NCERT Class 11 Sociology Chapter 1 Sociology And Society Notes (Free PDF)

Sociology is the study of society, social relationships, and how people interact within various social structures. It helps us understand the patterns of behaviour, culture, institutions, and social changes. By studying sociology, we can critically analyse everyday life, understand social problems, and explore how individuals and groups shape the society we live in. In this blog, we will understand the concept of sociology and society by providing the notes of this chapter.

Explore Notes of Class 11: Introducing Sociology

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Download PDF of NCERT Class 11 Sociology Chapter No. 1 Sociology and Society

Introduction 

• Students receive different advice—study hard, pick the right subject, follow family needs, or consider gender roles. Career choices are influenced by personal effort and social factors.
• Success is not only individual; it’s shaped by:
  
  • Job market trends
  • Family background
  • Gender roles
  • Social norms and culture
    
• What defines a “good job”?
  ➤ It differs across societies—could be based on money, respect, or satisfaction.
• Sociology connects personal troubles (like choosing subjects) with public issues (how society affects that choice).
• Individuals belong to multiple societies—family, caste, community, nation—all shape identity and choices.
• Sociology is a scientific study of society, different from religious or common-sense views.
• Sociology emerged mainly in the West but now has global relevance, including in India.
• The history of sociology helps us understand how the subject evolved, just like a person’s biography.
• It also explores how sociology is linked to other subjects like economics, history, and political science.
  

The Sociological Imagination: Personal Problem vs Public Issue

• C. Wright Mills introduced the idea of sociological imagination—the ability to understand the link between personal experiences (biography) and larger social forces (history).
• He highlighted the difference between:
  
  • Personal Troubles – Private issues that affect individuals (e.g., losing a job).
  • Public Issues – Structural problems in society affecting many people (e.g., unemployment due to recession).
    
• Example: A single person losing a job may seem personal, but if many are losing jobs, it reflects a social issue like economic instability.
• Sociology helps us see that individual lives are shaped by broader social, political, and historical contexts.
• Understanding both the personal and the public is essential to fully understand either one.
  

Pluralities and Inequalities Among Societies

• In today’s world, individuals belong to multiple societies at once — by nation, language, religion, caste, tribe, or region.
• The term “our society” can mean different things depending on the context—e.g., Indian society, a specific community, or a caste group.
• Sociology faces the challenge of choosing what aspects of this diversity to focus on: the rural and traditional, the mythical past, or the urban and modern.
• Filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s reflections show how complex society is, ranging from peaceful villages to chaotic cities to ancient myths.
• An example of a Dalit man in a village (from Freeman’s account) shows the social reality of caste-based discrimination, contrasting with romantic views of village life.
• Amartya Sen highlights how inequality exists in many forms in Indian society:
  
  • Economic (rich vs poor),
  • Educational (literate vs illiterate),
  • Social (respected vs oppressed),
  • Political (influential vs powerless),
  • Legal (fairly vs unfairly treated).
    
• Sociology studies how these inequalities shape people’s lives and identities within their multiple societal memberships.

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Introducing Sociology

• Sociology is the systematic study of human social life, groups, and societies.
• It explores how various institutions—like the economy, politics, education, family, and culture—are interconnected.
• Individuals are both shaped by society and can also influence societal change.
• Every day, thinking about society (common sense) is different from sociological thinking.
  • Common sense is based on personal experience, assumptions, or cultural beliefs.
  • Sociology follows scientific rules and methods, including observation, evidence, and verification.
• Philosophers and religious thinkers reflect on how society ought to be (moral values).
  • Sociology studies how values actually function in society, not how they should.
    
• Sociologists collect empirical data (based on observation and evidence), even if findings go against personal beliefs.
• Peter Berger compares a sociologist to a spy—both must report facts accurately, without bias.
• Sociologists have social responsibility, but their questions (e.g., goals or impacts of their research) are ethical, not strictly sociological.
• Sociology is a science, different from natural sciences, but still follows scientific rules:
  • Findings must be verifiable and open to scrutiny by others.
    
• Future chapters will explore sociological methods, concepts, and institutions in greater detail.
  

Sociology and Common Sense Knowledge

• Sociology is different from common sense, just as it is from philosophy or theology.
• Common sense explanations:
  • Are often based on naturalistic (it’s just “natural”) or individualistic reasoning (blame individuals).
  • Do not question their own origins — they accept things as they are.
    
