About the Book

The book provides a crisp conceptual view of modernity, globalization and social stratification in the beginning. Then, in Part I, it deliberates in detail on the idea of modernity and theories of modernism and post-modernism. Against this backdrop, it looks at sociologically in Part II on the substantive issues of environment, climate change, Indian diaspora, Sansis tribal community,   Covid-19, science, technology and society. In Part III, it discusses some aspects of caste stratification and social mobility, particularly of SCs, in post-Independence India. The volume shows that India does not conform to the universalist hypothesis of Western modernity. There is seen a hiatus in the external and internal features of modernity/globalization prevailing in the country. Hence, India emerges as one of the versions of multiple modernities in the world. It is felt that given the serious global risks in the age of capitalist globalization confronting the country like the whole world, there is a need of radical shift in the LPG paradigm of development reigning today to avert the risks and attain a just and sustainable future for all.

Considering the wide range of important issues deliberated here, the book would be useful to graduate and postgraduate students and research scholars in sociology, social anthropology, development studies and also to policy analysts, policy makers, and activists.

Contents

Modernity, Globalization, and Social Stratification:           1

An Introduction

Kameshwar Choudhary and B.K. Nagla

Part I: Theoretical Dimension

 Theories of Modernism and Postmodernism: An Appraisal

J.P. Singh

 Problematizing the Idea of Modernity

D.V. Kumar

 Part II: Some Aspects of Modernity and Globalization

 Environment and Development: Ethical and Empirical Paradox

Bibhuti Bhushan Malik and Nirakar Mallick

 Role of Women in Adaptation to Climate Change

Shweta Prasad

 Indian Diaspora: Families and Ageing Issues

Mala Kapur Shankardass

 Making Sense of the Impact of COVID–19 in India

Anand Kumar

  Emerging Societal Trends in the Time of COVID–19: Tracing Some Postmodernity Features

Madhu Nagla

 Belief Pattern Regarding Disease among Sansis Community: An Anthroposociological Study

Pragya Sharma

 Science, Technology, and Society: Responses, Reflections and Responsibilities

B.K. Nagla

 Part III: Social Stratification and Mobility

 Social Stratification and Mobility in Indian Society: A Case Study of Scheduled Castes

Richard Pais

 Craft of Untouchables at the Capitalist Racing: A Social Study of Shoemakers in India

Sinyutin Mikhail Vladimirovich, Karapetyan Ruben Vartanovich and Veselov Yuri Vitalievich

 Becoming Entrepreneurs: An Artisan Caste of Punjab

Gurpreet Bal

 Sanitation and the Transformation of Macro-Social Structure and Micro-Social Structure

Sanjay Kumar Mishra and Prabhleen Kaur Pabla

Social Democracy: An Unfinished Project in India

Sanjay K. Roy

 Editors and Contributors

 Index

About the Author / Editor

Kameshwar Choudhary is former Professor of Sociology, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar (Central) University, Lucknow, India. Earlier, he was Professor of Sociology at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi; Associate Professor at Institute of Rural Management, Anand (Gujarat); and Lecturer in Sociology at Institute of Social Sciences, Agra. He was Visiting Fellow at CSSS, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and Associate at the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla.  His books have been published by reputed national and international publishers. He has also published several papers in reputed journals, edited books and articles in newspapers. He was honoured with Prof. L.P. Vidyarthi Memorial Award 2017 by the Indian Social Science Association.

B.K. Nagla is former Professor of Sociology at M.D. University, Rohtak, India. 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, Kota and as a Professor on Babu Jagjivan Ram Chair at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. Professor Nagla has published 12 books in areas like political sociology, Indian sociological thought, and social stratification.  For his significant contributions in sociology and criminology, he received the ISC-Fellow Award and Lifetime Achievement Award by Rajasthan Sociological Society and also by the Indian Sociological Society. He was also the editor of ISS Hindi Journal Bhartiya Samajshastra Sameeksha.