Sociological Thinkers, Sociological Traditions MCQ Quiz in मल्याळम - Objective Question with Answer for Sociological Thinkers, Sociological Traditions - സൗജന്യ PDF ഡൗൺലോഡ് ചെയ്യുക

The corrct naswer is Karl Mannheim.Key Points

• Karl Mannheim (born Károly Manheim, 27 March 1893 – 9 January 1947) was an influential Hungarian sociologist during the first half of the 20th century.
• In Mannheim's view, social conflict is caused by the diversity in thoughts and beliefs (ideologies) among major segments of society that derive from differences in social location. Ideas and beliefs are rooted in larger thought systems (Weltanschauungen), a phenomenon Mannheim called relationism.
• According to Karl Mannheim, Ideology and Utopia argue that ideologies are mental fictions whose function is to veil the true nature of a given society. They originate unconsciously in the minds of those who seek to stabilize a social order.
• It was Karl Mannheim who said, All truths are ideologically biased, all truths ultimately reflect the interest and biases of social groups.
•  In ideologically charged situations, one's prejudices end up affecting one's factual beliefs.

Additional Information

• Charles Lemert is an American-born social theorist and sociologist. He has written extensively on social theory, globalization and culture.
• Clifford James Geertz was an American anthropologist who is remembered mostly for his strong support for and influence on the practice of symbolic anthropology and who was considered "for three decades... the single most influential cultural anthropologist in the United States."
• Karl Heinrich Marx FRSA was a German philosopher, economist, historian, sociologist, political theorist, journalist, a critic of political economy, and socialist revolutionary. His best-known titles are the 1848 pamphlet The Communist Manifesto and the four-volume Das Kapital.

Thus, All truths are ideologically biased, all truths ultimately reflect the interest and biases of social groups, are the views of Karl Mannheim.

Reflexivity refers to the ability of individuals to think about their own thoughts and actions.

• Giddens argues that reflexivity is a fundamental characteristic of human beings and that it is what distinguishes us from other animals.

Important Points

• Reflexivity is a key concept in Anthony Giddens' theory of structuration. 
• Reflexivity allows us to examine our own beliefs, values, and assumptions.
• It also allows us to change our behavior in light of new information or experiences.
• Reflexivity is essential for social change, as it allows us to challenge existing social structures and norms.

Additional Information

•  Anthony Giddens is one of the most important sociologists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
• Key Contributions to Sociology:
• Structuration theory: Giddens' structuration theory is a major contribution to sociological theory. Structuration theory emphasizes the interaction between structure and agency.
• Reflexivity: Giddens' concept of reflexivity is also a major contribution to sociology.
• Reflexivity refers to the ability of individuals to think about their own thoughts and actions. 
• Time-space distanciation: Giddens' concept of time-space distanciation is another important contribution to sociology.
• Time-space distanciation refers to the way in which social relations are stretched across time and space. 

The correct answer is option 1- (a) - (ii), (b) - (iv), (c) - (i), (d) - (iii).

Important Points

Hermeneutics is a methodological practice used primarily in theology and philosophy, though it has been adapted for other fields as well.

• One of its major principles is that you cannot separate an individual from their culture or their historical background, hence the truth is interpreted, rather than taken as is.

Symbolic Interactionism is a micro-level theory that focuses on the relationships among individuals within a society.

• It's a theoretical perspective that centers on the idea of communication, specifically the symbolic meaning that people develop and rely upon in the process of social interaction.

Phenomenology seeks to explore and describe phenomena as they appear to a person's subjective experience, rather than trying to provide an objective analysis of the phenomena.

• It aims to offer rich, descriptive accounts of people's personal lived experiences, views and beliefs.

Interpretive approaches are concerned with how we interpret the social world in which we live, how we make sense of the social rituals, norms, and conventions that structure our everyday lives.

• Theories and approaches that adopt this perspective emphasize the underpinning meanings that guide human action and interaction.

The right answer is option 2. The "father of symbolic interactionism" is often considered to be George Herbert Mead, an American philosopher, sociologist, and psychologist.

Important Points Symbolic Interactionism:

• Symbolic Interactionism is a sociological perspective that places emphasis on micro-scale social interaction and how it is used to construct the social reality of individuals.
• This perspective is particularly focused on the way individuals use symbols and meanings to communicate and understand the world around them.
• The theory was ultimately named and conceptualized by sociologist Herbert Blumer, a student of G.H. Mead, but its roots lie in the work of philosopher and sociologist George Herbert Mead.
• Symbolic interactionism is a significant theoretical approach to understanding human behaviour in sociology. It's widely used in studies of communication, small group behaviour, public opinion, mass behaviour, and many other areas, providing valuable insights into these areas by focusing on the meanings of actions within the social context.

