EXT 101: Rural Sociology
Credit Hours: 3 (2+1)
Full Marks: 75 (Theory: 50, Practical: 25)
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, students will:
- Understand sociological concepts, theories, and processes.
- Analyze their contributions and applications in agricultural development and extension education.
I. Syllabus Overview
- Sociology vs. Rural Sociology: meanings, differences, similarities
- Social institutions, social processes, norms, values, socialization, deviance
- Social culture, customs, traditions, structure, and systems
- Sociological theories, social change, social groups, festivals, rituals, and heritage
II. Course Outline
A. Lecture Topics (30 Lectures)
| S.N. | Topics | No. of Lectures |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sociology: Meaning, scope, importance, relationship with other social sciences | 1 |
| 2 | Rural Sociology: Meaning, nature, scope | 1 |
| 3 | Development of Rural Sociology as a major field | 1 |
| 4 | Differences between rural and urban society; Rural–Urban Continuum | 1 |
| 5 | Social movement: meaning and causes | 1 |
| 6 | Types and theories of social movement | 1 |
| 7 | Social change: meaning, factors | 1 |
| 8 | Theories of Social Change | 1 |
| 9 | Social process: Accommodation, Adjustment, Amalgamation, Assimilation | 1 |
| 10 | Social Process: Cooperation, Consensus, Competition, Conflict, Integration | 1 |
| 11 | Social stratification: meaning and bases (class, caste, ethnicity, power, gender) | 1 |
| 12 | Social mobility and dynamics of emerging identity | 1 |
| 13 | Rural dynamics: migration | 1 |
| 14 | Culture and customs in rural Nepal: caste-based norms (folkways, mores) | 1 |
| 15 | Culture and customs in rural Nepal: values and belief systems in rural development | 1 |
| 16 | Social ceremonies, rituals, festivals: types and importance | 1 |
| 17 | Rural social institutions: Concept and importance (Household, Family, Marriage, Economic, Education, Religion, Political, Recreational) | 3 |
| 18 | Traditional caste system and occupations in Nepal | 1 |
| 19 | Social exclusion: origin and development | 1 |
| 20 | Paradigms and domains of exclusion (gender, ethnicity, class, caste) | 1 |
| 21 | Socialization: meaning, stages, agents | 1 |
| 22 | Theories of socialization | 1 |
| 23 | Social groups: meaning and types | 1 |
| 24 | Social deviance and social control: meaning, types, theories, mechanisms | 2 |
| 25 | Social problems and remedies | 1 |
| 26 | Social Action: Methods of social work and agricultural professionals as change agents | 2 |
| Total | 30 |
B. Practical Outline (15 Sessions)
| S.N. | Practical Activities | No. of Practicals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visit rural community and identify social research issues | 1 |
| 2 | Study urbanization as a phenomenon influencing rural areas | 2 |
| 3 | Study contemporary agriculture and globalization process | 2 |
| 4 | Proposal development for social research | 1 |
| 4a | Techniques of data collection: Observation & document study | 1 |
| 4b | Techniques of data collection: Focus group discussion & interview | 1 |
| 4c | Questionnaire design: types and process | 2 |
| 4d | Data editing, coding, entry, and analysis | 2 |
| 5 | Report writing | 2 |
| 6 | Presentation of report | 1 |
| Total | 15 |
References
- Bhusan, V. & Sachdeva, D. R. (2000). An Introduction to Sociology. Kitab Mahal, Allahabad, India.
- Chitamber, J. B. (1973). Introductory Rural Sociology. Wiley Eastern Limited, India.
- Gisbert, P. (2010). Fundamental of Sociology. New Delhi: Orient Blackswan.
- Gupta, D. (1994). Social Stratification. Oxford University Press, Delhi.
- Harlambos, M., & Holborn, M. (2000). Sociology. London: Harper-Collins.
- Johnson, H. M. (1995). Sociology: A Systematic Introduction. New Delhi: Allied Publishers.
- Rao, S. C. N. (2005). Sociology: Principles of Sociology with an Introduction to Sociological Thought. S. Chand & Co., New Delhi.
