BIT Sociology

bitsemester 1

The course Basic Sociology for BIT is a basic course for Bachelor in Information Technology which familiarizes the students with the subject matter of sociology in terms of broader understanding of society in relation to information technology. It helps students understand the importance of sociology for BIT students as its relationship to other sciences. More importantly, it enhances the capability of understanding and analyzing society among BIT students so that they can apply New Information and Technology with better understanding of social structure, social system, social processes, and social institutions to bring social change using new information technology.

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Sociology

Subject Code: SCO105

Course Title: Sociology

Course No: SCO105

Nature of Course: Theory & Practical

Full Marks: 100

Pass Marks: 40

Credit Hours: 3

Course Description

Course Objective

At the end of this course, students will be able to: • Describe sociology and discuss its relationship to other sciences (social sciences; history, psychology, anthropology, economics and political science including management and education as well as pure sciences; information technology, biology, and so on). • Comprehend and explain the fundamental sociological concepts. • Discuss social structure, social system, social processes, etc. in relation to information technology • Analyze social structure, social system, cultural practices and develop a framework of applying new information technology in proper way.

Course Contents

Specific Objectives	Contents
• Define and discuss sociology, its subject matter at present context.<br>• Explain the relationship between sociology and other social and natural sciences.<br>• Differentiate between traditional and technological society.<br>• Discuss the nature of sociology in the twenty first century.	Unit I: Introduction (9 hrs)<br>a) What is sociology? Sociological viewpoint; the origins of sociology; perspectives within sociology; sociology and social concerns; sociology's four realms.<br>b) Relationship between sociology and other social and natural sciences: focus on sociology and information technology; biology; chemistry; anthropology; psychology; management; education; law, etc.<br>c) Traditional society and technological society<br>d) Sociology and the twenty first century<br>e) Information technology and society
• Discuss the concept of culture as fundamental of society.<br>• Describe the key components of culture with major features.<br>• Explain the process of development of culture around the world and its expansion.	Unit II: The Fundamentals of Society (9 hrs)<br>a) Culture: culture and human intelligence; culture, nation, and society<br>b) The components of culture: symbols; language; values and beliefs; norms; ideal and real culture; material culture and technology; new information technology and culture<br>c) Development of culture around the world: cultural universals; globalization, diffusion, and technology
• Discuss the concept of social structure and describe major forms of social structure.<br>• Describe major forms of social structure with key features in relation to information technology.<br>• Discuss information technology as one of the major form of social structure.	Unit III: The Social Structure (12 hrs)<br>a) The sustaining forces of codes and custom: the more and social control; the major forms of social codes; social codes and the individual life<br>b) The major forms of social structure: types of social groups; the family; the community; city, country, and region; social class and caste; ethnic and racial groups; herd, crowd, and mass communication; associations and interests; the great association: political and economic; functional systems<br>c) Information technology
• Discuss social institutions and social processes with suitable examples.<br>• Describe various types of social institutions and processes such as economic, political, religion, social stratification and differentiation.	Unit IV: Social Institutions and Processes (9 hrs)<br>a) Social structure, societies and civilizations<br>b) Science, technology and society<br>c) Economic institutions<br>d) Political institutions<br>e) The marriage, family and kinship<br>f) Social differentiation and stratification
• Discuss the concept of social change and differentiate it from development and progress.<br>• Describe the features of modernity and post-modernity and explain the global process of modernization as globalization.	Unit V: Social Change (6 hrs)<br>a) Change, development, progress<br>b) Factors in social change<br>c) Modernity<br>d) Post-modernity<br>e) Globalization and changing world
• Discuss the application of sociology in social policy and planning and play role in solving social problems.	Unit VI: Application of Sociology (3 hrs)<br>a) Sociology, social policy and social planning<br>b) Social problems

Note: The figures in the parentheses indicate the approximate periods for the respective units.

Instructional Techniques

General techniques

Lecture and discussion
Group and individual work
Self study

Specific techniques

Project work
Presentation

Evaluation

Internal Exam (40%)

Class room discussion and participation
Project work and group work
Term paper
Send up exam

Final Examination (60%)

