Chap 1 intro: sociology the systematic study of society and social interaction society a group of people who live in a defined geographical area who interact with one another and who share a common culture sociological imagination the ability to understand how your own past relates to that of other people, as well as to history in general and societal structures in particular social institutions patterns of beliefs and behaviors focused on meeting social needs culture a group's shared practices, values, and beliefs qualitative sociology in-depth interviews, focus groups, and/or analysis of content sources as the source of its data quantitative sociology statistical methods such as surveys with large numbers of participants agination to capture the essence of sociology as a discipline or field of study. Having a sociological imagination is not meant only for sociologists but for everyone. It's a way of seeing the world and our place in it. • Mills describes the sociological imagination as: • "A quality of mind essential to grasp the interplay of individuals and society, of biography and history, of self and world" (p. 4). • "A quality of mind that will help them use information and to develop reason in order to achieve lucid summations of what is going on in the world and of what may be happening within themselves" (p. 5). • "The sociological imagination enables us to grasp history and biography and the relations between the two within society. That is its task and its promise" (p. 5). • The sociological imagination is both a terrible lesson and a magnificent one. Webber an example of his ideal type method by thinking about social Sociology for Weber is the study of social action. Weber outlined 4 types of social action: • 1. Instrumentally rational action - Rational calculation of how one's behavior will affect a particular end, e.g. a cost-benefit analysis. • 2. Value rational action - Behavior based on some intrinsic value, such as ethics, aesthetics, religious values, etc., without primary regard for the outcome of that behavior. • 3. Affectual action - Behavior that is determined by emotional states of mind. • 4. Traditional action - Behavior that is determined by habit, custom, or tradition. • These types are not mutually exclusive. • Instrumental Rationality or Instrumentally Rational Action represents the type of motivated behavior that is most prevalent in modern societies and institutions. However, it is not complete or all pervasive. Dubois At the outset of the Forethought to Souls of Black Folk, DuBois claims that the problem of the 20th Century is the "problem of the color line." What is he referring to? And he situates himself "I am bone of the bone, flesh of the flesh of them that live within the Veil." › Chapter 1: Of our Spiritual Strivings • "To the real question, How does it feel to be a problem? I answer seldom a word." (DuBois 1903: 2). What is the story of when DuBois first realized his blackness is a "problem" in American society? He recounts: "Then it dawned upon me with a certain suddenness that I was different from the others...shut out from their world by a vast veil" (ibid: 2). • "Why did God make me an outcast and a stranger in mine own house? The shades of the prison-house closed round about us all: walls strait and stubborn to the whitest, but relentlessly narrow, tall, and unscalable to the sons of night who must plod darkly on in resignation or beat unavailing palms, against the stone, or steadily, half hopelessly, watch the streak of blue above" "The Negro is a sort of seventh son, born with a veil, and gifted with second sight in this American world, - a world which yields him no true self-consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world. It is a peculiar sensation this double consciousness, this sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of others, measuring one's soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. One ever feels his twoness, - an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength keeps it from being torn asunder" (DuBois 1903: 2-3). Chap 2 research: code of ethics a set of guidelines that the American Sociological Association has established to foster ethical research and professionally responsible scholarship in sociology dependent variables a variable changed by other variables empirical evidence evidence that comes from direct observations, scientifically gathered data, or experimentation ethnography participating and observing thinking and behavior in a social setting field research gathering data from a natural environment without doing a lab experiment or a survey independent variables variables that cause changes in dependent variables interview a one-on-one conversation between the researcher and the subject literature review a scholarly research step that entails identifying and studying all existing studies on a topic to create a basis for new research participant observation when a researcher immerses herself in a group or social setting in order to make observations from an “insider” perspective population a defined group serving as the subject of a study qualitative data non-numerical, descriptive data that is often subjective and based on what is experienced in a natural setting quantitative data data collected in numerical form that can be counted and analyzed using statistics random sample a study’s participants being randomly selected to serve as a representation of a larger population scientific method an established scholarly research that involves asking a question, researching existing sources, forming a