Master s Degree Programme in Sociology Second Year M.A. Sociology MSO Assignment for students admitted in July 2014 and January 2015 sessions Assignment for the Elective Courses: MSOE-001: Sociology of Education MSOE-002: Diaspora and Transnational Communities MSOE-003: Sociology of Religion MSOE-004: Urban Sociology MPS-003: India: Democracy and Development MPA-016: Decentralization and Local Governance FACULTY OF SOCIOLOGY SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES INDIRA GANDHI NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY MAIDAN GARHI, NEW DELHI-110068
Programme Code: MSO Course Code: MSOE-001, 002, 003, 004, MPS-003, MPA-016/AST/TMA/2014-2015 Dear Student ASSIGNMENTS We have explained in the Programme Guide for the Master s Degree Programme in Sociology (MA Sociology) that you would have to complete one Tutor Marked Assignment TMAs) for each of the courses. In these assignments, we have included several types of questions to sharpen your ability, to describe, to analyse and to critique, and to ensure that you know and are able to write over a topic systematically and coherently. In these assignments there are some broad descriptive and analytical questions. There are 10 questions in each assignment, with two sections. In each section there are five questions. Your answers for a broad question worth 20 marks should be within the approximate range of 500 words each. In case of short question worth 10 marks it should be within 250 words each. It could be advisable to have a group discussion on the questions with your co-learners and the Academic Counsellors in the Study Centres before you attempt these assignments. Remember you are encouraged only to share each other s ideas and not to copy answers at all. Group discussion and constant practice of writing answers to assignment questions will help you to write better answers to questions in the term-end examination. It is important that you write answers to all questions in your own words. Admission Cycle Date of Submission To be sent For students admitted in July 2014 Batch For students admitted in January 2015 Batch 31 st March, 2015 To, The Coordinator of the Study 30 th September, 2015 Centre allotted to you You must obtain a receipt from the Study Centre for the assignments submitted and retain it. If possible, keep a xerox copy of the assignments with you. The Study Centre will have to return the assignments to you after they are evaluated. Please insist on this. The Study Centre has to send the marks to the SR&E Division at IGNOU, New Delhi. Some Tips for Doing Assignments You will find it useful to keep the following points in mind while doing the assignments: 1) Planning: Read the assignments carefully; Go through the units on which they are based. Make some points regarding each question and then rearrange them in a logical order. 2) Organization: Be selective and analytical before drawing up a rough outline of your answer. Give adequate attention to the introduction and conclusion. 3) Presentation: Once you are satisfied with your answer, you can write down the final version for submission. Write each answer neatly and underling each points you with to emphasize. Make sure that the answer is within the stipulated word limit. Wishing you all the best Programme Coordinator Faculty of Sociology School of Social Sciences IGNOU, New Delhi 110068 2
Indira Gandhi National Open University Elective Course in M.A. Sociology MSOE-001: Sociology of Education Tutor Marked Assignment (TMA) Maximum Marks: 100 Weightage: 30% Programme Code: MSO Course Code: MSOE-001 Assignment Code: MSOE-001/AST/TMA/2014-15 Answer five questions worth 100 marks from Sections 1 and 2. Attempt at least two questions from each section. Section-I Answer at least two questions in about 500 words each from this section. Marks 1. Explain the banking concept of education. 20 2. Education contributes to cultural reproduction. Critically discuss. 20 3. Examine the role of politics in development of educational curriculum. 20 4. In what way has education contributed to social change in India? 20 5. Explain the perspective of Amartya Sen and Jean Drez e on education. 20 Section-II 6. Discuss the contribution of private sector in expansion of professional education. 20 7. Discuss the challenges and opportunities of the Open and Distance learning system in contemporary India. 20 8. What do you understand by multicultural education? Critically examine the strategies of executing multicultural education. 20 9. Life-long learning is an important dimension of knowledge society? Discuss. 20 10. Do you think universatization of elementary education is possible? Discuss with reference to the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. 20 3
Indira Gandhi National Open University Elective Course in M.A. Sociology MSOE-002: Diaspora and Transnational Communities Tutor Marked Assignment (TMA) Maximum Marks: 100 Weightage: 30% Programme Code: MSO Course Code: MSOE-002 Assignment Code: MSOE-002/AST/TMA/2014-2015 Answer any five questions selecting at least two from each Section. Your answer should be in about 500 words each. Section I 1. Describe the migration patterns of Indian Diaspora. 20 2. How is the Indian Diaspora in North America different from that of West Asia? Discuss. 20 3. Critically examine some of the approaches to the study of Indian Diaspora. 20 4. Discuss the nature of Indian diaspora in South and South East Asia. 20 Section II 5. Critically analyse the linkages between India and abroad with reference to the Indian diaspora. 20 6. In what way is disporic imagination and condition captured in fiction writing? 20 7. Examine the significance of Bollywood for the Indian diaspora. 20 8. How has internet aided in bringing together communities of diasporic Indians? 20 4