Additional Information

• George Herbert Mead (1863–1931) was an American philosopher, sociologist, and psychologist. He's most well-known for his work in social psychology and the development of symbolic interactionism, a theory on how social interaction impacts the individual and the society.
• Mead's theories have greatly contributed to the field of social psychology and continue to influence sociological research in areas such as symbolic interactionism and the social construction of self.
• Herbert Blumer was an influential American sociologist. He is best known for developing the theoretical perspective in sociology known as symbolic interactionism. This perspective emphasizes the importance of symbols and meaning in human interaction.
• His work underscored the argument that society consisted of individuals who agreed on shared meanings to the extent that they could act together. He posited that humans interact with things based on meanings ascribed to those things; these meanings come from social interaction, and they are modified through interpretation.
• His substantial contributions to sociology and further development of Mead's ideas on symbolic interactionism have had a lasting impact on the field.
• Max Weber (1864-1920) was a German sociologist, political economist, and historian comes from the classical sociological tradition. His ideas form one of the pillars of modern sociology, along with the works of Émile Durkheim and Karl Marx.
• Weber's best-known work delves into the relationship between religion and social structures, particularly his book, "The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism". One of Weber's most significant concepts is his notion of "ideal types" - theoretical constructs that frame specific dimensions of social reality.
• Erving Goffman (1922-1982) was a Canadian-born American sociologist, social psychologist, and writer. Some consider him to be the most influential American sociologist of the twentieth century. His work primarily dealt with the themes of the micro-processes of social interaction, self-presentation, and the strategies people use to manage face-to-face interactions in social settings.
• One of his most notable works is "The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life" (1956), in which he articulated the concept of "dramaturgy."

According to Edward Said the East is "the Orient" and the West is " the Occident". Therefore, the correct answer is option 2.

Important Points

• Edward Said is renowned for his significant work on the subject of Orientalism, which he released in 1978. In this work, Said critiques the Western tradition of "Orientalism," which refers to the way scholars, artists, and colonial administrators from the Western world have represented the Eastern world (Middle East, Asia, and North Africa) throughout history.
• Said argues that the Western study of Eastern cultures and civilizations was dominated by prejudiced notions and false assumptions, which created an East-West dichotomy where the East (the Orient) is viewed as 'the other'. This "othering" process often involved depicting the East as exotic, backward, uncivilized, and at times dangerous. On the other side of this dichotomy, the West (the Occident) is construed as developed, rational, and superior.

Montesquieu has classified political institutions into republic, aristocracy, monarchy, and autocracy. Important Points

• Montesquieu was a French political philosopher of the Enlightenment period who played a very important role in the French Revolution. 
• His political theory was based on the idea of separation of powers which shaped modern democratic societies. 
• Thus in modern democracies, we have the executive, legislature, and judiciary as separate entities of government. 
• He has classified political institutions into republic, aristocracy, monarchy, and autocracy. 

Additional Information

• Robert Michels was a German-born Italian political sociologist who was famous for the formulation of the Iron Law of Oligarchy. 
• The Iron Law of Oligarchy states that all political systems however democratic will eventually develop into oligarchies. 
• Harold Gould is an American anthropologist who specialized in Indian society and civilization. 
• He has studied the caste system, religion, politics, etc of India. 
• Rajni Kothari was a famous Indian political scientist. 
• He was a great activist who was involved in continuous research on the intellectual and ethical dimensions of Indian politics.

The correct answer is Four. Key Points

• According to Max Weber, "an Action is 'social' if the acting individual takes account of the behavior of others and is thereby oriented in its course". “Social action means taking steps to change the things that are wrong in our society and introducing new ideas and processes for doing things better in the future.”
• Types of social action by weber are:
  • Rational-purposeful Action
  • Value-rational Action
  • Affective Action
  • Traditional Action

Additional Information

• Rational action may be understood as the action of an 'outcome-oriented' kind in which certain requirements are met regarding the nature of, and the relations among: actors' goals, their beliefs relevant to the pursuit of these goals, and the course of action which, in given circumstances, they then follow.
• value-rational action" are terms scholars use to identify two kinds of behavior that humans can engage in. Scholars call using means that "work" as tools, instrumental action, and pursuing ends that are "right" as legitimate ends, value-rational action.
• Affective action fuses mean and end together so that action becomes emotional and impulsive. Such action is the antithesis of rationality
• Traditional action occurs when the ends and the means of action are fixed by custom and tradition. For example, some so-called primitive societies have very strict rites of succession for group leaders.

