Anthropology Optional

Meaning, Scope and Development of Anthropology

Meaning and scope of anthropology, its development as a discipline, relationships with other disciplines — social sciences, behavioral sciences, life sciences, medical sciences, earth sciences

Main Branches of Anthropology

Physical / Biological Anthropology, Social / Cultural Anthropology, Archaeological Anthropology, and Linguistic Anthropology — scope and interrelations

Human Evolution and Emergence of Man

Organic evolution, theories of evolution — Lamarckism, Darwinism, Synthetic Theory; palaeontological evidence; evolutionary history of primates; Australopithecines; Homo erectus; archaic and anatomically modern Homo sapiens

Biological Basis of Life

Cell, DNA, RNA, protein synthesis, genetic code; Mendelian genetics, chromosomal theory of heredity, sex determination, linkage, crossing over, gene mutation

Human Genetics

Methods of human genetics — pedigree, twin, cytogenetic, biochemical; genetics of ABO, Rh blood groups; HLA system; eugenics and euphenics; population genetics — Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium; consanguinity; genetic disorders — chromosomal and Mendelian

Concept of Race and Racism

Biological basis of racial classifications; typological vs population concept of race; racism and its critique; racial elements in Indian population — racial affinities

Concept of Human Growth and Development

Stages of growth — infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood; factors influencing growth — genetic, hormonal, environmental, nutritional; concept of secular trend; relevance of menarche, menopause and other bioevents to fertility patterns

Applicability of Biosocial Perspectives

Epidemiological anthropology — disease patterns, nutritional anthropology, occupational health and ergonomics, bioarchaeology, forensic anthropology

Principles of Prehistoric Archaeology

Objectives and principles of prehistoric archaeology; typology of stone tools; chronology — relative and absolute dating methods; archaeological excavation techniques; cultural stratigraphy

Cultural Evolution and Prehistoric Cultures

Palaeolithic (Lower, Middle, Upper), Mesolithic, Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age cultures — subsistence patterns, tools, social organization and emergence of food production

Nature of Culture

Concept, definitions, characteristics of culture; culture and civilization; material and non-material culture; cultural relativism and ethnocentrism; enculturation and acculturation; nature–culture debate

Nature of Society

Concept of society and social structure; community and association; norms and institutions; concepts of role, status and social group; types of societies — band, tribe, chiefdom, state

Marriage, Family and Kinship

Definitions and functions of marriage; rules of marriage — endogamy, exogamy, preferential mating; forms of marriage; family — types, functions, evolution; household; kinship — consanguinity and affinity, descent theories, kinship terminology

Economic Organization

Meaning of economic anthropology; subsistence economies; production, distribution and exchange — reciprocity, redistribution, market; formalism and substantivism debate; gift economy; food foraging to food production

Political Organization and Social Control

Concepts of power, authority and legitimacy; band, tribal, chiefdom and state level organizations; political anthropology; social control — formal and informal; law and legal anthropology; conflict resolution

Religion

Anthropological approaches to religion — animism, animatism, totemism; myth and ritual; magic, religion and science; shamanism; ancestors and spirit worship; world religions and local traditions; sacred and profane

Anthropological Theories

Classical evolutionism — Tylor, Morgan; diffusionism — British, German; historical particularism — Boas; functionalism — Malinowski; structural-functionalism — Radcliffe-Brown; culture and personality school; neo-evolutionism; structuralism — Lévi-Strauss; symbolic and interpretive anthropology; post-modernism in anthropology

Culture, Language and Communication

Language and culture — Sapir-Whorf hypothesis; origins of language; linguistic anthropology; non-verbal communication; ethnolinguistics; sociolinguistics; language and cognition

Research Methods in Anthropology

Fieldwork tradition; participant observation; ethnographic methods; qualitative vs quantitative methods; genealogical method; interview techniques; case study; PRA; reflexivity and ethics in fieldwork

