MSO-002 Solved Assignments

* Note :- The answers that are not yet published, will be posted soon.

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July 2024 and January 2025

Answer questions from both sections.

Section –A

Answer any two of the following questions

1. What is phenomenology? Explain with reference to the contribution of Martin Heideggar to understand phenomenology.
2. What is positivism? Discuss Giddens’s critique of positivism.
3. Explain the comparative method. Discuss its scope in social science research.
4. Discuss the participatory approach to social research. Compare and contrast it with conventional research methodologies.
5. Critically examine the nature and scope of feminist method in social science research.

Section-B

Write a research report on any one of the following topics in about 3000 words.

1. Impact of transnational migration on Indian Society.
2. Relevance of open and distance learning as a means of empowerment of the socially excluded and marginalized people in India.
3. Relevance of caste in contemporary politics.

You can write this report based either on review of literature, or data collected from the primary sources.
For review of literature you are to select either two books or four research articles published recently on the selected topic of your choice. Write a review article focusing on the location of the study,
methodology followed and the main findings of these studies.
For the primary source you are to collect two case studies and write a report on the selected topic in a comparative framework. While writing the report spell out clearly the objectives and the problems of
the study and

• problematise the issue within the existing/available literature,
• elaborate your observations, finding and conclusion coherently, and
• make proper referencing at the end.

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July 2023 and January 2024

Answer questions from both sections.

Section –A

Answer any two of the following questions

1. Discuss the merits and limitation of field research.
2. What do you understand by participatory research? Explain with the help of suitable examples.
3. Critically examine the relevance of quantitative methods of date analysis in sociological research.
4. Explain case study as a method of social research
5. Discuss the role of ethics in sociological research.

Section-B

Write a research report on any one of the following topics in about 3000 words.

1. Education and social mobility in India.
2. Indian youth and the social media.
3. Street vendors and Indian society.

You can write this report based either on review of literature, or data collected from the primary sources.
For review of literature you are to select either two books or four research articles published recently on the selected topic of your choice. Write a review article focusing on the location of the study,
methodology followed and the main findings of these studies.
For the primary source you are to collect two case studies and write a report on the selected topic in a comparative framework. While writing the report spell out clearly the objectives and the problems of
the study and

• problematise the issue within the existing/available literature,
• elaborate your observations, finding and conclusion coherently, and
• make proper referencing at the end.

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July 2022 and January 2023

Answer questions from both sections.

Section –A

Answer any two of the following questions

1. What is phenomenology? Explain with reference to the contribution of Martin Heidegger.
2. What is positivism? Discuss Giddens’s critique of positivism.
3. Explain the comparative method. Discuss its scope in social science research.
4. Discuss the participatory approach to social research. Compare and contrast it with conventional research methodology.
5. Critically examine the nature and scope of feminist method in social science research.

Section-B

Write a research report on any one of the following topics in about 3000 words.

1. Change in family structure and familial relations in India.
2. Significance of open and distance learning in democratization of education.
3. Relevance of quantitative method of analysis in sociological research.

You can write this report based either on review of literature, or data collected from the primary sources.
For review of literature you are to select either two books or four research articles published recently on the selected topic of your choice. Write a review article focusing on the location of the study,
methodology followed and the main findings of these studies.
For the primary source you are to collect two case studies and write a report on the selected topic in a comparative framework. While writing the report spell out clearly the objectives and the problems of
the study and

• problematise the issue within the existing/available literature,
• elaborate your observations, finding and conclusion coherently, and
• make proper referencing at the end.

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July 2021 and January 2022

Answer questions from both sections.

Section –A

Answer any two of the following questions

1. What is empiricism? Discuss with reference to the contribution of David Hume.
2. What is ethnography? In what way does it differ from survey research?
3. Critically examine the nature and scope of comparative method in social science research.
4. Discuss the participatory approach to social research.
5. Explain the historical method of research in social sciences.

Section-B

Write a research report on any one of the following topics in about 3000 words.

1. Role of the State in a pandemic situation.
2. Role of youth in contemporary Indian society.
3. Significance of online education in India.

You can write this report based either on review of literature, or data collected from the primary sources.
For review of literature you are to select either two books or four research articles published recently on the selected topic of your choice. Write a review article focusing on the location of the study,
methodology followed and the main findings of these studies.
For the primary source you are to collect two case studies and write a report on the selected topic in a comparative framework. While writing the report spell out clearly the objectives and the problems of
the study and

• problematise the issue within the existing/available literature,
• elaborate your observations, finding and conclusion coherently, and
• make proper referencing at the end.

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July 2020 and January 2021

Section- I

Answer any two of the following questions

1. ‘Science with its central principles of objectivity, universalisation and causal explanation had a significant impact on social science’. Critically discuss.
2. What is participatory method of research? Explain
3. What is ethnography? Explain its significance in sociological research.
4. What is probability sampling? Explain its types.
5. Distinguish between:
   (i) pure research and applied research
   (ii) participant observation and non-participant observation
   (iii) questionnaire and schedule
   (iv) qualitative and quantitative methods of research
   (v) correlation and regression

Section- II

Write a research report on any one of the following topics in about 3000 words.