Indira Gandhi National Open University Elective Course in M.A. Sociology MSOE-003: Sociology of Religion Tutor Marked Assignment (TMA-1) Maximum Marks: 100 Weightage: 30% Programme Code: MSO Course Code: MSOE-003 Assignment Code: MSOE-003/AST/TMA/2014-15 Answer any five of the following questions in about 500 words each. Attempt at least two questions from each section. Section I Marks 1. Explain the functional interpretation of religion. 20 2. Examine totemism as an elementary form of religion. 20 3. Discuss the relationship between ascetic Protestantism and capitalism. 20 4. Explain the system of Okka with suitable examples. 20 5. Discuss the roles of priests and prophets in the Nuer society. 20 Section - II 6. Discuss the doctrine and practices of Jainism. 20 7. Explain the concept of God in Christianity. 20 8. Discuss the contemporary debate on conversion. 20 9. Explain the theories of secularism with special reference to the Indian experience. 20 10. Discuss the concept of communalism and its relationship with fundamentalism. 20 5
Indira Gandhi National Open University Elective Course in M.A. Sociology MSOE-004: Urban Sociology Tutor Marked Assignment (TMA) Maximum Marks: 100 Weightage: 30% Programme Code: MSO Course Code: MSOE-004 Assignment Code: MSOE-004/AST/TMA/2014-15 Answer any five questions in about 500 words each. Attempt at least two questions from each section. All questions carry equal marks. Section-I Marks 1. Discuss the subject matter and scope of urban sociology 20 2. Define the concept of city and discuss its various types with illustrations 20 3. Discuss with suitable examples, the process of invasion and succession to describe the structure of city. 20 4. Describe the features of a pilgrimage city and/or Town with examples. 20 5. What is meant by the new urban sociology? Explain. 20 Section-II 6. Describe the process of urbanization and urban growth in India with suitable examples. 20 7. Discuss the changing nature of kinship-ties in urban areas? 20 8. Describe some of the main features of neighbourhood studies. What is its significances? 20 9. Is urban poverty in India linked with rural poverty? Discuss. 20 10. What is meant by urban planning? Discuss its nature and scope. 20 6
INDIA: DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT (MPS-003) TUTOR MARKED ASSIGNMENT Course Code: MPS-003 Assignment Code: Asst/TMA/2014-15 Marks: 100 Answer five questions in all, selecting at least two questions from each section. Each question is to be answered in about 500 words. Each question carries 20 marks. SECTION-I 1. Discuss how democracy and development are related to each other. 2. Critically examine the following in about 250 words each: a) The idea of planning b) The main features of the RPIs in India 3. Can poverty be reduced by the increase in income alone? Discuss. 4. Discuss the role of media in shaping public opinion and public policies. 5. Discuss the contribution of civil society to democracy in India. SECTION-II 6. Comment on the following in about 250 words each: a) Working of the federal system in India b) Caste in Indian democracy 7. Comment on the following in about 250 words each. a) Development and gender b) The basis of regionalism in India 8. Analyse the nature of state response to the challenge of ethnicity in India. 9. Comment on the following in about 250 words each: a) Substantive democracy b) Manifestation of ethnicity 10. Examine the impact of the new economic policy on the working class in India. 7
MPA-016: DECENTRALISATION AND LOCAL GOVERNANCE (TMA) Course Code: MPA-016 Assignment Code: MPA-016/Asst/TMA/2014-2015 Marks: 100 This Assignment consists of Section - I and Section - II. There are five questions in each section. You have to answer a total of five questions in about 500 words each, selecting at least two questions from each section. Each question carries 20 marks. Section-I 1) Define Democratic Decentralisation and discuss its evolution in India. 2) Discuss the economic context of Democratic Decentralisation. 3) Examine different fields of partnership between Union and State Governments. 4) Discuss the issue of Administrative Decentralisation in Local Governance. 5) Write short notes on the following in 250 words each: a) Concept of empowerment b) Bhagidari: A model of good governance Section-II 6) Discus the evolution of Urban Local Government in India. 7) Describe the significance and issues in Micro-level Planning. 8) Explain the intra-tier responsibilities as enunciated in the 11 th schedule. 9) Define Sustainable Development and identify inter-linkages between sustainable development and governance. 10) Write short notes on the following in 250 words each: a) District Planning Committee b) Capacity building of elected functionaries 8