Written exam

BIT-Sociology Curriculum Mapping Matrix

Unit, Title and Teaching Hours	Learning Outcomes	Main Contents	Specific Contents	Pedagogy/Delivery Modes	Key References
Unit I: Introduction (9 hrs.)	• Define and discuss sociology, its subject matter at present context.<br>• Explain the relationship between sociology and other social and natural sciences.<br>• Differentiate between traditional and technological society.<br>• Discuss the nature of sociology in the twenty first century.	• What is sociology? Sociological viewpoint; the origins of sociology; perspectives within sociology; sociology and social concerns; sociology's four realms.<br>• Relationship between sociology and other social and natural sciences: focus on sociology and information technology; biology; chemistry; anthropology; psychology; management; education; law, etc.<br>• Traditional society and technological society<br>• Sociology and the twenty first century<br>• Information technology and society	Sociology as a social science; scientific study of social structure and social interaction and of the factors making for change in social structure and social interaction; science, social structure, social interaction, social change; Auguste Comte, Karl Marx, Durkheim, Max Weber; functionalist, conflict, symbolic interactionist; explanation of different aspects of society from different perspectives; basic science, critical sociology, applied research and public activism. Similarities and differences between sociology and other sciences; social science focus on social features of human and natural science focus on physical features of nature and the relationship. Simple economy, subsistence, kinship, group, conservatism; technical environment, complex organization, bureaucracy, rationality, faith in science, industry, mass communication. Social change happening faster, adoption of modern technological materials; mobile, automobile, camera, washing machine, laptop, machines, and so on. AI as intelligence system in society; social factors shaping technology and vice versa its use.	Study material<br>Presentations<br>Live classes and interactions<br>Discussion<br>Q & A	Recommended in the reading list of the Unit-I of the course.
Unit II: The Fundamentals of Society (9 hrs.)	• Discuss the concept of culture as fundamental of society.<br>• Describe the key components of culture with major features.<br>• Explain the process of development of culture around the world and its expansion.	• Culture: culture and human intelligence; culture, nation, and society<br>• The components of culture: symbols; language; values and beliefs; norms; ideal and real culture; material culture and technology; new information technology and culture<br>• Development of culture around the world: cultural universals; globalization, diffusion, and technology	Individual and society, culture and personality; culture and human intelligence; culture-shared belief, nation-political entity-territory; elements of culture-symbol, language, values and belief, norms, ideal culture-assumed, real culture-in practice; technology ahead-culture behind; new information technology and culture; cultural diversity and many ways of life-high culture-society's elite culture and popular culture-society's population or mass culture. Common practices and beliefs; global culture, diffusion of culture, role of technology in diffusing culture	Study materials<br>Presentations<br>Live classes and interactions<br>Discussion<br>Q & A	Recommended in the reading list of the Unit-II of the course.
Unit III: The Social Structure (12 hrs.)	• Discuss the concept of social structure and describe major forms of social structure.<br>• Describe major forms of social structure with key features in relation to information technology.<br>• Discuss information technology as one of the major form of social structure.	• The sustaining forces of codes and custom: the more and social control; the major forms of social codes; social codes and the individual life<br>• The major forms of social structure: types of social groups; the family; the community; city, country, and region; social class and caste; ethnic and racial groups; herd, crowd, and mass communication; associations and interests; the great association: political and economic; functional systems<br>• Information technology	Codes and sanctions in social life, custom and law, the mores and social control, custom and individual life, individuals confronting the mores, social codes and individual judgement, the problems of moral liberty. Social structure-groups in social life, family, community, city, country and region, comparing city and the country, urban and rural life, social class and caste, ethnic and racial groups, herd, crowd and mass communication, associations and interests, the great association; political, economic and cultural; functional systems-culture and civilization. Information technology; technology and its role in shaping society in different ways; religion, culture, and so on.	Study materials<br>Presentations<br>Live classes and interactions<br>Discussion<br>Q & A	Recommended in the reading list of the Unit-III of the course.
Unit IV: Social Institutions and Processes (9 hrs.)	• Discuss social institutions and social processes with suitable examples.<br>• Describe various types of social institutions and processes such as economic, political, religion, social stratification and differentiation.	• Social structure, societies and civilizations<br>• Science, technology and society<br>• Economic institutions<br>• Political institutions<br>• The family and kinship<br>• Social differentiation and stratification	Social structure, types societies-Tonnies' Gemeinschaft and Gesselschaeft, Durkheim's mechanical solidarity and organic soladirity; Maine's status and contract, Spencer's militant and industrial societies; civilization and culture; savage and civilized; nature people and culture people. Science, technology and society; four elements in any technique; type of implement, the kind of operation, the sources of power, the nature of social interaction, social factors fostering and hindering technological development. Economic institutions; property, contract, technology, modern economic institutions. Political institutions; political control, the function of government, political structure, the nature of political action, government and stratification, the concept of a world state, governance through technology; e-governance. The marriage, family and kinship in technological society. Social differentiation and stratification based on technology.	Study materials<br>Presentations<br>Live classes and interactions<br>Discussion<br>Q & A	Recommended in the reading list of the Unit-IV of the course.
Unit V: Social Change (6 hrs.)	• Discuss the concept of social change and differentiate it from development and progress.<br>• Describe the features of modernity and post-modernity and explain the global process of modernization as globalization.	• Change, development, progress<br>• Factors in social change<br>• Modernity<br>• Post-modernity<br>• Globalization and changing world	Change, evolution, development and progress; difference between biological and social evolution; social development-increase in scale, efficiency, mutuality, and freedom, economic growth as progress; social change as the transformation in culture and social institutions in society. Social evolution; functionalist, modernization, conflict, world systems theories and change; catalyst for change-human agency-individual and collective, revolution and war, cultural process, natural catastrophes, technology, idea and change, population/demography. Modernity; social change brought by industrial revolution; decline of traditional communities, expansion of personal choice, increasing social diversity; Tonnies, Durkheim, Marx, Weber. Post-modernity; global variation in science, society, culture, transformation by the information revolution and the postindustrial economy. Globalization as interdependence of countries on culture, economy, societies/population in the globe; disappearance of pre-modern societies-hunting and gathering, agricultural, pastoral, traditional; the modern world: industrialized world with advanced technology; the network society	Study materials<br>Presentations<br>Live classes and interactions<br>Discussion<br>Q & A	Recommended in the reading list of the Unit-V of the course.
Unit VI: Application of Sociology (3 hrs.)	• Discuss the application of sociology in social policy and planning and the role of IT expert in solving social problems.	• Sociology, social policy and social planning<br>• Social problems	Study of technological society; spread of information technology-computer based technology; use of technology and creation of new society; policy based on technology; planning based on technology; financial market and internet based technology and society; formation of social policy based on research/data/use of technology; social and economic planning using technology/data/software/equipment. Solving social problems through research based policy, planning and programming; program implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Use of technology and the computer family; dispute resolution using IT, creating network society.	Study materials<br>Presentations<br>Live classes and interactions<br>Discussion<br>Q & A	Recommended in the reading list of the Unit-VI of the course.

