About the Book
Indian Sociologists: Conversations offers a comprehensive exploration of face-to-face interactions with influential sociologists in India, providing insights into their significant contributions to the discipline. The book features interviews with prominent figures such as Ramkrishna Mukherjee, Yogendra Singh, André Béteille, T.N. Madan, A.M. Shah, Bindeshwar Pathak, D.N. Dhanagare, I.P. Desai, N.R. Sheth, Suma Chitnis, Ratna Naidu, S.L. Sharma, Jayant Lele, P.K.B. Nayar, D. Sundaram, K.L. Sharma, and T.K. Oommen. These scholars are not only widely read across various disciplines but also some of the most prominent public intellectuals in India.
What sets this volume apart is its systematic cross-country approach to interviewing Indian sociologists, offering a unique perspective on major issues from a cross-national, disciplinary standpoint. The book serves as a guide for future research on social issues, presenting fascinating and analytically innovative ideas.
Furthermore, the volume emphasizes the distinctiveness of Indian sociology, rooted in a dialogue between social realities and theoretical perspectives within the Indian societal context. These conversations, presented in book form for the first time, strike a balance between academic rigor and accessibility, making it an engaging read for scholars, students, researchers in sociology and philosophy, as well as general readers.
Contents
Introduction / B.K. NAGLA
1 Marxist Analysis of Indian Society / RAMKRISHNA MUKHERJEE (Anjan Ghosh)
2 Sociology: Present Crisis and Future Prospects / YOGENDRA SINGH (B.K. Nagla and Asheesh Kumar)
3 Sociology as a Rational Discipline: Nature and Scope of the Discipline / ANDRÉ BÉTEILLE (Ankita Mookherjee)
4 Sociology of Religion and Religion of a Sociologist / T.N. MADAN (Ashok Pankaj)
5 The Household Dimension of the Family in India / A.M. SHAH (Kamala Ganesh)
6 The Sociology of Health and Hygiene / BINDESHWAR PATHAK (B.K. Nagla and Asheesh Kumar)
7 Dhanagare’s Quest for an Engaged Sociology in India / D.N. DHANAGARE (Shruti Tambe)
8 I.P. Desai’s Perspective in Indian Sociology / I.P. DESAI (Vidyut Joshi)
9 Social Framework of an Indian Factory / N.R. SHETH (N. Rajaram)
10 Sitting by the Banks of a River / SUMA CHITNIS (Gita Chadha)
11 Values and Models in Modernization / RATNA NAIDU (Aparna Rayaprol)
12 Development and Modernization / S.L. SHARMA (Madhu Nagla)
13 Elite Pluralism and Class Rule / JAYANT LELE (B.K. Nagla)
14 Gerontological Studies / P.K.B. NAYAR (Sobha B. Nair)
15 Social Aspects of Migration / D. SUNDARAM (J. Krishnamurthy)
16 Caste-Class-Power Nexus / K.L. SHARMA (Rashmi Jain)
17 Evolution of an Indian Sociologist: From a Research Scholar to Decorated Academician / T.K. OOMMEN (Vivek Kumar)
About the Author / Editor
B.K. Nagla is former Professor of Sociology at M.D. University, Rohtak. He has researched at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and has taught at M.S. University, Baroda and the National Institute of Criminology and Forensic Science, New Delhi. Post-retirement, he continued his academic journey as a consultant at Kota Open University and as a Professor on Babu Jagjivan Ram Chair at Banaras Hindu University. For his significant contributions in sociology and criminology, he received the ISC-Fellow Award and ISS-Lifetime Achievement Award. He was also the editor of ISS Hindi Journal Bhartiya Samajshastra Sameeksha.
