Absract
Contemporary Theoretical
scenario in Sociology and the Possibilities of Indian Contribution
Prashant Tripathi1 and Pawan Kumar Mishra2
1. Department
of Sociology, V.S.S.D. College, Kanpur,
India.
2. Department
of Applied Sciences & Humanities, K.I.T., Kanpur, India.
Key words: classical sociology,
postmodernism, Indian philosophy, Social Quantum Physics.
It is being widely accepted that era of meta
narratives and universalization is gone and only way is multiculturalism. This
situation emerged from the failure classical sociological theories. Instead of
looking for proper alternate the goal itself is being rejected. But here we
suggest that alternate may be found in Indian philosophical tradition.
Sociological theory is going through the
process of radical changes. Basic assumptions of Modern or Classical Sociology
are being rejected. But no clear alternative is being presented. Classical
sociology took Society or System as primary cause and individual consciousness
was ignored in the realm of sociology. At best it may be seen in
structural-functionalism. The failure of this approach in understanding and
solving social problems paved the way for neo-functionalism, post-structuralism,
phenomenology and such various other alternative approaches and methods.
Overall direction was and is towards postmodernism which leads us towards no
proper alternate other than nihilism.
When we try to enquire about root cause, it
is found in the basic characteristics of prevalent western ideologies and
thought process. It depends upon antitheses and dichothemical classifications.
Thus thesis and antithesis never provide synthesis but antithesis after
antithesis is produced and that too is dependent upon contemporary situational
changes. To be honest, it is not theorization but interpretation. And this
deficiency ultimately leads to the conclusion that human nature is something
photonic. Thus Social Physics takes the root to be Social Quantum Physics.
On the other hand, Indian sociology never
emerged from the western impact and seldom looked to indigenous philosophical
roots. But at this juncture of theoretical void sociology must have too
look at traditional Indian philosophies like Vedanta, Yoga, Sankhya etc. as
they provide us the tools of solving the problem of complex dilemmas like
particularity vs. universality, individual vs. society, unit vs. structure.
References:
1. Narendra K. Singhi,
editors note in Historicity to Postmodernity by Ruchi Banthya, Rawat
Publications, Jaipur (India)1994, pp15.
2. Ruchi Banthya, Historicity
to Postmodernity, Rawat Publications, Jaipur (India), 1994, pp152.
3. Ramkrishna Mukherjee,
National Traditions in Sociology edited by Nikolai Genov, Sage
Publications, London, Newbury, New Delhi, 1989, pp136.
4. Indian Sociology, Yogendra
Singh, Rawat Publications, Jaipur, 2004, pp163-164.
5. Yogendra Singh, Sociology
for India edited by T.K.N. Unnithan and Others, Prentice Hall of India Private
Limited, New Delhi, 1967, pp19, 24.
6. David Lyon, Post
Modernity, preface to 1st Edition, University
of Minnesota Press, 2002,
pp IX.
7. P.A.Sorokin, Social and
Cultural Dynamics, Peter Owen Limited, London,
1957, pp 699.
8. P. A. Sorokin, Modern Historical
and Social Philosophies, Dover Publications, Inc. New York, 1963, pp318.
9. Jim Powell,
Post-modernism, Orient Longman Limited, Hyderabad,
India, 2001,
pp. 156-7
10. Punarjanm aur Kramvikas,
Sree Arvind Society, 1972, pp125.
11. Howard Becker and Harry E.
Barnes, Social Thought from Lore to Science, Dover Publications, Inc. New York, 1961, pp76.
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