B.A. Social Notes

                                        Liberty Meaning of Liberty- Liberty has been derived from the Latin word 'Liber' which means free from all shackles. Liber denotes the absence of all restraints . It means one can do whatever one likes,regardless of all conditions. Liberty is possible only in an ordered State,a state where the legal and political aspects of sovereignty coincide or nearly coincide. Definition of Liberty- 1- According to Seeley ,"Liberty is the opposite of over-government". 2- Mr. Burns defined "liberty to grow to one's natural height ,to develop one's abilities". 3- Gettel says, "Liberty is the positive power of doing and enjoying those things which are worthy of enjoyment and work ". 4- According to Mahatma Gandhi ,"Liberty does not mean the absence of restraints but it lies in development of liberty ". 5- Laski maintains ,"Without rights there ...

       Nature,Scope and Methods of Political                                       Science Meaning of Political Science- The term Political Science is related to the word "Politics",which self is derived from the Greek word-"Polis" which means city-state. The origin of political thought in the west . The sophists particularly Protagoras and Georgias in Athens were the first to deal with this mode of thought and then expound a political theory. Later on Socrates ,Plato and Aristotle continued to conduct the scientific study of the various problems concerning the state and the government. Definition of Political Science- 1- Paul Janet says that "Political Science is the part of social science which treats of the foundations of the State and the principles of government. 2- According to Garris, "Political Science deals with the origin,development,purpose, a...

                        Purusharthas Meaning- The concept of 'Purusharthas' is the fundamental principle of the Indian social ethics. The word 'Purusharthas' implies 'attainments' or 'life purposes'. According to this concept, the aim of every person is to attain four noble ends or Purusharthas. They are Dharma,Artha,Kama and Moksha. These Purusharthas govern the Hindu views of life. They are the guiding principles of life for the Hindus at all stages of their development. The entire Hindu social organization is built on the foundation of the Purusharthas.   Four Purusharthas- 1- Dharma 2- Artha 3- Kama 4- Moksha 1-Dharma (The principal of Righteousness)- It is the supreme principle of life. It is the major end of human life. The word "Dharma" is derived from the Sanskrit root "Dhri" , meaning "to hold together, to sustain, to preserve " What does the dharma hold together? It holds together the whole universe...

                                     Ashrama The Sanskrit word "Ashrama" literally denotes a halting or resting place . The word also means 'stages', 'monastery', duties, etc. The word Ashrama comes from the Sanskrit room "Srama" which means "making an effort ".In this way, "Ashrama" literally means a step in the journey of life. According to Hindu ethics, the final aim of life is liberation or 'Moksha'. Every Asrama is a step in the long journey towards the realization of that aim.                                             The four Ashramas- Brahmacharya (Stage of Studentship) Grihastha (Stage of Householder) Vanaprastha (Philosophic Recluse) Sanyasa (Stage of Renunciation or Wandering Mystic)                 ...

                                Reference group The term 'reference group' was introduced into the literature on small groups by Muzafer Sarif in his textbooks "An outline of Social Psychology-1948. He used the term in contrast to the membership group.Membership group refer to a group which a person belongs,while the reference group refers to a group that affects his behaviour. Ogburn and Nimkoff ,"group which serves as a points of comparison are known as reference group". Horton and Hunt sa ys that " A reference group is any group to which we refer when making judgements any group whose values judgments become our values judgments." They have further said "groups which are important as models for ones ideas and conduct norms can be called reference group.                       Types of Reference Groups Sociologists have identified two ...

                                         Group A group is a number of units of anything in close proximity to one another such as group of trees in a forest,a group of air planes in an airport. Thus,the term 'group' is used generally to state the fact of association.It implies nothing as to the size,form,function,permanence or cohesive principle. Social group- A social group comes into existence,"Whenever two or more persons interact,whether in the intimacy of a picnic or in the roar of a bargain sale,they are groups".Social group is a mental phenomenon, rather than a physical entity. It requires three things for its formation. 1-Reciprocal stimulus 2-Response, and 3-Mutual awareness,that is the consciousness of interaction. Harry M.Johnson  says that 'A social group is a system of social interaction '. Ogburn and Nimkoff, " Whenever two or more individuals come tog...

                                       Communities Community- Community plays an important role in the life of an individual.A community is the total organised social life of a locality."The mark of a community is that one's life may be lived wholly within it." One cannot live wholly within a business organisation or a church;one can live wholly within a tribe or a city.Some communities are inclusive and independent on others. There are a few premitive communities like that of the Yurok tribes of California which are almost isolated but modern communities have big population and very much dependent on other communities. The character of the community and the role of the individual in it depend much on its territorial size,size of the population,nature of the local government and the economic pursuits of the people. The community has been an expression that emphasised the unity of the ...