Anthropology Optional Syllabus

Facebook
LinkedIn
X
WhatsApp
Telegram

Table of Contents

Paper I

1.1 Meaning, Scope, and Development of Anthropology
1.2 Relationships with Other Disciplines

  • Social Sciences
  • Behavioral Sciences
  • Life Sciences
  • Medical Sciences
  • Earth Sciences
  • Humanities

1.3 Main Branches of Anthropology: Scope and Relevance

  • Social-Cultural Anthropology
  • Biological Anthropology
  • Archaeological Anthropology
  • Linguistic Anthropology

1.4 Human Evolution and Emergence of Man

  • Biological and cultural factors in human evolution
  • Theories of Organic Evolution (Pre-Darwinian, Darwinian, and Post-Darwinian)
  • Synthetic theory of evolution; terms and concepts of evolutionary biology (Doll’s rule, Cope’s rule, Gause’s rule, parallelism, convergence, adaptive radiation, mosaic evolution)

1.5 Characteristics of Primates

  • Evolutionary trends and taxonomy
  • Adaptations (arboreal and terrestrial)
  • Behavior, anatomy, and skeletal changes due to erect posture

1.6 Phylogenetic Status, Characteristics, and Geographical Distribution

  • Plio-Pleistocene hominids (Australopithecines, Homo erectus, Neanderthal man, Rhodesian man, and Homo sapiens)

1.7 Biological Basis of Life

  • Cell, DNA structure, replication, protein synthesis, chromosomes, mutations, cell division

1.8 Principles of Prehistoric Archaeology

  • Chronology: Relative and Absolute Dating methods
  • Cultural evolution (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Copper-Bronze Age, Iron Age)

2. Culture and Society

2.1 The Nature of Culture

  • Concepts of culture and civilization
  • Ethnocentrism vs. cultural relativism

2.2 The Nature of Society

  • Concepts of society, institutions, groups, and stratification

2.3 Marriage

  • Definition, universality, and laws (endogamy, exogamy, incest taboo, etc.)
  • Types and functions of marriage; marriage payments (bride wealth, dowry)

2.4 Family

  • Definitions, universality, and functions
  • Types of families; impact of urbanization and industrialization

2.5 Kinship

  • Principles, types, and forms of descent
  • Kinship terminology; descent, filiation, and alliances

3. Economic Organization

  • Meaning, scope, and relevance of economic anthropology
  • Principles governing production, distribution, and exchange

4. Political Organization and Social Control

  • Band, tribe, chiefdom, kingdom, state
  • Concepts of power, authority, legitimacy, law, and justice

5. Religion

  • Anthropological approaches to religion
  • Forms of religion (animism, animatism, totemism, etc.)
  • Relationship between religion, magic, and science

6. Anthropological Theories

  • Classical evolutionism, diffusionism, functionalism, structuralism, neo-evolutionism
  • Culture and personality, cultural materialism, symbolic and interpretive theories, post-modernism

7. Culture, Language, and Communication

  • Nature, origin, and characteristics of language
  • Verbal and non-verbal communication

8. Research Methods in Anthropology

  • Fieldwork tradition
  • Tools of data collection: observation, interviews, genealogy, case studies, etc.
  • Analysis, interpretation, and presentation of data

9. Biological Anthropology

9.1 Human Genetics

  • Methods for studying genetics (pedigree analysis, twin studies, DNA technology, etc.)

9.2 Mendelian Genetics in Humans

  • Inheritance patterns (single factor, multifactor, polygenic)

9.3 Genetic Polymorphism and Selection

  • Hardy-Weinberg law, mutation, isolation, inbreeding, and genetic drift

9.4 Chromosomal Aberrations in Humans

  • Numerical and structural aberrations (e.g., Down syndrome, Turner syndrome)

9.5 Race and Racism

  • Biological basis of racial classification and differentiation

9.6 Genetic Markers and Population Variation

  • ABO, Rh blood groups, HLA, physiological characteristics

9.7 Ecological Anthropology

  • Biocultural adaptations and physiological responses to environmental stress

9.8 Epidemiological Anthropology

  • Health, disease, and nutritional deficiencies

10. Human Growth and Development

  • Stages of growth (prenatal, childhood, adolescence, senescence)
  • Factors affecting growth (genetic, environmental, cultural)