Thus, Four characteristics of social action have been given by Max Weber.

The correct answer is option 1- Both A and R are true but R is the correct explanation of A. 

For Bourdieu, habitus influences the ways we perceive the world around us, the way we think, and the way we act. It operates below the level of consciousness and language, embodying history, yet doing so in a way that forms and shapes present practices, perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors. It is society structured and internalized in individuals' bodies and minds.

Additional Information

•  Habitus is a central concept in the social theory of Pierre Bourdieu, a prominent French sociologist and anthropologist who lived in the 20th century. Habitus refers to the deeply ingrained habits, skills, and dispositions that we acquire over the course of our lives from our family, our class, our education, and our social experiences. According to Bourdieu, these are typically learned in a subconscious way and become embodied.
• For Bourdieu, habitus influences the ways we perceive the world around us, the way we think, and the way we act. It operates below the level of consciousness and language, embodying history, yet doing so in a way that forms and shapes present practices, perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors. It is society structured and internalized in individuals' bodies and minds.
• For example, based on Bourdieu's concept of habitus, people who come from working-class backgrounds might interpret and respond to the world very differently from those who come from more privileged classes, because they have been socialized differently and acquire different sets of dispositions.

Émile Durkheim, widely recognized as a founding figure in sociology, provided an influential definition and analysis of religion. Durkheim defined religion as a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, i.e., things set apart and forbidden. His definition emphasized religion's communal aspects, and he considered the social function of religious rituals and communal worship to be central. Therefore, the correct answer is option 4 - Durkheim.

Additional Information

• Max Weber was particularly interested in how religious beliefs and practices influenced other aspects of society, including economic and political systems. His most well-known work in the sociology of religion, "The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism," argues that specific religious beliefs (in this case, Protestantism) had a major influence on the economic structures (capitalism, in particular) of Western society.
• Govind Sadashiv Ghurye, a prominent sociologist from India, made significant contributions to the understanding of various social phenomena, including religion. He adopted an Indological approach, emphasizing the study of ancient scriptures, literary sources, and historical documents to understand contemporary Indian society. In terms of religion, Ghurye focused particularly on the intersection of religion and society in India.

• Karl Marx, the influential philosopher, economist, and social theorist, had a significant perspective on religion, although it's perhaps most famous for one particularly pointed expression: "Religion is the opium of the people."

• In the context of Marx's larger philosophical framework, this quote doesn't imply that religion is essentially sedating or deceptive. Rather, Marx saw religion as a societal creation, a response to social inequalities and hardships. Essentially, he viewed religion as a system that could provide solace and comfort in a world marked by suffering and injustice, particularly for oppressed classes

The correct matches are:

Therefore, the correct answer is option 1 : A - III, B - I, C - IV, D - II.

Important Points

•  Alfred Schutz's work "The Phenomenology of the Social World"  is considered the cornerstone of his phenomenological sociology. Published in 1932, the book established Schutz as a major figure in social theory.
• In "The Phenomenology of the Social World," Schutz built upon the work of phenomenology's founder, Edmund Husserl, and the Weberian tradition of interpretive sociology. Schutz sought to reconcile these two perspectives by developing a unique approach to understanding social action and constructing social reality.
• Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckmann's "The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge" is a seminal work within the sociology of knowledge. Published in 1966, the book contends that society is a human product, and in turn, humans are a product of society, indicating a continuous dialectical process between the individual and the social structure.

• Erving Goffman, a prominent sociologist, wrote a book titled "Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity," published in 1963. This book is among his most influential works.In "Stigma," Goffman examines how individuals manage and respond to a spoiled social identity, a status that comes from being negatively stereotyped. Goffman identified three types of stigma:

  • Physical Deformities: This includes any physical feature that makes someone different or unusual and can lead to social devaluation.

  • Blemishes of Character: This represents flaws in the character of the individual, often linked to behavioral disorders, criminal backgrounds, or even mental health struggles.

  • Tribal Stigmas: These are stigmas attached to race, religion, or nationality, effectively stigmatizing an individual due to their membership in a specific group.

• Émile Durkheim, a founding figure in the field of sociology, wrote extensively about morality and education. His book, "Moral Education: A Study in the Theory and Application of the Sociology of Education," was published in 1925. This work explores the nature of morality, its place in social life, and how it can be effectively taught in a secular setting.