Defunding Liberal Arts: When sociology and history learning fades, social media influencers fill the gap

By Ashwani Kumar

As India pursues the ambition of becoming a global economic and technological power, higher education is increasingly judged by one question: Does it produce jobs?

Universities are expected to demonstrate their worth through placement records, patents, start-ups, industry partnerships and contributions to innovation. Engineering, medicine, artificial intelligence and data science naturally receive greater attention because their economic benefits are visible and measurable. In contrast, disciplines such as sociology, history, philosophy, political science and literature are often viewed as less productive, attracting criticism for offering little immediate return on public investment.

This way of evaluating higher education is understandable but incomplete. Universities do not exist just to produce skilled employees; they also produce informed citizens. Liberal arts are not simply about self-expression, creativity or intellectual curiosity. Their deeper purpose is to help society understand itself.

If science illustrates the natural world and engineering transforms it, liberal arts explain the social world in which those transformations occur. Ignoring this function risks weakening the very foundations of democratic life.

Also read No lab, little funds, full-time job: Midnight equations land Tumkur University prof on top 2% scientists list

Why liberal arts matter in India

India's social reality illustrates why this matters. It is one of the world's largest and most diverse democracies, shaped by multiple religions, languages, castes, ethnic identities and regional cultures. Rapid urbanisation, digital transformation, migration, demographic change and economic inequality continue to reshape everyday life. Public debates increasingly revolve around issues such as social justice, communal harmony, gender equality, environmental sustainability and constitutional values.

These are not just technical questions. They require an understanding of history, institutions, culture and human behaviour. Such understanding is cultivated through the liberal arts .

The importance of these disciplines has become more important in the digital age. Social media has transformed the way Indians consume and produce knowledge. Millions now participate in discussions through YouTube, podcasts, Instagram, X and other digital platforms. This shift of public participation is a remarkable democratic development because it has widened access to public debate beyond traditional institutions. However, it has also created a new challenge: the distinction between informed expertise and popular opinion has become increasingly blurred.

Unlike medicine or engineering, where professional expertise is widely recognised, social issues are often treated as subjects on which everyone is equally qualified to speak. Because everyone lives in society, it is assumed that everyone understands how society works. However, participation in society is not the same as understanding it.

Personal experience provides valuable insight, but it cannot replace systematic inquiry. Explaining complex social phenomena requires theoretical knowledge, historical context, methodological training and empirical evidence.

This is precisely what liberal arts contribute. Sociology examines how institutions shape behaviour, how inequalities are reproduced and how social norms evolve over time. History reminds us that contemporary conflicts have deep historical roots rather than simple explanations. Political science analyses power, governance and democratic institutions, while philosophy encourages ethical reasoning about justice, rights and responsibility. These disciplines often compelled students to move beyond opinion towards evidence-based explanation.

Also read Section of JBIMS grads without jobs, say placement team ‘not taking responsibility’; B-school blames students

When liberal arts is weakened

When liberal arts are weakened, society does not stop producing explanations of social reality. Instead, an intellectual vacuum emerges. That vacuum is increasingly filled by influencers, commentators and public personalities whose authority often depends on visibility rather than scholarly expertise. Digital platforms reward content that is emotionally engaging, certain and easily shareable. Complex arguments supported by evidence rarely spread as quickly as simplified narratives that confirm existing beliefs. In such an environment, popularity can begin to substitute for credibility.

The consequences are already visible. Social problems are frequently reduced to simplistic explanations, historical events are interpreted without context, and public debates often rely on stereotypes, selective evidence or ideological conviction. The issue is not that ordinary citizens participate in democratic discussion.The problem arises when evidence-based analysis is gradually replaced by assertion, and when algorithmic popularity becomes the primary measure of public credibility.

A healthy democracy requires more than freedom of speech. It also requires institutions that cultivate informed judgment. Liberal arts perform this democratic function by producing individuals trained to evaluate evidence, question assumptions and explain society through disciplined inquiry rather than personal preference. Just as society depends on trained doctors to interpret medical evidence and trained engineers to design safe infrastructure, it also depends on scholars trained to interpret social realities responsibly.

Also read Jadavpur University has 63 researchers in top 2% scientists list – highest count among state institutions

Liberal Arts vs STEM: Tech vs social understanding

This role is particularly significant in India, where social diversity demands careful interpretation rather than simplistic conclusions. Issues relating to caste, religion, language, regional identities or social inequality cannot be understood through slogans or isolated incidents. They require historical understanding, comparative analysis and sensitivity to context. Liberal arts equip citizens and policymakers alike with these capacities.

The debate, therefore, should not be framed as a choice between STEM and liberal arts. India unquestionably needs more scientists, engineers and innovators to sustain economic development. But technological progress without social understanding can create new inequalities, deepen social divisions and generate ethical dilemmas that technology alone cannot resolve. Scientific innovation and social understanding are complementary, not competing, public goods.

As India seeks to realise the aspirations of Viksit Bharat, investments in higher education should reflect this broader vision. A developed nation requires not only advanced technology but also strong democratic institutions, informed public debate and citizens capable of engaging with complexity. Liberal arts contribute to each of these objectives by strengthening society's capacity for critical reasoning and evidence-based public discourse.

The real cost of defunding liberal arts will therefore not be measured simply by fewer university departments or reduced student enrolments. It will be measured by a gradual decline in society's ability to understand itself.

In an age where information is abundant but informed interpretation is increasingly scarce, India cannot afford to neglect the disciplines that help citizens distinguish evidence from opinion, complexity from simplification and knowledge from influence. Investing in liberal arts is not an investment in nostalgia; it is an investment in the intellectual resilience of Indian democracy.

(Dr Ashwani Kumar is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at UILS, Chandigarh University, Punjab)