Indian Sociologists

Question
CBSEENSO11023186

Write down the Ghurye’s views about caste and kinship.

Solution

Govind Sadashiv Ghurye’s views about caste and kinship :

1. Govind Sadashiv Ghurye’s work, caste and race in India (1932) skilfully combined historical, anthropological and sociological approaches. He was concerned with the historical origin of caste and as its geographical spread. He also tried to examine its contemporary features including changes in it because of the impact of British rule. In the later editions of the book he also explained how it underwent changes in free India.

2. Govind Sadashiv Ghurye recorded insightfully the persisting, changing, and the emerging features of complicated caste system of India.

3. As a rationalist, Govind Sadashiv Ghurye was firmly opposed to the caste system. He was hopeful that it would weaken in the urban environment and among groups receiving modern education.

4. Govind Sadashiv Ghurye also noted pai*** growth of “Caste patriotism” or caste consciousness and the transformation of caste into a community or ethnic group. In later editions of his book, Ghurye fully developed such themes as the role of the caste in politics.

5. Govind Sadashiv Ghurye studied caste system from a historical comparative an integrative perspective. Later on, he made a comparative study of Kinship in Indo-European cultures. Through the comparative study of Caste and Kinship, Ghurye stressed two significant points :

(i) The kin and caste network of India had parallels in some other societies also.

(ii) The kinship and caste in India served in the past as integrative frameworks. The evolution of Indian society was based on the integration of diverse racial and ethnic groups through these networks.

6. It is to be noted that Govind Sadashiv Ghurye demonstrated, through textual evidence, the dynamism of the caste system. The caste system had not remained static. Ghurye showed that in the early centuries of the Christian era, the Vaishyas were reduced to the position of the Sudras and the Sudras were elevated to the Vaishyas.

7. Govind Sadashiv Ghurye examined the caste system from both cultural and structural points of view. The Hindu society was governed by the ideal pattern of caste.

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