hypothesis, designing a data collection method, gathering data, and drawing conclusions surveys collect data from subjects who respond to a series of questions about thinking, behaviors, and opinions, often in the form of a questionnaire Chap 4 social interaction: Thomas theorem how a subjective reality can drive events to develop in accordance with that reality, despite being originally unsupported by objective reality roles patterns of behavior that are representative of a person’s social status Social construction of reality is a theory that suggests that humans create their own understanding of reality, through their interactions and communications with others. ascribed status refers to the status that an individual acquires by virtue or birth, achieved status refers to the status level that an individual has earned through work, education, luck, social climbing, and so on. Someone’s achievable status could change throughout life. self-fulfilling prophecy an idea that becomes true when acted upon Chap 5 Socliazation: hidden curriculum the informal teaching done in schools that socializes children to societal norms nature the influence of our genetic makeup on self-development nurture the role that our social environment plays in self-development peer group a group made up of people who are similar in age and social status and who share interests socialization the process wherein people come to understand societal norms and expectations, to accept society’s beliefs, and to be aware of societal values Chap 6 groups/organization: formal organizations large, impersonal organizations group any collection of at least two people who interact with some frequency and who share some sense of aligned identity out-group a group that an individual is not a member of, and may even compete with in-group a group a person belongs to and feels is an integral part of his identity primary groups small, informal groups of people who are closest to us reference groups groups to which an individual compares herself secondary groups larger and more impersonal groups that are task-focused and time limited bureaucracies formal organizations characterized by a hierarchy of authority, a clear division of labor, explicit rules, and impersonality normative or voluntary organizations organizations that people join to pursue shared interests or because they provide some intangible rewards utilitarian organizations organizations that are joined to fill a specific material need Divisions of labor the assignment of different parts of a manufacturing process or task to different people in order to improve efficiency Institution a society or organization founded for a religious, educational, social, or similar purpose total institution an organization in which participants live a controlled lifestyle and in which total resocialization occurs meritocracy a bureaucracy where membership and advancement is based on merit—proven and documented skills Chap 9 social stratification: social stratification a socioeconomic system that divides society’s members into categories ranking from high to low, based on things like wealth, power, and prestige. Also called inequality. socioeconomic status (SES) an individual’s level of wealth, power, and prestige wealth the value of money and assets a person has from, for example, inheritance or salary income the money a person earns from work or investments caste system a system in which people are born into a social standing that they will retain their entire lives class a group who shares a common social status based on factors like wealth, income, education, and occupation class system social standing based on social factors and individual accomplishments ideology the cultural belief system that justifies a society’s system of stratification meritocracy an ideal system in which personal effort—or merit—determines social standing structural mobility a societal change that enables a whole group of people to move up or down the class ladder upward mobility an increase—or upward shift—in social class intergenerational mobility a difference in social class between different generations of a family intragenerational mobility changes in a person's social mobility over the course of their lifetime. Davis-Moore thesis a thesis that argues some social stratification is a social necessity and is functional downward mobility a lowering of one’s social class absolute poverty deprivation so severe that it puts day-to-day survival in jeopard relative poverty is not having the means to live the lifestyle of the average person in your country Feminization of poverty refers to a trend of increasing inequality in living standards between men and women due to the widening gender gap in poverty. Types of capital Social stratification refers to a complex set of institutions that generate the distribution of income, wealth, and power in a given society. It sorts people into statuses and groups according them differential resources and access to opportunity. Generally, we can consider 7 types of "capital" that are produced within institutions. • Economic/Financial • Political • Cultural • Social • Honorific • Civil • Human Chap 11 race: social construction of race the school of thought that race is not biologically identifiable ethnicity shared culture, which may include heritage, language, religion, and more minority group any group of people who are singled out from the others for differential and unequal treatment intersection theory theory that suggests we cannot separate the effects of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, and