About the Department

The History

Ancestry of Sociology 1966-71: The Department of Sociology has its historical roots in the Department of Social Sciences, which was established in 1966 during the Vice-Chancellorship of Late Sri. Lakshmanaswamy Mudhaliar. The Master’s degree programme in social sciences was conceived with interdisciplinary focus under the academic leadership of Professor Edwin Driver, the full bright scholar. The course was designed by drawing the resources from various social science departments. The Department of Social Science began to function under the head-in-charge of Dr. K. K. Pillai, Professor of Area Studies and then Professor and Head of Department of History. The M.A. degree course in Social Science enjoyed the patronage of both internal and external scholars. The internal scholars drawn from various social science departments of the university operated the course. The external full bright scholars such as Prof. Himes, Prof. Krosowisky and Professor Wash Burne etc. made significant contributions to strengthen the course.   In 1968 the first batch of the students came out from the department of Social Science. In the year 1968, Dr. C. M. Abraham was appointed as the Reader in Sociology and in 1969, Dr. D. Sundaram was appointed as the Lecturer in Sociology.

Birth of Sociology: In 1971, Dr. C. A. Perumal, Professor and Head of the Department of Politics and Public Administration was made Head -in- Charge of the Department of Social Sciences. The landmark in the history of Department of Sociology at the University of Madras was 1971, during which a full-fledged M.A. Course in Sociology was introduced. In the year 1972, Dr. D. Palani was appointed as lecture and in 1975, Dr. D. Sundaram was elevated as Reader and Dr. D. Jayalakshmi was appointed as Lecturer in Sociology. Both the Post Graduate programmes in Social Sciences and Sociology were concurrently offered till 1975. In 1976, M.A. in Social Science was withdrawn.

Origin of the Department of Sociology: The Department of Sociology, University of Madras became autonomous and independent in the year 1976 and Dr. D. Sundaram, Reader in Sociology became the First Head of the Department of Sociology. The department has grown stronger in teaching and research over a period of time. The Department of Sociology in all its endeavors has been responsive to the needs of Indian Society and its problems. The department was engaged in sensitizing the students to the contemporary social realities of Indian social system, social problem and development of all social categories and the critical components that guided the focus of curriculum and research in sociology. The department has been responsive to the global trends and at the same time maintained the indigenous character of sociology.

Another milestone in the journey of sociology is M.A. Corporate Sociology as a specialization programme under innovative programme of University Grants Commission (UGC), 2005. The department has taken keen interest in the development of new sub discipline Master’s Degree Programme in Corporate Sociology has taken its genesis in the Academic Year 2005 – 2006 and offered till the Academic Year 2007-2008.

The department has initiated and established the Students Alumni Association in the year 2018 with the support of former students as “Sociology Alumni Association of the Department of Sociology (SOCAAUM)”.

The Department has successfully completed 50 Glorious years (1971 - 1921) in Teaching, Research and Extension activities and celebrated the Milestone achievement of Golden Jubilee on 18^th October 2022, with the support of Sociology Alumni Association of the Department of Sociology (SOCAAUM).

In addition to it, the Department is organising Students and Research Scholars seminars and workshops, Students presentation, Students Mentoring programme, field visits, institutional and industrial visits as per the specialisation courses of the department and provide specific competencies on personality development and employability skills.

Further, the Department annually organizes Endowment Lectures inviting eminent sociologists to deliver a series of lectures on varied specialisations of sociology.  These lectures are attended in large numbers by faculty members and students from various colleges and universities.  At present the Department has three endowment lectures viz., Mahatma Joytiba Phule Endowment Lecture, Late Prof. D. Palani Memorial Endowment Lecture, N. D. Sundaravadivelu Endowment Lecture.

 

Timeline & Heads of the Department of Sociology, University of Madras

 1966 – 1969 – Department of Social Science  

                         Dr. K.K Pillai – Professor of Area Studies and Head In charge (Late) & Professor and Head of the Department of History                 

1971 – Formation of Department of Social Science - M.A. Sociology introduced.

                         Prof. C. A. Perumal – Professor of Politics and Head In charge (Late)                    

1976 – Formation of Department of Sociology

                        1976 – 1992 – Dr. D. Sundaram – Professor and Head

                        1992 – 1996 – Dr. D. Palani – Professor and Head (Late)

                        1996 – 1999 – Dr. D. Sundaram – Professor and Head

                        1999 – 2007 – Dr. D. Jayalakshmi – Professor and Head

                         2007 – 2017 – Dr. A. Karuppiah – Professor and Head (Late)

                         2017 – 2019 – Dr. M. Thamilarasan – Associate Professor & Head In-charge

                         2019 – Till date – Dr. M. Thamilarasan – Professor and Head 

Objective

Mission

Vision

 

To support students on their path to becoming informed, well-rounded, and effective members of our society

To provide students with a rigorous curriculum where they can see themselves and their future life trajectories represented.

To nurture skills in the education of sociology for society, thus anticipating the students be the leaders of tomorrow.

To inculcate the principle of innovation, inclusiveness, just, and sustainable future among the students.