Required Readings (by Unit)

Unit I: Introduction

Curry, Tim, Jiobu, Robert and Schwirian, Kent. 2008. Sociology for the Twenty First Century. Fifth Edition. Pp. 1-25. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Schaefer, Richard T. 2006. Sociology: A Brief Introduction. Sixth Edition. Pp. 3-26. New Delhi: TATA MCGRAW-HILL.
Inkeles, Alex. 2001. What is sociology? An introduction to the discipline and profession. Pp. 1-17; 18-24; 28-46. New Delhi: Prentice Hall of India pvt. Ltd.
Macionis, John J. 1987. Sociology. Eighth Edition. Pp. 1-24. New Jersey: Prentice Hall of India.
Haralambos, M. And Heald, R. M. 2009. Sociology: Themes and Perspectives. Thirty-fourth Impression. Pp. 1-23. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
MacIver, R.M. & Page, C.H. 2001. Society: An Introductory Analysis. Reprinted. Pp. 1-23. New Delhi: MACMILLAN.
Rocher, Guy. 2004. A General Introduction to Sociology: A Theoretical Perspective. Pp. 2-5; 210-255. Calcutta, India: Academic Publishers.
McQuail, Denis. 1985. Sociology of Mass Communication. Annual Review of Sociology, Vol. 11 (1985), pp. 93-111. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2083287; Accessed: 05-10-2017 07:12 UTC.
Buttel, Frederick H. 1991. Beyond Deference and Demystification in the Sociology of Science and Technology: A Reply to Otero. Sociological Forum, Vol. 6, No. 3 (Sep., 1991), pp. 567-577. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/684519; Accessed: 05-10-2017 07:18 UTC.
Castells, Manuel. 2000, Sep. Toward a Sociology of the Network Society. Contemporary Sociology, Vol. 29, No. 5 (Sep., 2000), pp. 693-699. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2655234; Accessed: 05-10-2017 07:19 UTC.
Wynn, Jonathan R. 2009. Digital Sociology: Emergent Technologies in the Field and the Classroom. Sociological Forum, Vol. 24, No. 2 (Jun., 2009), pp. 448-456. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40210412; Accessed: 05-10-2017 07:23 UTC.
Woolgar, Steve. 1985. Why not a Sociology of Machines? The Case of Sociology and Artificial Intelligence. Sociology, Vol. 19, No. 4 (November 1985), pp. 557-572. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/42853468; Accessed: 05-10-2017 07:22 UTC.
Rafael, Erwin F. 2013. Technology as a Social System: A Systems Theoretical Conceptualization. Philippine Sociological Review, Vol. 61, No. 2, Classical Sociological Theory in Contemporary Practice. (July-December 2013), pp. 319-347. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/43486378; Accessed: 05-10-2017 07:30 UTC.