• The sociological approach is:
  • Systematic – uses established methods and theories.
  • Questioning – always asks “Why do we believe this?” or “Is this really true?”
    
• Sociological knowledge builds slowly and carefully:
  • Major breakthroughs are rare.
  • Most progress is made through detailed, careful analysis.
    
• Sociology uses:
  • A body of concepts.
  • Scientific methods.
  • Empirical data.
  • These cannot be replaced by common-sense thinking.
    
• Common sense = uncritical thinking
  Sociology = reflective, analytical, and evidence-based thinking
  
• Sociology draws from the broader scientific tradition, especially influenced by developments in modern science.

The Intellectual Background of Sociology

• Early Influences:
  
  • Inspired by scientific theories (like Darwin’s evolution) and colonial observations of non-Western societies.
  • Sociologists tried to classify societies and trace their development through stages.
    

Types of Societies Studied:

• Pre-modern societies:
  • Hunters and gatherers
  • Pastoral and agrarian
  • Non-industrial civilisations
    
• Modern societies:
  • Industrialised, urban societies
    

Problems with Evolutionary Thinking:

• The belief that the West = most advanced, while non-Western (like Indian) societies were seen as backwards.
• This colonial bias influenced early sociology, especially in India.
• Indian sociology grew to be more self-aware and critical, reflecting on its colonial past.
  

Darwin’s Influence:

• Society was seen as a living organism with different parts (family, school, etc.) having functions.
• This led to the Functionalist perspective in sociology.
  

The Enlightenment Movement:

• A major intellectual movement in Europe (17th–18th century).
• Emphasised reason, science, and individualism.
  
• Belief: Social problems (like poverty) are not natural, but man-made — and thus can be studied and solved.
• Methods like the social survey were developed to study society scientifically.
  

Auguste Comte (1789–1857):

• Known as the founder of sociology.
• Believed sociology would help improve society and benefit humanity.

The Material Foundations of Sociology

1. Capitalism and the Industrial Revolution:

• Capitalism brought a new economic system driven by profit, markets, and rational calculation.
• Originated during the Industrial Revolution, especially in England.
• Goods, services, and labour became commodities.
• Life before industrialisation was rural, small-scale, and hierarchical, much like traditional Indian villages.
  

2. Changes in Labour and Occupation:

• Industrialisation destroyed traditional livelihoods and weakened the status of workers.
• The protective environment of guilds, families, and villages was lost.
• Both radical and conservative thinkers criticised this degradation.
  

3. Rise of Industrial Cities:

• Urbanisation expanded with dirty, overcrowded slums.
• Industrial cities were different from earlier towns:
  • Marked by pollution, poor sanitation, and new social tensions.
    
• A song from the film C.I.D. captures the chaotic and heartless life in modern cities like Bombay (Mumbai).
  

4. Colonial Impact on India:

• British machine-made goods ruined Indian handicrafts.
• Displaced artisans were forced into agriculture for survival.
• Factories were seen as tools to destroy local communities and the artisan economy.
  

5. The Factory System:

• Viewed as oppressive (especially by Karl Marx) but also as a potential site of collective action.
• Factories introduced mechanical division of labour, similar to discipline in prisons or barracks.
  

6. Time and Work in Modern Society:

• Clock time became central to work routines.
• Factory work demanded:
  • Punctuality
  • Set hours
  • Steady pace
    
• Pre-industrial work followed natural rhythms (like daylight or task breaks).
• In modern society, “time is money” — time has become a resource to be spent.

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Why Study the Origins of Sociology in Europe?

1. European Roots, Global Relevance:

• Sociology began in the 18th and 19th centuries in Europe, during a time of huge social changes.
• These changes included:
  • Capitalism
  • Industrialisation
  • Urbanisation
  • Factory work
    
• Many issues first studied in Europe, like city life or labour problems, are still important today across the world.
  

2. Why is it Relevant for India?

• Though Indian society is unique, it was deeply affected by British colonialism.
• British capitalism didn’t just change Europe — it expanded globally and shaped societies like India.
• To understand our own past, we need to understand how Western capitalism operated.
  

3. Colonialism and the Global Spread of Capitalism:

• Capitalism spread through colonialism, bringing major social and economic changes worldwide.
• A small island like Mauritius shows this mixed legacy — people from Africa, China, India, Europe, and Arabia all live together.
• As seen in R.K. Laxman’s account, cultural identities and languages evolved under colonial influence.
  

