SA 534: Analysis of social Institutions and Processes Suggested Study Question for the Course

SA 534: Analysis of social Institutions and Processes

Suggested Study Question for the Course

Contributors: Binod POkhrel, Kapil Dahal, Prem Chalaune and Jailab Rai

Note: The list of study questions is meant to guide the classroom discussion and/or lectures in general. These questions may also help the students in orienting themselves to the course and preparing for their exams. Having said this it should also be noted that this list is mot exhaustive-that is, not all issues pertinent to the theories or perspectives in question have been addressed by the question in this list. Depending on the ‘material’ covered in the classroom or based on the ‘Required Reading’, slightly different types (or with different wordings or focus in some cases) of questions should be expected in the exams.

Unit I: Introduction

1. Define social institution. Why is it difficult to define in anthropology and sociology?

2. Social institution is somewhat unclear both in ordinary language as well as in the philosophical sense. Discuss with examples.

3. Analyze how does an institution change over time and space?

4. What is institutionalization? How does institutionalization happen in group life?

5. What do you mean by micro and macro level institution? Discuss how do these two levels of social institutions split and interrelated to each other over time and space?

6. Write short on any two of the following:

(a) Norms and values

(b) Conformity

(c) Social Institution

Unit II: Micro Social Institutions

1. Why traditional definitions of marriage re inadequate in changing context of society? Discuss with suitable examples.

2. How do you differentiate a household and a family?

3. Define family and explain the factors responsible for the breakdown of joint family in Nepal.

4. Examine the causes and implications of divorce in Nepal?

5. Write short notes on any two of the following:

(a) Bisexuality

(b) Descent group

(c) House and households

(d) Fictive kinship

6. What is kinship? Discuss on structure or order of kin based affinity and distance

7. How does global capitalism affect the kinship relationship in village society of Nepal? Illustrate with suitable examples.

8. ‘Kinship is culture of relatedness’ Elaborate this argument based on Janet Carsten’s article.

9. Define community as an institution. How do national and global forces affect way of life of people in the community?

10. Family is a geneological unit and household as functional unit. Discuss

11. Define family and trace the evolution of institution of family.

12. Define marriage as a micro social institution. Discuss the factors contributing to make divorce common in modern society.

13. What is sexuality? Discuss how Foucault portrays the history of sexuality as repressive and discursive reglme.

14. Define household in relation to its function. Analyze household dynamics from modernization and world system perspective?

15. Define community as a social institution. Discuss on community from functional and conflict paradigm.

16. ‘Community is not only a spatial unit rather it is a way of life of the people’. Discuss.

17. Discuss how national and global forces are affecting the ways of life of community.

18. What is kinship? Discuss the kinship loyalty in economic and political dimensions of Nepali society.

19. What is socialization? Analyze the notion of over socialized conception of man as elaborated by Dennis Wrong.

20. In what ways history and biography are linked? Compose a brief reflective biography of your own to substantiate this link.

21. Critically analyze the nature-nurture debate.

22. What is social control? Discuss on the mechanisms of social control as elaborated by T. Parsons.

Unit III: Macro social Institutions

1. How does economic institution determine socio-cultural life of people? Discuss with examples from your own society.
2. Define mode of production? How do you differentiate a feudal and a capitalistic mode of production?
3. Write short notes on any two of the following

(a) Foragers

(b) Collective ownership

(c) Mesolithic technology

4. What are the main features and conditions of growth and development of capitalistic mode of production?
5. How do you differentiate Paleolithic technology from Neolithic technology? Give some concrete examples.
6. What are the connections between local and global economy? Explain with appropriate example.
7. Define power and politics. How do politics function in tribal kin based society?
8. Discuss on how does religion produce the structure of social inequality?
9. Is religion as a promoter of social morality and social cohesion? Substantiate or refute this argument based on Durkhaim’s notion of religion.
10. Write short notes on any two of the following

(a) Reciprocity

(b) Redistribution

(c) Commercial Market

Unit IV: Ties that Bind: Individual, Society and Culture

1. What is social control? Discuss the various means of social controi.
2. Write an essay on nature nurture debate.
3. How does an individual link with society and culture through socialization processes?
4. Define social realities. How one’s personal life issues are linked to the larger social realities?
5. How do structural and institutional changes impact the lives of people? Explain with examples.
6. Write short notes on any two of the following:

(a) Social justice

(b) History and Biography

(c) Nature and Nurture

Unite V: Ties that Repel: Inequality and social Mobility

1. Distinguish between social mobility and inequality. How inequality and mobility are usually measured?
2. How do you define social mobility and social inequality?
3. What is social stratification? Discuss the causes of differences in society on the basis of sex, age, caste, ethnicity, class and occupation.
4. Social stratification leads to social conflict substantiate or refute this statement with suitable examples from your own society.
5. Describe different dimensions if social stratification. Of these, which dimension are dominant with respect to Dalit-Non Dalit relationship in Nepal today?
6. The basis of social stratification has been changing in Nepal during last three decades. Which bases are becoming more salient? Which bases are becoming less salient? Discuss.
7. How does local life being influenced by global inequality and global stratification? Illustrate with suitable examples.
8. Social stratification influences the life chances of an individual substantiate or refute this statement with suitable examples.
9. How does social stratification lead the human society into the mode of conflict justify you r answer with some examples.
10. Discuss and asses the intensity of social stratification and inequality. How does the individual and collective life get affected by the intensity of social stratification and inequalities?

Unit VI: Social and Cultural Change

1. What do you understand by social and cultural change? Discuss the technological factors of social and cultural change.
2. What is social and cultural change? Discuss the different factors of social and cultural change in Nepal.
3. How do you define social change? Give some examples of social change occurred in your society recently.
4. What are the causes of social and cultural change? To what extent can these causes are relevant to understand and explain the social and cultural change in Nepal within the last decade?
5. Examine the role of market for social and cultural change in a given society.
6. Define modernization. How does modernization effect the social and cultural life of people even living in a remote area? Explain with suitable examples.
7. How do social relations and behaviors change due to the effect of mass media? Illustrate with suitable examples.
8. Formulate a critical essay on “globalization vs. Localization” in relation to the social and cultural change.
9. Do you think that the state and its plans bring substantive changes in human society and culture? Justify your answer with the relevant examples and experiences from Nepal.
10. Compare and contrast the intensity of social and cultural change posed by social movements, reforms, and revolutions. Support your answer with the experiences and happenings.
11. Write an essay on social and cultural change in post 1990s Nepal?

Unit VII: Utility of Sociology and Anthropology and Study of Social Institution

1. How self is constructed? Is an Individual “free” or a “social” being? Discuss.
2. Self is a social/cultural being. Illustrate with examples.
3. What is anthropology and sociology of senses? Describe the idea applied by Robert R. Dejarlais in understanding the human society.
4. Explain the linkages between individualism and equality based on the ideas of Andre Beteille.
5. How do you understand and anthropological knowledge? How does it help to understand socio-cultural phenomena of a society community?
6. How does sociological/anthropological knowledge help you to understand society and culture? Illustrate with your personal experiences.
7. How do bodies of knowledge produce in persons and populations in the context of social relations? Illustrate based on C.W. Mills the sociological imagination.