11. Fertility and Demographic Studies

11.1 Relevance of Bio-events

  • Menarche, menopause, fertility patterns

11.2 Demographic Theories

  • Biological, social, and cultural theories

11.3 Factors Influencing Fecundity and Mortality

  • Biological and socio-ecological factors

12. Applications of Anthropology

  • Anthropology of sports, nutritional anthropology
  • Forensic anthropology, personal identification, genetic counseling
  • DNA technology in diseases, serogenetics, cytogenetics

Paper II

1. Evolution of Indian Culture and Civilization

1.1 Prehistoric Period

  • Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, and Neolithic-Chalcolithic periods
  • Protohistoric period: Indus Civilization (Pre-Harappan, Harappan, and Post-Harappan cultures)
  • Contributions of tribal cultures to Indian civilization

1.2 Palaeo-Anthropological Evidences

  • Special reference to Siwaliks and Narmada Basin:
    • Ramapithecus
    • Sivapithecus
    • Narmada Man

1.3 Ethno-Archaeology in India

  • Concept of ethno-archaeology
  • Survivals and parallels among:
    • Hunting, foraging, and fishing communities
    • Pastoral and peasant communities
    • Arts and crafts-producing communities

2. Demographic Profile of India

  • Ethnic and linguistic elements in Indian population and their distribution
  • Factors influencing population structure and growth

3. Traditional Indian Social System

3.1 Structure and Nature

  • Varnashram, Purushartha, Karma, Rina, and Rebirth

3.2 Caste System in India

  • Structure and characteristics of caste and Varna
  • Theories of caste origin
  • Concepts:
    • Dominant caste
    • Caste mobility
    • Future of caste system
    • Jajmani system
    • Tribe-caste continuum

3.3 Sacred Complex and Nature-Man-Spirit Complex

3.4 Impact of Religions on Indian Society

  • Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, and Christianity

4. Contributions to Indian Studies

  • Contributions of 18th, 19th, and early 20th-century scholar-administrators
  • Contributions of Indian anthropologists to tribal and caste studies

5. Indian Villages and Socio-Cultural Change

5.1 Indian Villages

  • Significance of village studies in India
  • Indian village as a social system
  • Patterns of settlement and inter-caste relations
  • Agrarian relations
  • Impact of globalization

5.2 Linguistic and Religious Minorities

  • Social, political, and economic status

5.3 Processes of Socio-Cultural Change

  • Sanskritization, Westernization, and Modernization
  • Interplay of little and great traditions
  • Panchayati Raj and social change
  • Media and its impact on social change

6. Tribal Situation in India

6.1 Characteristics of Tribal Populations

  • Bio-genetic variability
  • Linguistic and socio-economic traits
  • Distribution

6.2 Problems of Tribal Communities

  • Land alienation
  • Poverty and indebtedness
  • Low literacy and poor educational facilities
  • Unemployment and under-employment
  • Health and nutrition issues

6.3 Developmental Projects and Impact

  • Tribal displacement and rehabilitation
  • Forest policy and its impact on tribals
  • Effects of urbanization and industrialization

7. Issues of Exploitation and Deprivation

7.1 Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes (OBCs)

  • Problems of exploitation and deprivation
  • Constitutional safeguards

7.2 Social Change in Tribal Societies

  • Impact of:
    • Modern democratic institutions
    • Development programs and welfare measures

7.3 Ethnicity and Tribal Movements

  • Concept of ethnicity
  • Ethnic conflicts and political developments
  • Tribal unrest and regionalism
  • Pseudo-tribalism
  • Social change during colonial and post-independence India

8. Impact of Religions on Tribal Societies

8.1 Influence of Religions

  • Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, and others

8.2 Tribe and Nation-State

  • Comparative study of tribal communities in India and other countries

9. Tribal Administration and Development

9.1 Tribal Policies and Programs

  • History of tribal area administration
  • Tribal policies, plans, and development programs
  • Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs):
    • Distribution
    • Special development programs
  • Role of NGOs in tribal development

9.2 Role of Anthropology

  • Tribal and rural development

9.3 Anthropology and Social Issues

  • Understanding of regionalism, communalism, and ethnic and political movements
Facebook
LinkedIn
X
WhatsApp
Telegram
Scroll to Top