Growth of Sociology in India

1. Colonialism and Capitalism

• Colonialism was a major part of how capitalism and industrialisation spread to India.
• Western sociologists wrote about capitalism, which helps us understand social change in India.
• But India’s experience was very different from the West’s.
  

Example: Karl Marx on Colonial India

“India, once famous for cotton production, was flooded with cheap British textiles, which destroyed its native industries.” — Karl Marx (1853)

2. Western Views on Indian Society

• Many colonial officials and scholars misunderstood Indian society.
• For example, they saw Indian villages as:
  • Unchanging
  • Backward
  • Similar to Europe’s ancient past
    
• These were often based on Victorian evolutionary ideas (that societies move from primitive to modern).
  

3. Sociology vs Social Anthropology

• In the West:
  • Sociology = study of modern, industrial societies
  • Social Anthropology = study of small, non-Western or “simple” societies
    
• In India, there is no strict separation between these two.
  

Example: M.N. Srinivas said:

“In India, the ‘other’ is not far away – they live right next to us. Our society is so diverse that we study everything from villages to cities, castes to modern life.”

4. Indian Sociology is Unique

• Indian sociology was developed by:
  • Questioning Western ideas about India
  • Studying both modern and traditional societies
  • Exploring diversity in culture, language, religion, caste, and more
    
• It shifted from studying only tribal or ‘primitive’ people to studying:
  • Peasants
  • Caste groups
  • Social classes
  • Urban life
  • Ancient and modern societies
    

Scope of Sociology

1. Sociology Studies Everything Social

• Sociology has a wide scope—it studies both small personal interactions and large social issues.

Examples of Small-scale Studies:

• Shopkeeper and customer
• Teacher and student
• Friends or family interactions
  

Examples of Large-scale Studies:

• Unemployment
• Caste conflicts
• Forest rights of tribal communities
• Rural indebtedness
• Globalisation and its effects
• Media and youth
• Foreign universities in India
  

2. What Makes Sociology Unique?

• It’s not just about what is studied, but how it’s studied.
  
• Sociology focuses on:
  
  • Patterns of social relationships
  • Meaning behind interactions
  • Social structures and institutions
    

3. Sociology and Other Social Sciences

Sociology is part of a larger family called social sciences, which includes:

• Anthropology
• Economics
• Political Science
• History
  

These disciplines often overlap in what they study.

4. No Rigid Boundaries

• The lines between disciplines are not fixed.
• They often share concepts, methods, and interests.
• It’s important not to think of them as completely separate.
  

5. Interdisciplinary Approach

• Modern problems often need combined knowledge from different disciplines.
• For example:
  
  • To study gender roles in politics or the economy, you need insights from:
    • Sociology (family, gender roles)
    • Political Science
    • Economics
      

Example: A feminist economist would need sociological knowledge of household work and gender norms to fully understand wage gaps or unpaid labour.

Sociology and Economics 

What is Economics?

• Study of the production and distribution of goods and services.
• Focuses on economic variables like:
  • Price
  • Demand and supply
  • Money flow
  • Output-input ratios
    
• Classical Economics: Narrow view—allocating scarce resources.
  

Political Economy Approach

• Studies the ownership and control of the means of production.
• Links economic activity to power structures in society.
  

Economics: Strengths

• Very focused and precise.
• Uses exact terms and measurable data.
• Offers practical policy suggestions.
  

Limitations of Economics

• Often ignores culture, values, and social behaviour.
• Fails to consider institutional and individual resistance.
• Less accurate in predicting human behaviour.
  

Sociology’s Approach to Economy

• Studies economic behaviour in a social context:
  • Norms
  • Values
  • Lifestyles
  • Cultural influence on consumption
    

Example:

• Huge spending on advertising is to reshape lifestyles and create demand.
  

Feminist Economics (Intersection of Sociology & Economics)

• Focuses on gender roles in economic activity.
• Studies the unpaid domestic work and its role in productivity.
  

Pierre Bourdieu (1998)

“A true economic science should include all costs: crimes, suicides, stress, medicine usage…not just profits.”

• Advocated for an “economics of happiness”.
  

What Sociology Adds:

• A critical and questioning perspective.
• Helps evaluate not just how to reach a goal, but whether the goal is socially desirable.
• Encourages debate on values, justice, and fairness.
  

Recent Trend

• Economic Sociology is growing.
• Combining economic issues with social understanding.

Sociology and History

Focus Areas

• History: Primarily studies the past.
• Sociology: Focuses on the present or recent past.
  

