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UPSC Mains Sociology Paper Topic : Sociological Thinkers

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Sociological Thinkers

Karl Marx

Q. What is the Marxist concept of ‘fetishism of commodities’? 10 Marks/2019

Q. According to Marx, how are human beings alienated from their human potential and what does he suggest to change this? 20 Marks/2018

Q. Analyse Marxian conception of historical materialism as a critique of Hegelian dialectics. 20 Marks/2017

Q. Evaluate Marx's ideas on mode of production. 10 Marks/2016

Emile Durkheim

Q. How well do you think Tonnies, Durkheim, Weber and Marx predicted the character of Modern society? Critique. 10 Marks/2019

Q. Explain Durkheim's basic arguments on suicide. Can you analyse high suicide rates of contemporary Indian society with Durkheim's theory? 20 Marks/2018

Q. In what way did Durkheim perceive religion as functional to society? 10 Marks/2018

Q. Discuss distinct sociological method adopted by Emile Durkheim in his study of ‘suicide’. 20 Marks/2017

Q. Elaborate the views of Durkheim on “The Elementary Forms of Religious Life”. 10 Marks/2015

Max Weber

Q. Discuss the importance of interpretative understanding of social phenomena and explain its limitations. 20 Marks/2019

Q. Distinguish between fact and value in Weber's Protestant Ethic and Spirit of Capitalism. 10 Marks/2018

Q. Examine Max Weber's method of maintaining objectivity in social research. 20 Marks/2016

Q. Which concepts did Weber use to analyse the forms of legitimate domination? 10 Marks/2015

Q. Discuss the role of Calvinist ethic in the development of Capitalism. 20 Marks/2015

Talcott Parsons

Q. How can Parsons' AGIL framework be used to analyse key problems is a society? Discuss. 20 Marks/2018

Q. Critically analyse Talcott Parsons conception of pattern variable’. 10 Marks/2017

Q. Describe the functional prerequisites of social system as given by Talcott Parsons. Examine in the context of a university as a social system. 20 marks/2016

Q. How is social equilibrium maintained in Parsonian framework? 20 marks/2015

Robert K. Merton

Q. What, according to Merton, is the difference between ‘unanticipated consequences’ and ‘latent functions’? Give examples to elaborate. 10 Marks/2019

Q. How, according to Merton, are deviant subcultures generated? 20 Marks/2019

Q. What is the difference between anomie in Merton and Durkheim? Explain. 10 Marks/2018

Q. Analyze the manifest and latent functions of security of the tenure of bureaucrats in the light of Merton's theory. 20 marks/2016

Q. “Anomie is rooted in social structure.” Explain with reference to R.K. Merton’s contribution. 10 marks/2015

Mead

Q. According to Mead, “We play a key role in our own socialization.” 20 Marks/2019

Q. Do you think T and Me are central terms in Mead's work. 10 Marks/2018

Q. “Self and society are twin-born” Examine the statement of Mead. 10 Marks/2015