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.
Lectures and Talks
- The annual academic meet “Kula ” of the Department of Sociology, LSR was held on the 12th and 13th April, 2023, on the theme, “Folk Knowledge in the Technological Era“, It attempted to explore the boundaries of folk knowledge in the context of new technologies, within the larger context of the relationship between folk and mainstream knowledge traditions. Several guest lectures and student-led cultural events and competitions were organized over the course of the two days. Prof. Deepak Mehta delivered Keynote Address, Kula, Prof Roma Chatterji spoke on “Folk Art, Experimentation and Novelty”, Prof V Sujatha spoke on “Embedded Knowledge in a disembedded world: Folk Knowledges in the 21st century”, Dr. Ishita Dey gave a lecture on “Synaesthetic Reason, ‘Techne’ and Crafting Sweets in Bengal”. Other student-led events included “Thinking Music”, a screening of folk songs, a Declamation Competition, A Digital Folk Quiz competition, Izhaar-e-Khayal, a multimedia presentation competition, and a food exhibition ‘Potlatch’ were the key events .
- The Sociology Department also brought its annual journal “Jatra” (Journey), on 4th of May, 2023 based on the month-long fieldwork trip to Guwahati, Assam by the third year students under the guidance and supervision of Dr. Gopa Sabharwal and Ms. Bhawana Sharma Jha. The annual field journal is an attempt made to capture the essence of the ordinary, of the journeys people take in life, of movements and continuity. The field trip was undertaken after three years of hiatus in a 25-year long department tradition owing to the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fundamentally, the annual field work aims to enable students to discover themselves as field workers. The fieldwork tradition has achieved a centrality in sociological practice, and this field trip facilitated students to honor time-honored methods of our discipline in an effort to know more about the world they encountered. Students took up various research topics from topography to culture to economy.
- The Department of Sociology published its bi-annual newsletter “Beacon” in April 2023 on the overarching theme of cybersecurity. The edition explored the far-reaching impacts of social networking and the ways our identity and security are compromised in the digital space. The edition also undertakes a sociological analysis of the issue, seeking to understand how technology connects us, while also gaining the power to control us through access to private information. The April edition begins with an account of Bruce Schneier’s works, primarily revolving around the themes of technology, security, and people. The edition includes articles titled “Social Cyber Security as a National Security“, “Sociology of Virtual Worlds” and “Accessibility for a Survival in Cyberspace”. It also incorporated photo series and film reviews submitted by the students.
- The Department of Sociology organized an inaugural Lecture by Dr. Aviram Sharma on the topic of ‘Traditional Water Harvesting Practices from STS perspectives’ on 27th June, 2023. Dr. Sharma , who is the Senior Researcher at the Post-Growth Innovation Lab at the University of Vigo, Spain also serves on the Editorial Board of several reputed journals like Sage, Springer Nature and Elsevier. The speaker began the talk with the story of loss, revival and the future of water harvesting technologies. He focused on various water conservation methods like that of the Baolis and Ahaar pyne system. He further underscored their importance from the anthropological, economic and environmental perspective. Dr. Sharma gave us insights into the topic and its relationship with social evils like gender related injustices and hierarchical injustice and inequalities. The session was found enriching and a great learning opportunity for all as it kickstarter activities for the academic year and was met with great enthusiasm.
- On the 20th October 2022, the Department organized its inaugural lecture for the Academic Year 2021-22 titled ‘Academic Freedom in India’. The Talk was delivered by Professor Nandini Sundar, Department of Sociology, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi. The session was chaired by Dr Anjali Bhatia, (Faculty, Department of Sociology, LSR).
- On the 24th of November 2022, the Department hosted a special talk by Prof. Satish Deshpande , Department of Sociology, Delhi School of Economics, on the theme ‘What is Sociology good for?’.The session was chaired by Dr Anjali Bhatia.
Other Association Highlights
- On 28th April 2023, the Department successfully organized a farewell for its third year graduating students.
- On 25th April 2023, the Department successfully conducted its Student Union Election 2023-2024 . The Union Office bearers are:
President: Nily Ekhomey Mow.
General Secretary: Debadrita Chattopadhyay, and
Treasurer: Aseema - On 27th February 2023, The Department successfully participated in the Environment week Celebration at LSR organized by University of Delhi on theme 100 Years of DU uniquely by displaying importance of the built environment, especially the lawns of University colleges in the architectural legacy of the University And also decorated a tree with an unique environmental awareness theme using e-waste material highlighting the choking Earth.
- On 23rd November 2022, the Department organized an orientation program for the new students to induct them into the department and introduce them to its academic culture.
- On 16th November 2022, The Department Union organized its Formal Fresher’s event. The open mic stole the spotlight as the freshers got a chance to showcase their varied talents.
- On 28th September 2022, the Department Union organized its Socio Adda ( a student informal meeting and discussion program) for the academic year 2022-2023, during the ECA break. It was an offline film screening followed by discussion on the film ‘Nayantara’s Necklace’
- On the 5th of September, 2022, the Department Union hosted an offline Teacher’s Day Celebration for the teachers of the department. The students of the department warmly felicitated their teachers.
| 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