Approaches

History	Sociology
Describes what actually happened	Explores why things happened (causal relationships)
Focus on concrete details	Focus on categories and generalisations
Traditionally studied kings, wars	Studies social patterns, land/gender relations

Modern History = More Sociological

• Social History now includes:
  • Customs, mores
  • Family and gender relations
  • Institutions other than state/military
    
• Historians increasingly use sociological methods and concepts.
  

Sociology and Psychology

Focus Areas

• Psychology: Study of individual behaviour and mind.
• Sociology: Study of group behaviour and social structures.
  

Key Differences

Psychology	Sociology
Focus on the individual	Focus on society/group
Studies intelligence, motivation, and learning	Study culture, norms, values, and institutions
Deals with internal mental processes	Deals with external social influences

Social Psychology

• A bridge between psychology and sociology.
• Studies individual behaviour in social groups.
  

Durkheim’s Study on Suicide

• Ignored individual intentions.
• Social statistics (e.g., religion, marital status) were used.
• Focused on social causes of suicide, not personal ones.
  

Summary Table

Aspect	History	Psychology	Sociology
Focus	Past events	Individual behaviour	Society, groups, institutions
Method	Concrete details, chronology	Internal processes	Abstract, patterns, generalisations
Example Topics	Wars, kings, dynasties	Memory, emotion, and motivation	Family, gender roles, caste, and economy
Approach Today	Becoming more sociological	Uses social psychology	Interdisciplinary and critical thinking

Sociology and Social Anthropology

Focus Areas of Both Disciplines

• Social Anthropology: Initially studied simple societies (non-literate, tribal, rural communities).
• Sociology: Focused on modern, complex societies (urban, industrialised, globalised societies).
  

Historical Context

• Social Anthropology: Historically studied non-European societies (often seen as “exotic” or “uncivilised”) by Western-trained scholars.
• Sociology: Focused on Western modern societies.
  

Changes Over Time

• Modernity and globalisation have blurred the lines between simple and complex societies.
• Colonialism reshaped traditional societies by influencing land laws, revenue extraction, and industries.
  

Key Differences

Social Anthropology	Sociology
Focus on simple, non-literate societies	Focus on modern, complex societies
Study societies as a whole	Focus on parts of society (e.g., caste, bureaucracy)
Emphasises long fieldwork and ethnographic methods	Primarily uses survey methods, quantitative data (e.g., statistics)
Area specialisation (e.g., Melanesia, Andaman Islands)	Studies specific social processes (e.g., social mobility)

Changes in Contemporary Studies

• India: A complex mixture of tradition and modernity.
  • Urban and rural life coexist (e.g., villages within cities like Delhi, call centres serving global clients).
    
• Indian Sociology: Eclectic approach combining both traditions.
  • Studies both modern urban societies and tribal societies in a holistic manner.
    

Interdisciplinary Nature

• Blurring Boundaries:
  • Social Anthropology now studies topics like the state and globalisation (beyond traditional topics).
  • Sociology uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to study modern societies.
    
• Both disciplines now interchange methods and techniques.
  

Modern Trends

• Indian Sociology and Anthropology have had a close relationship.
  • Indian scholars often study societies that are a mix of traditional and modern elements.
    

Important Definition in NCERT Class 11 Sociology Chapter 1 Sociology and Society

Sociology: The study of human society, social relationships, and institutions. It explores how societies are structured and how people interact within them.

Society: A group of individuals who share a common culture, territory, and institutions, and who interact with one another to maintain social life.

Social Groups: Collections of individuals who interact with each other, share similar characteristics, and have a sense of unity or identity (e.g., family, tribe, caste).

Social Norms: Unwritten rules or expectations about acceptable behaviour in a society. They guide how individuals act in different situations.

Values: Deeply held beliefs about what is right, wrong, good, or bad in a society. Values shape people’s attitudes and behaviours.

Culture: The shared beliefs, customs, practices, and material traits of a society. It includes language, religion, traditions, and ways of life.

Socialisation: The lifelong process through which individuals learn and internalise the values, norms, and customs of their society.

Social Institutions: Established systems within a society that fulfil essential functions, such as family, education, religion, economy, and government.

Modernity: A historical period and social condition marked by industrialisation, urbanisation, rational thinking, and the decline of traditional ways of life.

Ethnocentrism: The tendency to view one’s own culture as superior and to judge other cultures using the standards of one’s own.

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