Image: Courtesy of Dev N. Pathak, Sociology, SAU.
About The Department - Vision and Beyond



Over the last half century or so, a vast body of knowledge(s) on the region has evolved within South Asia that mostly remain within the countries of their origin due to a number of reasons. In this specific context, there is a crucial need to share some of this knowledge in contemporary times when, despite assertions of localisations and mini-narratives, the universal does retain its emphasis through a constant dialectics of the two. The debate between the local and universal or mini-narratives and meta-narratives continue to rage, and is more clearly visible in the context of South Asian context. Even so, we are acutely aware of the non-existence of regular and serious forums for South Asian scholarship in social sciences to showcase our own research and thinking. We are also quite conscious of the fact that the process of establishing sociology in the region has created its own peculiarities which has established close inter-relationships between sociology and social anthropology, history, cultural studies, archeology and other related disciplines. We consider the porousness of South Asian sociology one of its most enduring strengths. On the other hand, we are not unaware of the unfortunate regressions sociology has experienced in different South Asian contexts over the last 30 years or so marked by numerous institutional failures.



It is within the context(s) outlined above that the Department of Sociology at South Asian university, initiated in 2011 witihn the Faculty of Social Sciences contributes to teaching, training and knowledge production. It is not intended to be a mere forum for the production of cutting-edge intellectual knowledge and exchange of that knowledge traversing across national borders in South Asia and beyond. Our expectation is that this knowledge would dislocate the persistence of an imposed framework emanating from the colonisation process and postcolonial politics of knowledge. Despite the passage of over fifty years since the process of official decolonization began in the region, much of the analyses of our problems, situations, histories and dynamics emanate from Euro American academia; this is certainly the case when it comes to conceptual formulations and theoretical approaches that are being employed in exploring the region’s social and cultural complexities often without much self-reflection.



The Department of Sociology strongly believes in the need to reformulate this situation by effectively centering South Asia without naively shunning thought from these established centers of knowledge be they in Europe or North America. We believe in an active and robust engagement with these issues within South Asia. In this context, through the work of its faculty and the research of graduate students, the Department would bring forward the newer forms of knowledge that comprehends and represents the South Asian context with a more authoritative and nuanced voice. We strongly believe in the need to actively intervene in the process of knowledge formation through a constant sharing of knowledge that the region produces as well as through interaction with the world beyond the region.



The courses taught in the Department as well as the research carried out by its faculty members reflect this overall vision and our collective commitment towards innovation, move beyond untenable stereotypes, and explore a new world of knowledge within the discipline of Sociology.


Class of 2011, Department of Sociology, South Asian University; Image: Courtesy of Dev N. Pathak, Sociology, SAU.

Fortnightly Lectures Series

Image: Courtesy of Department of Sociology Archives, SAU.
Faculty coordinator: Prof. Ravi Kumar

The Department of Sociology initiated a fortnightly lecture series pertaining to issues and themes relevant to the ongoing courses. The lectures are of interest to the larger social science community as well as students and, therefore, have been open to anyone with an interest. The lectures are delivered by distinguished social scientists, who have been working in a particular area of specialization. Though initiated as a fortnightly series, it could not be sustained in the first semester beyond three lectures due to lack of a suitable space at SAU as the only available lecture hall was closed for renovations. However, the following lectures were delivered in semester 1, and the series will be continued on schedule in the second semester:

·    ‘Why sociology matters more than ever today’ by Prof. Maitrayee Chaudhuri, Jawaharlal Nehru   University; 19th October 2011.
·    ‘On the significance of theory in sociology’ by Dr. Santosh Kumar, Ambedkar University, New Delhi; 17th November 2011.
·    ‘Thinking sociologically’ by Prof. Sheena Jain, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi; 17th November, 2011.

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The fortnightly lecture series of 2011 will be continued in Monsoon and Winter Semesters 2012 as the Seminar Series; the updated schedule is as follows:

Seminar Series – 2012

Monsoon and Winter Semesters

Department of Sociology
Faculty of Social Sciences

August 2012

29 August 2012

Panel Discussion
New quests in sociology: Broadening intellectual horizons

Chair:
Farid Uddin Ahamed, Department of Sociology, SAU

Participants:
Ravi Nandan Singh,
Assistant Professor, Hindu College
 Theme:
An unpalatable sociology (tentative)

Jyoti Sinha,
Visiting Faculty, Brown University
Theme:
Doing sociology wit workers: the case of Jharia coal mine workers

Sreedeep,
Research Scholar, Center for the study of Social Systems, JNU
Theme:
Photography and sociology: the twain does meet

Nivedita Ghosh
Assistant Professor, Lady Sriram College:
Theme: 
Camera in the field: Exploring the possibilities of a visual research method

Discussant:
Chudamani Basnet, Department of Sociology, SAU

Rapporteur:
Madhulika Narasinham
MA Program, Department of Sociology, SAU

September

O6 September 2012

Dipankar Gupta
Professor of Sociology
Theme:
The Village and the Slum:  Urbanization and India's Growth Story.

Chair:
Sasanka Perera
Dean, Faculty of Social Science, SAU

Rapporteur:
Anayika Chopra,
MA Program, Department of Sociology, SAU

26th September 2012

Sidharth Malvarapu
Assistant Professor, JNU
Theme:
A case for Interdisciplinarity: a perspective from International Relation

Chair:
Ravi Kumar, Department of Sociology, SAU

Rapporteur
Padmini Jha,
MA Program, Department of Sociology, SAU

October 2012

03rd October 2012

Ranjini Mazumdar,
Professor of Cinema Studies, JNU
Theme:
Cinema and City (tentative)

Chair:
Sasanka Perera,
Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, SAU

Rapporteur:
Sanjay Katariya,
MA Program, Department of Sociology, SAU

17th October 2012

Karen Gabriel
Professor, St. Stephen’s College
Theme:
Nation, melodrama and popular cinema - a review

Chair:
Ravi Kumar, Department of Sociology, SAU

Rapporteur:
Aditi Krishna,
MA Program, Department of Sociology, SAU


31st October 2012

Rakesh Kapur,
Alternative Future
Theme:
Studying Future- an alternative way of doing science

Chair:
Chudamani Basnet, Department of Sociology, SAU

Rapporteur:
Nafis Jilani,
MA Program, Department of Sociology, SAU

November

07 November 2012

Susan Visvanathan
Professor of Sociology, JNU
Theme:
Subjectivity and Objectivity in Social Sciences

Chair:
Farid Uddin Ahmad, Department of Sociology, SAU

Rapporteur:
Sunam Thapa,
MA Program, Department of Sociology, SAU

21 November 2012

Manish Jha,
Indian Institute for Advanced Studies, Shimla
Theme:
The quest of sociology of India

Chair:
Dev N Pathak,
Department of Sociology, SAU

Rapporteur:
Devika Mittal,
MA Program, Department of Sociology, SAU

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Seminar coordinator for  2012: Dev N Pathak, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, SAU

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