Unit II: The Fundamentals of Society

MacIver, R.M. & Page, C.H. 2001. Society: An Introductory Analysis. Reprinted. Pp. 136-507. New Delhi: MACMILLAN.
Macionis, John J. 1987. Sociology. Eighth Edition. Pp. 59-88. New Jersey: Prentice Hall of India.
Schaefer, Richard T. 2006. Sociology: A Brief Introduction. Sixth Edition. Pp. 55-78. New Delhi: TATA MCGRAW-HILL.
Curry, Tim, Jiobu, Robert and Schwirian, Kent. 2008. Sociology for the Twenty First Century. Fifth Edition. Pp. 46-60. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.
MacIver, R.M. & Page, C.H. 2001. Society: An Introductory Analysis. Reprinted. Pp. 41-71. New Delhi: MACMILLAN.
Luthar, Breda and Samo Kropivnik. 2011. Class, Cultural Capital, and the Mobile Phone. Sociologický Časopis / Czech Sociological Review, Vol. 47, No. 6 (2011), pp. 1091-1118. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/23535016; Accessed: 05-10-2017 07:30 UTC.

Unit III: The Social Structure

MacIver, R.M. & Page, C.H. 2001. Society: An Introductory Analysis. Reprinted. Pp. 136-507. New Delhi: MACMILLAN.
Mckee, James B. 1981. Sociology: The Study of Society. Pp. 287-408. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Pfeffer, Jeffrey and Huseyin Leblebici. 1977 Apr. Information Technology and Organizational Structure. The Pacific Sociological Review, Vol. 20, No. 2 (Apr., 1977), pp. 241-261. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1388934; Accessed: 05-10-2017 07:12 UTC.
Lyon, David. 1987. Information Technology and Information Society: A response to Fincham. Sociology, Vol. 21, No. 3 (August 1987), pp. 467-468. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/42854004; Accessed: 05-10-2017 07:15 UTC.

Unit IV: Social Institutions and Processes

Bottomore, T. B. 1986. Sociology: A Guide to Problems and Literature. New Edition. Pp. 113-216. New Delhi: Blackie & Son (India).
Davis, Kingsley. 1981. Human Society. First Indian Reprint. Pp. 435-550. New Delhi: Surjeet Publications.
Mckee, James B. 1981. Sociology: The Study of Society. Pp. 287-408. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Mellor, Philip A. 2004. Religion, Culture and Society in the 'Information Age'. Sociology of Religion, Vol. 65, No. 4, Special Issue: [Culture and Constraint in the Sociology of Religion] (Winter, 2004), pp. 357-371. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3712319; Accessed: 05-10-2017 07:29 UTC.

Unit V: Social Change

Bottomore, T. B. 1986. Sociology: A Guide to Problems and Literature. New Edition. Pp. 283-314. New Delhi: Blackie & Son (India).
Curry, Tim, Jiobu, Robert and Schwirian, Kent. 2008. Sociology for the Twenty First Century. Fifth Edition. Pp. 61-79. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Macionis, John J. 1987. Sociology. Eighth Edition. Pp. 623-647. New Jersey: Prentice Hall of India.
Giddens, Anthony. 2006. Sociology. Fifth Edition. Pp. 30-71. New Delhi: Polity Press.

Unit VI: Application of Sociology

Guthrie, Doug. 1999. A Sociological Perspective on the Use of Technology: The Adoption of Internet Technology in U.S. Organizations. Sociological Perspectives, Vol. 42, No. 4 (Winter, 1999), pp. 583-603. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1389575; Accessed: 05-10-2017 07:12 UTC.
Bottomore, T. B. 1986. Sociology: A Guide to Problems and Literature. New Edition. Pp. 315-343. New Delhi: Blackie & Son (India).
Diebold, John. 1962. The Application of Information Technology. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 340, Automation (Mar., 1962), pp. 38-45. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1033697; Accessed: 05-10-2017 07:11 UTC.
Fox, Nick, Katie Ward and Alan O'Rourke. 2006. A Sociology of Technology Governance for the Information Age: The Case of Pharmaceuticals, Consumer Advertising and the Internet. Sociology, Vol. 40, No. 2 (APRIL 2006), pp. 315-334. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/42858172; Accessed: 05-10-2017 07:17 UTC.