1. Facebook friends.
2. Reverse migration of labour.
3. Healthcare system in contemporary times.

You can write this report based either on review of literature, or data collected from the primary sources. For review of literature you are to select either two books or four research articles published recently on the selected topic of your choice. Write a review article focusing on the location of the study, methodology followed and the main findings of these studies.
For the primary source you are to collect two case studies and write a report on the selected topic in a comparative framework. While writing the report spell out clearly the objectives and the problems of the study and

• problematise the issue within the existing/available literature,
• elaborate your observations, finding and conclusion coherently, and
• make proper referencing at the end.

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July 2019 and January 2020

Section- I

Answer any two of the following questions

1. ‘The pioneers of the comparative method in sociology and social anthropology were all influenced to a greater or lesser extent by the theory of evolution.’ Discuss.
2. What is positivism? Discuss Giddens’s critique of positivism.
3. Critically examine the nature and scope of feminist method in social science research.
4. What is sampling? Explain the methods of probability sampling.
5. What is Hermeneutics? Explain with reference to the contribution of HansGeorg Gadamer.

Section- II

Write a research report on any one of the following topics in about 3000 words.

1. Education as a means of empowerment of women.
2. Relevance of caste in contemporary Indian society.
3. Impact of mobile phones on social relationships.

You can write this report based either on review of literature, or data collected from the primary sources.

For review of literature you have to select either two books or four research articles published recently on the selected topic of your choice. Write a review article focusing on the location of the study, methodology followed and the main findings of these studies.

For the primary source you have to collect two case studies and write a report on the selected topic in a comparative framework. While writing the report, spell out clearly the objectives and the problems of the study and

• problematise the issue within the existing/available literature,
• elaborate your observations, finding and conclusion coherently, and
• make proper referencing at the end.

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July 2018 and January 2019

Section- A

Answer any two of the following questions

1. What is ‘phenomenology”? Discuss the contribution of Martin Heidegger to phenomenological studies.
2. Critically examine the feminist approach to the understanding of social reality.
3. What are the advantages of sampling over census? Explain the various types of probability sampling method.
4. What is a ‘research design’? Explain the steps you would follow to prepare a research design.
5. What is ‘participant observation?’ Discuss its relevance as a technique of field-based research.

Section- B

Write a research report on any one of the following topics in about 3000 words.

1. Vocational education as a means of empowerment of women.
2. Use of social media by rural youth in India.
3. Social construction of news.

You can write this report based either on review of literature, or data collected from the primary sources.

For review of literature you have to select either two books or four research articles published recently on the selected topic of your choice. Write a review article focusing on the location of the study, methodology followed and the main findings of these studies.

For the primary source you have to collect two case studies and write a report on the selected topic in a comparative framework. While writing the report, spell out clearly the objectives and the problems of the study and

• problematise the issue within the existing/available literature,
• elaborate your observations, finding and conclusion coherently, and
• make proper referencing at the end.

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July 2017 and January 2018

SECTION – I

Answer any two of the following questions

1. What is sampling? Explain the methods of probability sampling.
2. What is Hermeneutics? Explain with reference to the contribution of Hans-Georg Gadamer.
3. ‘Reflexive sociology is a meaningful alternative of positivism’. Discuss.
4. Discuss the relevance of feminist method in social science research.
5. Write short notes on:

(i) Key informants
(ii) Participant observation
(iii) Questionnaire
(iv) Interview technique
(v) Census method

SECTION – II

Write a research report on any one of the following topics in about 3000 words.

1. Images of women in social media.
2. Sociological significance of pilgrimages and festivals.
3. Family structure and familial relations in contemporary times.

You can write this report based either on review of literature, or data collected from the primary sources.

For review of literature you are to select either two books or four research articles published recently on the selected topic of your choice. Write a review article focusing on the location of the study, methodology followed and the main findings of these studies.

For the primary source you are to collect two case studies and write a report on the selected topic in a comparative framework. While writing the report spell out clearly the objectives and the problems of the study and
• problematise the issue within the existing/available literature,
• elaborate your observations, finding and conclusion coherently, and
• make proper referencing at the end.

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July 2016 and January 2017

Section- A

Answer any two of the following questions.

1. What is phenomenology? Explain with reference to the contribution of Martin Heidegger.
2. What is positivism? Discuss Giddens’s critique of positivism.
3. ‘The pioneers of the comparative method in sociology and social and social anthropology were all influenced to a greater or lesser extent by the theory of evolution.’ Discuss.
4. Illustrate the relevance of field research with suitable illustrations.
5. Critically examine the nature and scope of feminist method in social science research.

Section- B

Write a research report on any one of the following topics in about 3000 words.

1. Education as a means of empowerment of women.
2. Digital divide in India.
3. Significance of open and distance learning in democratization of education.

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July 2015 and January 2016

Answer any two of the following questions.

Section- I

1. Explain the key features of the feminist approach to the understanding of social reality.
2. Explain the contribution of Emile Durkheim to positivist thought.
3. What is case study method? Discuss its scope in social science research.
4. Explain the historical method of research.
5. Critically examine the scope of survey method in social science research.

Section- II

Write a research report on any one of the following topics in about 3000 words.

1. Impact of transnational migration on Indian economy and society.
2. Use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) by youth in India.
3. Relevance of caste in negotiating marriages Indian society.

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