Bangladesh: Sociology in Bangladesh

2010

The coinage of the term sociology took place in the early nineteenth century with an associated assumption that specific socioeconomic and intellectual developments in Europe at that time catalyzed its emergence. This particular phenomenon has furnished the basis for the formulation of one of the departing points of this paper. Taking the point further, the paper focuses on the question of how to address the issue of institutionalization of sociology in a country. It is asked as to whether the conditions similar to the ones observed in Europe are necessary for the development of sociology in other countries. In the light of this particular question and the experiences of Europe and other countries regarding the emergence of sociology, two particular concepts have been introduced, namely ‘organic growth’ and ‘diffusion’, to explain the process of development of sociology, equating the former with Europe and the latter with other countries including Bangladesh. Initiatives from the ou...

In every scientific endeavor, there is an attachment of philosophy.

Sociology is frequently termed as a ‘science of social crisis’ (Sen 1997). This is true in two planes – sociology originated in Western Europe in a period of social crisis, and its development is associated with continuing crises. Similarly, sociology in Bangladesh, since its inception as an academic discipline in 1957, has been in constant encounter with multifarious challenges. Previous discussions on the state of the discipline in Bangladesh insinuate a growing sense of institutional crisis. An institutional crisis implies ‘a fundamental conflict between an institution and a larger social context’ (Baker and Lenhardt 2008). A few Bangladeshi sociologists have analysed the underlying causes of crisis in Bangladesh sociology. Khan (1990) points to the epistemological problems and states that ‘sociology has remained in a state of permanent crisis since its emergence’. To Islam and Haque (1999), the crisis lies in the lack of theory building and, indeed, in a gradual decline of interest in studying sociological theories. Sen (1990) argues that the equilibrium model of the West is insufficient for the study of Bangladesh society. Islam (1999) related the crises of sociology to the crises of modernity. To him, the crisis of Western sociology comes with the crisis of ‘overdevelopment’ while the crisis of Bangladesh sociology is associated with the crisis of ‘underdevelopment’. Scholars have also offered various solutions to the problems: adopting a Marxist approach (Sen 1990, Khan 1992), offering strong foundation of theory building to students (Islam and Haque 1999), and developing a multidisciplinary approach (Sen 1990). The present paper focuses on the state of Bangladesh sociology by introducing the concept of ‘hybrid sociology’. ‘Hybrid sociology’ here refers to the crossbreeding of different sociological traditions, i.e., using different elements of different sociological traditions within a single research project. Starting from the 1970s Bangladeshi sociologists have been concentrating on, in Alatas’s (2006) words, “empirical, single-case and own-country studies.” Most of these researches are based on Western theories, concepts, ideas, and methods – just applying them to field-level problems. Thus, through these types of work, sociology is assuming a new face, what I term ‘hybrid sociology’. This article argues that the hybrid nature itself creates a crisis for sociology in Bangladesh. At the same time, the overcoming of crises in Bangladesh sociology depends on its keeping pace with global sociological transformations; upgrading university courses in terms of area, content, and methodological sophistication; innovating new tools and theories; and proliferating ‘public sociology’. This investigation is conducted based on information obtained from secondary sources that include books, journals, and the findings of other researchers. Also, in the process, some renowned sociologists of Bangladesh have been interviewed in order to paint a more precise picture of present day Bangladesh sociology. Key Concepts: Crisis in Bangladesh sociology, academic dependency, captive mind syndrome, ‘hybrid sociology’.

Current Sociology, 2006

The universal concepts of sociology are those that form the basic foundation of the discipline found in all human societies and valid for all times. Examples are the concepts of sanction, class, social stratification, social mobility, group, culture, values, religion, custom and others. These concepts are universally valid in the general and abstract sense but their historical and concrete manifestations are conditioned by their temporal, spatial and cultural frameworks. It is in the studies of these unique historical phenomena that the autonomous tradition has its roots. What is lacking in the non-western world is an autonomous social science tradition, generated and developed by local scholars, guided by the selection of problems from within the society, applying an independent concept of relevance in the collection and accumulation of research data and comparative attention to problems outside the country or region.

Policy Futures in Education, 2010

Since the 1990s, enormous changes have been made in the higher education sector in Bangladesh. The government promulgated the Private University Act in 1992, and formulated a 20-year Strategic Plan for Higher Education: 2006–2026 (SPHE). A critical review shows that the objective of the plan is to connect education with market-driven economic forces. This article argues that such a neoliberal policy in the higher education sector will have far-reaching socio-economic consequences in Bangladesh. With a critical investigation of the SPHE, this article explores how the autonomy of public universities is threatened, and how the role of the state is redefined through withdrawing government grants in the higher education sector. By providing three case studies, this article exposes the marketising nature of higher education in contemporary Bangladesh. This article also argues that the resistance against neoliberalism in higher education is another aspect which is organised by different so...

Journal of Happiness Studies, 2008

2009

A new phase of higher education in Bangladesh began in the 1990s in which a significant transformation took place, largely based on market-driven economic forces. Consequently, economic as well as political goals became drivers of a transformation of the sector. This article argues that enduring aspects of colonialism have been reinforced in the higher education sector by incorporating a neoliberal policy agenda. The article uses a critical approach to document analysis and accesses the perceptions of key stakeholders to explore how neoliberal hegemony transforms ideology in the sector. It suggests that the capitalist education system perpetuates a false consciousness within society. Market-driven economic forces determine the higher education system, and thus, society presumes that the market-related subjects can help students to get a job and so survive in society. Such a higher education system aims to create a consumer class who would be the buyers of capitalist society. At the same time as profit maximisation has become the main concern of higher education, the market-orientation of higher education itself produces an apolitical attitude in graduates that in turn serves to continue the prevailing capitalist society Role Participant's name Current position Gender Age (appx.) Experiences The UGC and the government officials Professor Rahman Senior official of UGC Male 68 Worked as a professor for a public university for about thirty-five years Politicians and student activists Abir Leader of Socialist Students Front (SSF) Male 30 Organised resistance in the public universities. Public and private universities' authorities and faculty members Professor Itfad Senior faculty member of a public university Male 62 Worked as a dean and as first vice chancellor of a public university. Has taught in microbiology for about thirty years.