Syllabus (ANTHROPOLOGY)

Course Type: MAJ-8

Semester: 6

Course Code: BANTMAJ08C

Course Title: Indian Anthropology 

(L-P-Tu): 5-1-0

Credit: 6

Practical/Theory: Combined

Course Objective: To understand the Indian society and culture To understand the ethnic heterogeneity in Indian subcontinent To understand the key components developed by various Indian and overseas Anthropologists

Learning Outcome: The students will learn about how anthropology originated and evolved in India; Indian society on the basis of some key concepts developed by various anthropologists and sociologists; the contributions of some western anthropologists to understanding Indi

SEMESTER – VI 3 Courses x 6 credits = 18 credits

BANTMJ08C: Indian Anthropology 6 credits

Total Marks: 50 (30 theory + 20 practical)

Unit – I: Origin, history and development of Anthropology in India, geographical and linguistic elements in Indian population.

Unit – II: Understanding the diversity of Indian society: varna, jati, caste, tribe, ashrama, purusartha.

Unit - III: Basic concepts for understanding Indian society and culture: great tradition and little tradition, universalization and parochialization, sanskritization, dominant caste, tribecaste continuum, nature-man-spirit complex.

Unit – IV: Contribution of western anthropologists to Anthropology of India: W.H.R. Rivers, Scarlet Epstein, Gerald Berreman, Milton Singer, Ronald Inden, Verrier Elwin, and C. von FurerHaimendorf.

Practical 20 marks

Review a book on Indian social structure such as caste, religion, tribe or rural population and give its salient features.

Highlight the contributions of any one Indian anthropologist.

Make an Atlas of India based on the linguistic elements of the Indian Population.

References

Bernard, C.S. 2000. India: The Social Anthropology of Civilization. Delhi: Oxford University Press.

Bhasin, M.K., Watter, H. and Danker-Hopfe, H. 1994. People of India – An Investigation of Biological variability in Ecological, Ethno-economic and Linguistic Groups. Delhi: Kamla-Raj Enterprises.

Danda, A.K. and Dipali Danda (eds). 2010. Anthropology in India: Current Epistemology and Future Challenges. Jhargram: INCAA. Dube, S.C. 1992. Indian Society. New Delhi: National Book Trust.

Dumont, L. 1980. Homo Hierachicus. University of Chicago Press.

Guha, B.S. 1931. The racial attributes of people of India. In: Census of India 1931, vol I, Part III.

Haddon, A.C. 1929. Races of Man. London: Cambridge University.

Hasnain, Nadeem. 1991. Readings in Indian Anthropology. New Delhi: Harnam Publications.

Kapoor, A.K. 1992. Genetic Diversity among Himalayan Human Populations. Jammu: Vinod Publishers.

Karve, I. 1961. Hindu Society: An Interpretation. Poona: Deccan College.

Lopez, D.S. 1995. Religions of India in Practice. Princeton University Press.

Majumdar, DN. 1901. Races and Culture of India. Bombay: Asia Publishing House.

Nicholas, D. 2001. Castes of Mind: Colonialism and the Making of Modern India. Princeton University Press.

Trautmann, T.R. 2011. India: Brief history of Civilization. Delhi: Oxford University Press.

Vidyarthi, L.P and Rai, B.K. 1976. The tribal culture of India. Delhi: Concept Publishing Co.