Sociology of Minority Communities: Today and Tomorrow

Abstract

This chapter discusses Sociology of Minority and its challenges and future. If the disciplinary apparatus of Sociology is thought to be aimed at emancipation and welfare of human society, minority studies possess the amalgamation incorporating the essence of inclusive development, culture, justice, and inequality studies. In that context, the author of this chapter will provide an authoritative account of aims, goals, theoretical framework, and standards of how minority studies are taught in the Sociology department, for the first time in the history of Bangladesh, along with future directions of this course. The Constitution of Bangladesh is a testament for equality for its entire people regardless of religious, ethnic, and gender identity, but several events of past years seem to have violated that. Minority studies, as illustrated in this chapter, tries to engage the cause, nature, and direction of these events of rights violations. This chapter explores further the present status of minority studies in Sociology, highlighting how our teaching, research, and collaboration agendas could be improved in understanding minority communities’ experience of social exclusion, oppression, and marginalization and how these people could be mainstreamed in line with 2030 SDGs and other national goals. It also examines and provides a future direction for academic excellence and research potential on issues such as interactive relationship between globalization, international migration, diaspora, and remittance-earning middle class in Bangladesh. The chapters give clear suggestions and future directions in building and strengthening relationships with local and international development organizations, civil society organizations, and industry-university or university-university relationships for research and development at home and abroad.