Explanation and management of change : University Grants Commission national lectures 1970.

THIS VOLUME brings together the text of the National Lectures I delivered at Panjab University, the University of Delhi, and Kerala University in 1970 under the sponsorship of the University Grants Commission. The lectures were not aimed at reporting significant new research; their purpose was to acquaint graduate students and the faculty with major currents of thought and recent developments in a specified field. Apart from delivering formal lectures, the invitees in the national lectures series were expected to spend at least a week in residence at each of the host universities giving seminars and discussing problems. As the lectures were expected to draw mixed audiences, cutting across the boundaries of the disciplines they represented, they were to avoid, by design, narrow technical exposition.

My lectures were focused on the theme of change: in addition to offering a synoptic view of what anthropology and socio logy have to say on this theme, I have also tried to review contemporary discussion on the issues of modernization, economic development, and technological change. I had to be highly selective in my treatment, because of the limitation on time. The lectures are reproduced here substantially in the form in which they were delivered.

I am grateful to the University Grants Commission for their invitation to participate in the first series of lectures sponsored by them. The series itself owes its origin to the vision of Professor D. S. Kothari, Chairman of the Commission, and himself a distinguished scientist. Dr. D. Shankar Narayan, Additional Secretary of the Commission, expended unfailing courtesy and cooperation in the preparation of these lectures and visits connected with them.

The host universities, mentioned earlier, have earned my gratitude for the excellence of their arrangements both for the lectures and for my stay with them. In particular I would like to mention Professors S. R. K. Chopra and Victor D'Souza of Panjab University, Dr. I. P. S. Monga and Dr. J. D. Mehra of the University of Delhi, and Professor A. Aiyappan and Dr. P. K. B. Nayar of Kerala University for their many kindnesses and hospitality.

In preparing these lectures I have benefited from stimula ting criticism from Professor T. N. Madan, Dr. Yogesh Atal, Dr. J. D. Mehra, and Mr. S. D. Badgaiyan. At home, Leela Dube provided pleasant conditions of work as well as pro fessional comment, Mukul helped me in preparing and editing the text, and Saurabh has generally relieved the tedium of long hours of work. C. B. Singh and Sudha Muthal provided research assistance, and the MS was typed by R. S. Patel. They are all too close to me to permit formal acknowledge ment of my indebtedness to them.