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.

Pedagogic Approach

Image: Courtesy of Dev N. Pathak, Sociology, SAU.
The courses offered so far employ a variety of pedagogic practices, most of which are new in the South Asian higher education contexts.  The course ‘Economy and Society’ requires students to go to the field in groups for observation. The observations, along with the readings from the course, shaped students’ assignments. These term papers written by students were presented at the end the course in a seminar setting, to which other teachers from the department were audience. Students presented these assignments as their papers. The course on ‘Sociological Theories 1’ required students in groups to engage in weekly exercises consisting of self-learning, informal discussion of course literature, and contextualizing classical theories. The course ‘Social Stratification’ had an inbuilt surprise quiz-program to motivate students for consistent reading of the prescribed literature. The course Sociology of South Asia on the other hand adopted more conventional teaching and evaluation methods given the nature of the course and the involvement of five teachers in the process of teaching.

In addition to its regular academic teaching program, the Department of Sociology from the very beginning initiated a number of extra-curricular/intellectual programs for the benefit of its students, which include a lecture series with the participation of invited speakers from institutions other than SAU, a weekly film and discussion series and a stunt-led blog.

Images: Courtesy of Department of Sociology Archives, SAU.

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