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About Sociology

Sociology is the study of our human society, the pattern of interaction with other people which is necessary to our very existence. Sociology has been described as ‘the scientific study of human group behaviour’ and ‘the application of scientific methods of inquiry to the puzzles of social life.’ We all participate in any number of social groups, many of which overlap. Sociologists study how and why these groups interact with each other and how the interactions affect their members. Such analyses not only yield a clearer understanding of society and its components, but also allow sociologists to see both the causes and the possible remedies for our social problems.

Sociology enables us to understand the structure and dynamics of society, and their intricate connections to patterns of human behaviour and individual life changes. It examines the ways in which the forms of social structure, namely groups, organizations, communities, social categories (such as caste, class, sex, age, or race), and various social institutions (such as kinship, economic, political, or religious) affect human attitudes, actions, and opportunities.
The discipline also explores how both individuals and collectivities construct, maintain, and alter social organization in various ways. Sociology asks about the sources and consequences of change in social arrangements and institutions, and about the satisfactions and difficulties of planning, accomplishing, and adapting to such change. Areas studied in examining social dynamics include: culture, values, socialisation, cooperation, conflict, power, exchange, inequality, crime and deviance, social control, violence, order and social change.

Why Study Sociology?

Study of sociology provides the conceptual tools and methodologies for understanding the contemporary scenario. By focusing on the external constraints to social action it helps us to understand ourselves and the motivations of others around us. While we are all creatures of our society, we are also all co-creators of sociology which provides the tools so that we can take a more active role in that creation, a role that is essential if we hope to achieve a more beautiful world and egalitarian society.

The field experience helps us look more objectively at the society in which we live. It directs attention to how the parts of society fit together as well as the causes and consequences of social change because presently, we are facing very complex and rapidly changing social milieu.

Career Prospects:

In today's world of specialization and career oriented honours in college, a degree in sociology seems on the surface to have little relevance. But leaders of industry, government, and education have increasingly been advocating a strong liberal arts education as the most effective path to career attainment. The Department of Labour forecasts that people entering the job market today will change careers several times over the course of their work-life. Rather than prepare the student for a narrow specialty, the liberal arts prepare the individual to meet the challenges and opportunities of our increasingly diverse and complex society. The following is a list of positions held by persons with Bachelor and Masters Degrees in Sociology, who are working outside of academic settings; however, it is not an exhaustive list of occupations in which sociologists are engaged.

• Officers in West Bengal Civil Service (WBCS)
• Officers in Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
• Researcher & Lobbyist
• Labour Welfare Officer, Department of Labour Welfare
• Systems Manager and Research Analyst in various agencies working on Mental Health issues
• Scientist in socio-economic studies; nuclear waste isolation project, etc.
• Project Director, Project Manager and Project Coordinator in various NGOs and CBOs
• Field Investigator, Asian Development Bank
• Field Investigator, World Bank

And many more………………

The Department:

The journey of the Department of Sociology was started in the year 1986 as a B.A. General course; from the year 2004 onwards it commenced its B.A. Honours course with an intake capacity of 30 students. The Department of Sociology is known for its good track record. Our students have consistently performed well academically and have gone on to pursue post-graduate degrees in different universities in India as well as in abroad, such as Jawaharlal Nehru University, University of Calcutta, Jadavpur University, Pune University, Hyderabad University, Rabindra Bharati University, etc. The medium of language used to teach students are both in English as well as in Bengali. The departmental library has a veritable collection of sociology books and is well stocked for catering to the needs of the students in both English and in Bengali. The department encourages student-teacher interaction, and is actively into organising seminars, excursions and workshops in collaboration with NGOs and other civil society organizations for an overall development of the students’ understanding of the discipline and furthering intellectual development of the students. Along with Sociology as their Honours subject, the students are encouraged to choose from Political Science, Philosophy and Economics (any two) as their general subjects.

Studying Sociology opens up opportunities for students to work in diversified fields ranging from teaching in schools, colleges and universities, to actively engage in positive social change through working in national and international NGOs; it also opens up opportunities for one to work in Human Resource areas in both large and small scale industries, etc. Our departmental faculty is committed to counselling students about their career choices as and when the need arises.