Applications of Anthropology

Applied anthropology — scope and relevance; development anthropology; medical anthropology; nutritional anthropology; forensic anthropology; urban anthropology; disaster anthropology; advocacy and action anthropology

Evolution of Indian Culture and Civilization

Prehistoric periods — Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, Neolithic-Chalcolithic; Protohistoric: pre-Harappan, Harappan and post-Harappan cultures; contributions of tribal cultures to Indian civilization

Palaeo-Anthropological Evidence in India

Fossil evidence from India — Siwaliks and Narmada basin; Ramapithecus, Sivapithecus and Narmada Man; significance of Indian fossil record in hominid evolution

Ethno-Archaeology in India

Concept of ethnoarchaeology; survivals and parallels among hunting, foraging, fishing, pastoral and peasant communities; arts and crafts producing communities; living cultures as analogues for archaeological interpretation

Demographic Profile of India

Ethnic and linguistic elements of Indian population and their distribution; factors influencing structure and growth of Indian population; census data and demographic trends

Traditional Indian Social System

Varnashrama, purushartha, karma, rina and rebirth; ideology and structure of the traditional social system; inter-relationship among varna, ashrama and purushartha

Caste System in India

Structure and characteristics of caste; varna and caste; theories of origin of caste; dominant caste; caste mobility; future of caste; jajmani system; tribe-caste continuum

Sacred Complex, Nature-Man-Spirit Complex

Sacred complex in India; nature-man-spirit complex; impact of Buddhism, Jainism, Islam and Christianity on Indian society; little and great traditions; religious syncretism

Emergence and Growth of Anthropology in India

Contributions of 18th, 19th and early 20th century scholar-administrators; contributions of Indian anthropologists to tribal and caste studies; development of anthropology as an academic discipline in India

Indian Village

Significance of village study in India; Indian village as a social system; traditional and changing patterns of settlement and inter-caste relations; agrarian relations; impact of globalization on Indian villages

Linguistic and Religious Minorities

Linguistic and religious minorities in India — their social, political and economic status; constitutional provisions; minority rights and issues

Indigenous and Exogenous Processes of Socio-Cultural Change

Sanskritization, Westernization and Modernization; inter-play of little and great traditions; Panchayati Raj and social change; media and social change

The Tribal Situation in India

Bio-genetic variability; linguistic and socio-economic characteristics of tribal populations and their distribution; scheduled tribes — geographical spread and demographic profile

Problems of Tribal Communities

Land alienation, poverty, indebtedness, low literacy, poor educational facilities, unemployment and underemployment, health and nutrition issues facing tribal communities

Developmental Projects and Tribal Displacement

Impact of developmental projects on tribal displacement; problems of rehabilitation; forest policy and tribals; impact of urbanization and industrialization on tribal populations

Problems of SC, ST and OBC

Exploitation and deprivation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes; constitutional safeguards; affirmative action and reservations; social justice framework

Social Change and Contemporary Tribal Societies

Impact of modern democratic institutions, development programs and welfare measures on tribals and weaker sections; continuity and change in tribal societies

Concept of Ethnicity and Ethnic Conflicts

Concept of ethnicity; ethnic conflicts and political developments; unrest among tribal communities; regionalism and demand for autonomy; pseudo-tribalism; social change among tribes during colonial and post-independent India

Impact of World Religions on Tribal Societies

Impact of Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and other religions on tribal societies; religious change and tribal identity; syncretic traditions

Tribe and Nation-State

Comparative study of tribal communities in India and other countries; tribal integration and assimilation vs autonomy; Fourth World movements; indigenous rights globally

Administration of Tribal Areas and Tribal Policies

History of administration of tribal areas; tribal policies and development plans; concept of PTGs (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups) — distribution and special programs; role of NGOs in tribal development

Role of Anthropology in Tribal and Rural Development

Applied anthropology in tribal and rural development; contributions of anthropology to understanding regionalism, communalism, ethnic and political movements; anthropology and policy-making