informal interaction between all threeyear students. A Reading Circle session was organised on Shilpa Phadke, Sameer Khan and Shilpa Ranade’s book Why Loiter? And another on ‘Indian Identity: The Dilemma of Tradition and Modernity’. The department completed the 26th year of successful field trip-its unique flagship programme.
An intra-department student dialogue was organised on ‘many meanings of Vikas’ as part of Viksit Bharat@2047: Voice of the Youth program. The department participated in the ‘Environment week’ organised by the college on the theme ‘Women Nurturing Nature’. A Pre-declamation competition on the theme ‘Artificial Intelligence Perpetuates Social Biases and Inequalities’ was held to select two students from first-year students who would represent in the MN Srinivas declamation at the university level. The Department won the prestigious MN Srinivas Declamation hosted by the Department of Sociology, Hindu College, DU led by two first year students, namely Ms. Kavieo Sono and Ms. Ameya Kasliwal.
The Department was very proud of three Students from the batch of 2023- Ms. Shreya Mukherjee, Ms. Vidhi Smriti and Ms. Souromi Dhar bagging the first three positions in Delhi University in their results. Ms. Shreya Mukherjee also received the university medal.
| Dr. Gopa Sabharwal Associate Professor gopasabharwal@lsr.edu.in gopasabharwal@gmail.com | History of Society, Contemporary India, Ethnic Identities, Research Methods, Sociology of Religion, Media. Publications and other works click here |
| Dr. Anjali Bhatia Associate Professor (Teacher-in-charge) anjalibhatia@lsr.edu.in anjalibhatia6@gmail.com | Sociology of Food, Family and Kinship, Middle Class, Everyday Life Publications and other works click here |
| Ms. Bhawana Sharma Jha Assistant Professor bhavnasharmajha@lsr.du.ac.in bhawana.s.jha@gmail.com | Economic Sociology, Sociological Theories Publications and other works click here |
| Dr. Saswati Bhattacharya Assistant Professor saswatibhattacharya@lsr.edu.in saswati.bhattacharya@gmail.com | Social Stratification, Sociology of Religion, Sociology of Gender, Sociology of Health and Medicine, Urban Sociology, Ethnographic Filmmaking Publications and other works click here |
| Mr. Ravindra Karnena Assistant Professor rkarnena@gmail.com ravindra.k@lsr.du.ac.in | Political Sociology, Urban Sociology, Agrarian Sociology, Curriculum Design and Pedagogy Publications and other works click here |
| Dr. Dhiren K. Sahoo Assistant Professor dhirenkumar.sahoo@lsr.du.ac.in d.kumarjnu@gmail.com | Sociology of India, Sociology of Education, Sociology of Knowledge, Environmental Sociology, Political Sociology, Economy and Society, Market and Society Dynamics, Critical Social Science, Critical study of Science , Technology and digital life Publications and other works click here |
| Dr. Thuanbina Gangmei Assistant Professor thuanbina.gangmei@lsr.du.ac.in thuangangmei@gmail.com | Sociology of Work, Research Methods, Religion and Society, Sociology of India, Gender and Society, Social Stratification. Publications and other works click here |
| Dr Twinkle Siwach Assistant Professor twinkle.siwach@lsr.du.ac.in drtwinklesiwach@gmail.com | Sociology of India, Sociology of Health and Medicine, Religion and Society, Gender and Society, Media Sociology, Crime and Violence, Policing in India Publications and other works click here |
| Dr. Anuradha Jaidka Assistant Professor anuradha.jaidka@lsr.du.ac.in anuradha.22feb@gmail.com | Gender and Society, Religion and Society, Gender and Violence, Marriage, Family and Kinship, Research Methodology Publications and other works click here |
President – Ms. Nily Ekhomey Mow
Secretary – Ms. Debadrita Chattopadhyay
Treasurer – Ms. Aseema