Q. How would you appropriate to characterise G. S. Ghurye as a practitioner of ‘theoretical pluralism’?

Model Answer:

G.S. Ghurye, the ‘father of Indian sociology,’ exemplified theoretical pluralism by consciously avoiding any single theoretical dogma, employing diverse perspectives to analyze Indian society’s multifaceted reality.

Integration of Multiple Approaches

Ghurye’s eclectic methodology synthesized:

• Indological-Textual Analysis: Used Sanskrit texts to trace historical origins of social institutions, particularly in “Caste and Race in India” where he analyzed Vedic literature to understand caste origins

• Diffusionist Perspective: Explained how Indo-Aryan cultural traits spread and interacted with local cultures across the subcontinent, blending textual with historical-anthropological methods

• Historical-Comparative Method: Applied to diverse topics including kinship systems, urbanization in “Cities and Civilization”, and religious consciousness in “Indian Sadhus”

Rejection of Theoretical Dogmatism

Unlike contemporaries who adopted single Western frameworks, Ghurye believed Indian civilization’s complexity required a unique synthetic approach:

• Deliberately avoided grand theories like structural-functionalism or Marxism as sole analytical lenses

• His study of tribes as “backward Hindus” used a civilizational-historical framework rather than purely structural analysis, integrating tribes into broader Indian society’s narrative

• Combined empirical fieldwork with classical scholarship, bridging past and present

Conclusion:

Ghurye’s theoretical pluralism created a distinctive Indian sociological perspective. By weaving together Indology, diffusionism, historical comparison, and empirical analysis, he developed a holistic approach tailored to Indian context, demonstrating that complex societies require multiple theoretical lenses for comprehensive understanding.