HS Special Desk 
Émile Durkheim, one of the founding fathers of sociology, introduced the concept of social fact as the foundation of his sociological theory. In his seminal work The Rules of Sociological Method (1895), Durkheim argued that sociology must study social facts as its subject matter, just as natural sciences study natural phenomena. By defining social facts, … Read more
Introduction The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 was one of the most significant geopolitical and social transformations of the 20th century. Among the fifteen newly independent states that emerged from this dissolution, the five Central Asian republics—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan—underwent an especially complex post-Soviet transition. Their shift from being peripheral regions … Read more
Introduction Society and the individual are inseparably connected. No individual can exist in isolation, and no society can function without individuals who follow certain norms, values, and cultural practices. The link between the two is built through socialization, a fundamental sociological process that shapes human personality, integrates people into the social structure, and ensures cultural … Read more
Introduction Human society is a complex network of interactions, relationships, and institutions. At the heart of these interactions lie several fundamental social processes that shape individual behavior, group dynamics, and broader social structures. Among them, cooperation, competition, and conflict are particularly significant, as they govern how individuals and groups relate to one another in both … Read more
Youth in South Asia live at a complicated intersection: rapid social change, uneven economic growth, expanding education systems, and longstanding hierarchies of class, caste, gender and place. Their aspirations — what young people hope for, imagine as possible, and plan toward — are culturally shaped, historically situated, and structurally constrained. Understanding Youth aspirations sociologically reveals … Read more
Introduction Societies are dynamic entities, constantly shaped by innovations, interactions, and historical transformations. Yet, cultural change does not always proceed uniformly. In sociology, this discrepancy between different aspects of culture is explained through the concept of “Cultural Lag.” The term, coined by sociologist William Fielding Ogburn in the early 20th century, highlights how material and … Read more
Culture is one of the most fundamental concepts in sociology, encompassing the ideas, values, practices, and material expressions through which human beings give meaning to their collective existence. While society represents the network of social relationships, culture constitutes the symbolic and material framework that gives coherence to those relationships. To understand culture, sociologists not only … Read more
Culture is one of the most fundamental concepts in sociology, shaping human behavior, thought, and social interaction. It is the shared way of life of a people—encompassing their beliefs, values, customs, traditions, language, arts, and social practices. From the sociological perspective, culture is not merely an abstract idea but a living force that structures society, … Read more
Introduction on Norms and Values In the study of sociology, norms and values are foundational concepts that shape the behaviour, expectations, and cohesion of any social group. While often used together, norms and values occupy distinct but interrelated positions in the social fabric: values represent general beliefs about what is desirable or worthwhile, whereas norms … Read more
Introduction India is home to one of the largest tribal populations in the world, with nearly 104 million individuals (Census 2011) officially recognized as members of Scheduled Tribes (STs). Spread across diverse geographical regions—from the dense forests of central India to the hilly terrains of the northeast and the deserts of Rajasthan—tribal communities represent a … Read more