INTRODUCTION

Social science includes a body of knowledge, which deals with social

and cultural aspects of human life. Social science have emerged as
distinct disciplines in order to be taught at different levels of education
system across the globe because of their immense importance for
achieving better social cohesion , solidarity and development. Like many
other countries of the world, in India, social sciences constitute
compulsory aspect of school curriculum, both at basic elementary school
and secondary school levels, for promoting democratic and social values
among students.
Hence, teachers should possess basic knowledge on social science and
their nature and importance of learning at school level. As Beard says,
“Social science as Body of knowledge, and thoughts pertaining to
human affairs as distinguished from sticks, stones stars and physical
objects”
New lets us examine the different branches of social science.
1. History, 2. Economics, 3. Geography, 4. Political science, 5.
Sociology, 6. Philosophy 7. Anthropology.
Now let us examine the different aspect of sociology.

Sociology
Sociology is a systematic approach to thinking about, studying, and
understanding society, human social behavior, and social groups.
sociology is a discipline in social sciences concerned with the e human
society and human social activities. It is one of the youngest social
science .Augusta Comte, a French social thinker is traditionally known
as the ‘Father of Sociology’. As he coined the term ‘Sociology’ in 1839.
Scope of sociology
Scope means the subject matter or the areas of study or the boundaries of
a subject. Hate we have to study in a particular subject is known as its
scope.Every science has its own field of inquiry. It becomes difficult to
study a science systematically unless its boundary or scope is
determined precisely. Sociology as a social science has its own scope or
boundaries. But there is no one opinion about the scope of sociology.

Nature and characteristics of sociology

1. Sociology has developed as a value free discipline. It is concerned
with what is, not with what ought to be. The values which a society
upholds and which influence the social behavior of men are
accepted by sociologists as facts and analysis objectively.
2. Sociology is an empirical discipline. It is guided by rational
considering in its analyses of social phenomena, and not in terms
of ideology.
3. Sociology has developed as an abstract discipline like physics,
chemistry, or mathematics, and not as an applied science like
engineering or computer science. A sociologist analysis society
from different angles and acquires knowledge about society and
patterns of social interactions.
4. Sociology is a general and not a special social science. it is
concerned with human relationships and patterns of social
interactions in general and not any particular aspects of the same.
An economist confines his attention to interactions in the economic
sphere only.
Likewise, a political scientist is primarily concerned
only with interactions in the political field. A sociologist, however,
focuses his attention on human or social relationships which are
common to all these specialized fields.

Importance of its study

The most significance of sociology is that it studied the society

social institutions scientifically. As Beach says ,sociology has a
strong appeal to all types of minds through its direct bearing upon
many of the critical problems of the present world. Giddings has
suggested that just ass economic tells up how to get the things we
want to have, sociology tells us how to become what we want to
be. Thus sociology becomes as the scientific study of society, the
representative of a great advice.
Society is the largest organization of the individuals. Society has
its own problems in every field. It is through the study of sociology
that the scientific study of society not only has a value in modern
complex society, it becomes indispensable.
The study of society contributes to the formulation of social
policies which required certain amount of knowledge about that
society. Descriptive sociology provides a great deed of information
that is helpful in making decisions of social policy.

Aims and objectives

1. To teach students the concepts, theories, and methods of the

behavioral and social services.
2. To in traduce students to the basic social process of society,
social institutions and patterns of social behavior.
3. To train students to understand and to interpret objectively the
role of social process, social institutions and social interactions in
their lives.
4. To enable students to cope effectively with the socio-cultural
and inter personal processes of a constantly changing complex
society.
5. To train students for positions in criminal justice gerontology,
social science and social welfare.
Conclusion
Social science is a wide topic in which sociology is one of the
parts. We learn about the society the way of human beings the
society, their interactions, mutual co-operations, socializations and
social interactions in sociology.

The study of social science in general and the study of sociology

in particular enables the students to understand the systems and
practices that are prevailing in the society and to equip themselves
to live in accordance with norms and values of the society which in
turn will enable them to become mature and responsible citizens
towards their society.Therefor teaching and social science is of an
utmost important and teachers of social science are to take extra
care to social contientize their students about the norms pattern of
living and style of life in a society. It will enable the teacher to
became a fruitful teacher and on the other hand it enable the
students to become responsible and fruitful providers to the
society.