பாடநெறி விவரங்கள்

SOC 4274 Contemporary Rural Society

Course Description

Urban rural divide is gradually losing its significance due to national, international and global tendencies. Contemporary rural societies have undergone many changes in demographic, economic, social and political terms. Yet, rural societies continue to have some of their own peculiarities and identities that are of a sociological significance. Students will be guided through the relevant literature mainly on Sri Lanka and India. 

• To provide an understanding of the changes that have taken place in rural societies 

• To provide an understanding of the existing social issues in rural societies 

• To provide an understanding of the theoretical approaches to examining rural societies
  

Text Books;

Jayawardena, Kumari., 2000. Nobodies to Somebodies. Colombo Social Scientist Association.

Perera, Ranjith.,eds. 2011. Newton Gunasinghe Selected Essays. Colombo: Social Scientist Association.

Grading-Labor Contract

This course will be taught on two tracks: background material on the theoretical categories such as rural society, culture, and integration, etc., will be presented in lecture; discussions will focus on the readings. Attendance in discussions is required. Always bring the relevant text to discussion.

Class Contribution: 10%: This portion of your grade will depend on your contribution to the class environment and will be assessed based on your engagement with lectures and discussion sessions. This means: engagement in discussions, presentations, listening to your peers and incorporating/building off their insights in your own comments, being prepared for class and formulating questions about the readings and lectures.

Reading Responses (RR): 30%: Contribute weekly reading responses of 300 words. These will relate to the readings, and may be structured in one of two ways (or a combination).

a. Identify a “golden line” or quotation that you believe is significant and reflects the

author's major point(s). You will then note why it is an important point (contextualize it), and finally raise any comments, questions, or disagreements with the author that you may have.

b. Alternately, you can structure your response around a challenging question, very brief personal story, or a visual that you are reminded of (e.g. photograph). You should show how you understand the author’s main arguments or points, and what you find provocative, challenging, difficult, or affirming. What do the readings and your story, question or visual inspire you to do or think about? 

RRs are preparation for discussion, not freestanding assignments. Always bring the relevant text to discussion. The response needs to engage with the readings and ask an analytical (not yes/no) question. It must end with a question that can generate productive conversations. It is necessary to demonstrate through your response that you have read/watched and understood the material assigned.

Mid-term (5-pp.): 20%: Comparative Essay

Write a comparative essay of the three videos answering the following questions.

Final essay (8-9pp): 40%

Course Schedule (Subject to Modification)

Week 01: Introduction

Watch: Danger of a Single Story  

https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story?language=en (Links to an external site.)

Introduction to Rural Society

Week 02: Agrarian Studies in Indian Sociology 

Agrarian Question, B.B. Mohanty (Part one)

Week 03: What is rural? 

Agrarian Question, B.B. Mohanty (Part two) 

https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences/applied-and-social-sciences-magazines/rural-society

The Origin of Rural Sociology 

Buttel, F. H. 2001. Rural Sociology. In Knowledge, Sociology of: International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences. Knowledge, Sociology of. eds. Smelser,Neil J. and Paul B. Baltes. Vol. 12. Pergamon. Pp13429-13433. 

The Evolution of Villages in Sri Lanka 

Week 04: 

Gunasinghe, Newton.1996. Agrarian Relations in the kandyan Countryside in relation to the concept of extreme social disintegration. Colombo: SSA. Pp. 69-113.

Week 05: 

Jayawardena, Kumari., 2000. Introduction. Nobodies to Somebodies. Colombo Social Scientist Association.

Week 06: 

Watch:

Watch: Baddegama

Week 07: Economic Changes in Village Societies 

Moore, Mick. 1989. The Ideological History of the Sri Lankan 'Peasantry'

Week 08: Lecture: Dhanusha Pathirana 

The Role of Kinship and Caste in Rural Societies

Week 09: Village and Caste 

Mid-term is due

Week 10:  Land Tenure, Kinship and Land

Week 11: Changes of Rural Society 

Jayawardena, Kumari. 2000. Introduction. In Nobodies to Somebodies: The rise of the Colonial Bourgeoisie in Sri Lanka.

Week 12: Udagama 

Woost, Michael. 1994. Developing a Nation of Villages: Rural community as state formation in Sri Lanka

The Impact on Agrarian Changes on Rural Society 

Moore, Mick. 1985. Land Reform. In The State and Peasant Politics in Sri Lanka. London: Cambridge University Press.

Week 14: Micro Finance 

Lecture: Amali Wedagedara

Week 15: Issues in the Rural Settings 

Lecture: Sandun Thudugala/ Chinthaka Rajapaksha/ Vimukthi De Silva