MAN-001 IGNOU Guess Paper 2026-27

Course Scope & Syllabus Overview

MAN-001: Social Anthropology is a core component of IGNOU’s MAAN curriculum, designed to equip students with rigorous analytical tools to study human societies, cultural systems, and structural dynamics. This course, aligned with the School of Social Sciences’ CBCS framework, explores foundational theories, ethnographic methods, and cross-cultural comparisons. Through its thematic blocks, students dissect anthropological paradigms—from structural-functionalism to postcolonial critiques—while applying them to kinship systems, religious practices, and political economies. The syllabus emphasizes empirical rigor and theoretical depth, preparing students to critically engage with contemporary social issues through an anthropological lens.

Key Syllabus Units & Topics

• Block-1: Introduction To Social Anthropology: Covers the discipline’s historical evolution, methodological frameworks (e.g., participant observation, ethnography), and its distinction from related fields like sociology and cultural studies. Key debates on culture as a total social fact and the role of anthropologists in cross-cultural research are examined.
• Block-2: Society And Culture: Analyzes societal organization through kinship, social stratification, and normative systems, including rituals and symbolic practices. The unit critiques functionalist perspectives while introducing Durkheimian and Marxist critiques of cultural determinism.
• Block-4: Anthropological Theories-II: Focuses on post-structuralist and feminist theories, exploring how power, gender, and colonialism shape anthropological inquiry. Case studies on indigenous movements and global capitalism illustrate theoretical applications.
• Block-5: Kinship, Marriage And Family: Investigates universal and culturally specific kinship systems (e.g., descent, marriage alliances) using Levy-Bruhl’s structural analysis and Bourdieu’s symbolic economy. Comparative ethnographies highlight variations in family structures across societies.
• Block-7: Economic And Political Organisations: Examines subsistence strategies, market integration, and state-society relations through Malinowski’s functionalism and Polanyi’s critique of economic determinism. Modern case studies on neoliberalism and tribal economies are integrated.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How are marks distributed in MAN-001’s Term-End Examination (TEE), and what weightage do assignments carry?
A: The TEE for MAN-001 carries 100 marks, with no internal assignments. The examination follows a 50% theory (short/long answers) and 50% practical/application format, including case studies and theoretical critiques. Past papers reveal 30–40% weightage on Blocks 1–2 (foundational theories) and 20–30% on Blocks 5–7 (applied anthropology).

Q: Which units in MAN-001 have the highest recurrence of repeated questions in past TEE papers?
A: Blocks 2 (Society and Culture) and 5 (Kinship, Marriage and Family) consistently feature in repeated questions, often targeting core concepts like structural-functionalism, descent systems, and cross-cultural comparisons. Block-4 (Anthropological Theories-II) also appears frequently due to its emphasis on postcolonial and feminist critiques, which are exam staples. Prioritize these blocks for revision.