Article by
Sobia Saleem
BS – II.
2k15/MC/84
“Social Sciences
Common Perceptions of Society &
Contemporary Problems.”
Several of the people perceptions, I’ve witnessed in recent years have compelled me to pen down on this important point, normally its prevailing thinking in our society that social sciences have no scope, no future; and those who pursuing it as their higher studies are either incompetent to get into any Medical or Engineering college or they are not that much Well Off to make themselves enough capable for these “holy studies”
Normally, social science students are mocked by society, they being criticized or have to face discriminating behavior but have ever our society bothered to realize importance of social sciences in society…? Have society ever tried to look upon the importance and existence of these subjects. In early days, social sciences had vital role in society and social science students had enjoyed foremost place in society, we have examples of Aristotle, Plato, Alexander Hamilton, Adam Smith, Max Weber, Henry Kissinger etc…? In current era, why society is way too much ignorant about these above stated Prominent Social Scientists..? Did they all study Engineering, Medical, Business? Definitely answer is NO! I don’t argue, that natural sciences are way too mainstream but the point which I’m trying to convey is Natural and Social both sciences are working together to make this universe a better place to live in. For example! Social scientists indicate the problem, need of society as social sciences are nearer to society, its study of people behavior, their needs and society and after being indicated by social scientist, natural science practitioners start working to find out its solution, most inventions of past would had become possible because when people started realizing their needs, so in this regard we can say that natural and social sciences are not apart but it both are working together for bring positive change it society.
Yearly, Hundreds of thousands students pass their intermediate examinations in pre-engineering, pre-medical, commerce, arts. If we look at the results of only 2015, then 58.85% students passed their intermediate examinations from Federal board and 61.67% from Sindh Board, 70.21% from Pubjab board, 60% from KPK and 59.32% from Balochistan board. Mostly those students were of Pre-medical and pre-engineering students. If we only look up at the results of Karachi or Hyderabad broad then in 2015, 12,733 candidates pass HSC exam - Pre-engineering, Science & General groups, did all joined medical or engineering colleges? Do we have enough seats to allocate all students in medical/engineering colleges? Do we have enough capacity to serve them…? Definitely answer is once again NO….! If We drop a gaze at our Jamshoro city, MUET has only 1000 seats yearly to allocate students per year, similarly LUMHs has only 263 seats where as University of Sindh admitted 3000 students per years. As per presented data, If passing out students don’t get departments according to their choice so what would they prefer…? Instead of getting into any social science/art department does society wants them to sit back in home or quit education…? Society is lacking to know that “Social Sciences mean inventing certain bran, Human we can understand.”
The social sciences, like the physical or biological sciences, are intellectual subjects, directed primarily toward understanding, rather than action. It would of course be a curious kind of “understanding” that had no implications for action, and this is perhaps especially true for the social sciences. Nevertheless, there is a difference between enlarging one’s understanding of human behavior and society on the one hand and trying to solve a social problem on the other. The social sciences are distinct from social problem solving, but each can contribute to the other.
Its common perception in our society that if a person is pursuing social sciences for his/her higher studies he must had no idea yet decided what to do with their lives and it’s for all those whose premature frustrations led them into sterile alleys of confrontation. Society needs to understand that Social Scientists are expertly trained to identify complex reasoning and ambiguities, showing what people find meaningful about work and what they expect from their employers.
Stereotype thinking of society says that if one is studying Engineering, Medicine, CA, Business etc then one has pursuing worth doing and that’s assurance of its bright future, usually due to this stereotype thinking even talented souls of social sciences have to go through discriminative behavior which proved as negative vibes for them, what normally people think that only medical, engineering can make you a productive aspect of society otherwise you’re waste of society if you’re pursuing not this stereotype thinking, but where people lacking here is that why don’t they understand that being average student in subjects of not ones choice why not being a star student of one’s own choice…?
The social sciences can help to make us aware of threats to our freedom while giving us greater power to control our own behavior in constructive ways, helping us to be more tolerant of diversity, to learn to live together in greater harmony, less violently and more satisfyingly. If we are to reap these benefits, however, we must work at understanding ourselves and our society, at perfecting a social science that is capable of meeting the challenges of our future.
Well, it’s a vast debate, which never gets any fruitful result yet, still hoping for appropriate behavior of society towards this pathetic issue and deliberately waiting for that day when stereotype thinkers will gradually start realizing that “Man, that molecule of society, is the subject of social science”