other attributes prejudice biased thought based on flawed assumptions about a group of people stereotypes oversimplified ideas about groups of people discrimination prejudiced action against a group of people White privilege the benefits people receive simply by being part of the dominant group racism a set of attitudes, beliefs, and practices that are used to justify the belief that one racial category is somehow superior or inferior to others Systematic racism discrimination or unequal treatment on the basis of membership in a particular ethnic group (typically one that is a minority or marginalized), arising from systems, structures, or expectations that have become established within society or an institution Individual Racism is “an individual's racist assumptions, beliefs, or behaviors and is ‘a form of racial discrimination that stems from conscious and unconscious, personal prejudice colorism the belief that one type of skin tone is superior or inferior to another within a racial group antiracist a person who opposes racism and acts for racial justice racial steering the act of real estate agents directing prospective homeowners toward or away from certain neighborhoods based on their race redlining the practice of routinely refusing mortgages for households and business located in predominately minority communities pluralism the ideal of the United States as a “salad bowl:” a mixture of different cultures where each culture retains its own identity and yet adds to the “flavor” of the whole assimilation the process by which a minority individual or group takes on the characteristics of the dominant culture genocide the deliberate annihilation of a targeted (usually subordinate) group expulsion the act of a dominant group forcing a subordinate group to leave a certain area or even the country segregation the physical separation of two groups, particularly in residence, but also in workplace and social functions Chap 12: sex a term that denotes the presence of physical or physiological differences between males and females intersex people born with sex characteristics (including genitals, gonads and chromosome patterns) that do not fit typical binary notions of male or female bodies. gender a term that refers to social or cultural distinctions of behaviors that are considered male or female gender dysphoria a condition listed in the DSM-5 in which people whose gender at birth is contrary to the one they identify with. This condition replaces "gender identity disorder" gender identity a person’s deeply held internal perception of his or her gender gender role society’s concept of how men and women should behave transgender an adjective that describes individuals who identify with the behaviors and characteristics that are other than their biological sex sexual orientation a person’s physical, mental, emotional, and sexual attraction to a particular sex (male or female) sexuality a person’s capacity for sexual feelings sexism the prejudiced belief that one sex should be valued over another heterosexism an ideology and a set of institutional practices that privilege heterosexuals and heterosexuality over other sexual orientations Allyship active support for the rights of a minority or marginalized group without being a member of it Misogyny dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women glass ceiling an invisible barrier that women encounter when trying to win jobs in the highest level of business Queer Theory is an interdisciplinary approach to sexuality studies that identifies Western society’s rigid splitting of gender into male and female roles and questions the manner in which we have been taught to think about sexual orientation. According to Jagose (1996), Queer [Theory] focuses on mismatches between anatomical sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation, not just division into male/female or homosexual/ hetereosexual. By calling their discipline “queer,” scholars reject the effects of labeling; instead, they embraced the word “queer” and reclaimed it for their own purposes. The perspective highlights the need for a more flexible and fluid conceptualization of sexuality—one that allows for change, negotiation, and freedom. This mirrors other oppressive schemas in our culture, especially those surrounding gender and race (Black versus White, male versus female). Chap 16 education a social institution through which a society’s children are taught basic academic knowledge, learning skills, and cultural norms formal education the learning of academic facts and concepts informal education education that involves learning about cultural values, norms, and expected behaviors through participation in a society School integration (also known as desegregation) is the process of ending race -based segregation within American public and private schools. hidden curriculum the type of nonacademic knowledge that people learn through informal learning and cultural transmission cultural capital cultural knowledge that serves (metaphorically) as currency to help one navigate a culture No Child Left Behind Act an act that requires states to test students in prescribed grades, with the results of those tests determining eligibility to receive federal funding Busing, in the United States, the practice of transporting students to schools within or outside their local school districts as a means of rectifying racial segregation. Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 (1954), was a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that U.S. state laws establishing racial segregation in public schools are unconstitutional, even if the segregated schools are otherwise equal in quality. Chap 19 Health: medical sociology the systematic study of how humans manage issues of health and illness, disease and disorders, and healthcare for both the sick and the healthy stigmatization of illness illnesses that are discriminated against and whose sufferers are looked down upon or even shunned by society contested illnesses illnesses that are questioned or considered questionable by some medical professionals social epidemiology the study of the causes and distribution of diseases socialized medicine when the government owns and runs the entire healthcare system morbidity the incidence of disease mortality the number of deaths in a given time or place medicalization the process by which aspects of life that were considered bad or deviant are redefined as sickness and needing medical attention to remedy disability a reduction in one’s ability to perform everyday tasks; the World Health Organization notes that this is a social limitation impairment the physical limitations a less-able person faces stigmatization the act of spoiling someone's identity; they are labeled as different, discriminated against, and sometimes even shunned due to an illness or disability Chap 20 Population/urbanization: demographic transition theory a theory that describes four stages of population growth, following patterns that connect birth and death rates with stages of industrial development demography the study of population fertility rate a measure noting the actual number of children born mortality rate a measure of the number of people in a population who die cancer cluster a geographic area with high levels of cancer within its population population composition a snapshot of the demographic profile of a population based on fertility, mortality, and migration rates urbanization the study of the social, political, and economic relationships of cities urban sociology the subfield of sociology that focuses on the study of urbanization exurbs communities that arise farther out than the suburbs and are typically populated by residents of high socioeconomic status suburbs the communities surrounding cities, typically close enough for a daily commute metropolis the area that includes a city and its suburbs and exurbs A metropolitan area or metro is a region consisting of a densely populated urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories sharing industries, commercial areas, transport network, infrastructures and housing. white flight the migration of economically secure white people from racially mixed urban areas toward the suburbs gentrification the entry of upper- and middle-class residents to city areas or communities that have been historically less affluent human ecology a functional perspective that looks at the relationship between people and their built and natural environment concentric zone model a model of human ecology that views cities as a series of circular rings or zones refugee an individual who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster asylum-seekers those whose claim to refugee status have not been validated internally displaced person someone who fled his or her home while remaining inside the country’s borders environmental sociology the sociological subfield that addresses the relationship between humans and the environment climate change long-term shifts in temperature and climate due to human activity fracking hydraulic fracturing, a method used to recover gas and oil from shale by drilling down into the earth and directing a high-pressure mixture of water, sand, and proprietary chemicals into the rock pollution the introduction of contaminants into an environment at levels that are damaging e-waste the disposal of broken, obsolete, and worn-out electronics environmental racism the burdening of economically and socially disadvantaged communities with a disproportionate share of environmental hazards NIMBY “Not In My Back Yard,” the tendency of people to protest poor environmental practices when those practices will affect them directly sustainable development development that occurs without depleting or damaging the natural environment Chap 21 ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● collective behavior a noninstitutionalized activity in which several people voluntarily engage mass a relatively large group with a common interest, even if they may not be in close proximity emergent norm theory a perspective that emphasizes the importance of social norms in crowd behavior value-added theory a functionalist perspective theory that posits that several preconditions must be in place for collective behavior to occur assembling perspective a theory that credits individuals in crowds as behaving as rational thinkers and views crowds as engaging in purposeful behavior and collective action social movement a purposeful organized group hoping to work toward a common social goal NGO nongovernmental organizations working globally for numerous humanitarian and environmental causes reform movements movements that seek to change something specific about the social structure revolutionary movements movements that seek to completely change every aspect of society religious/redemptive movements movements that work to promote inner change or spiritual growth in individuals alternative movements social movements that limit themselves to self-improvement changes in individuals resistance movements those who seek to prevent or undo change to the social structure social movement sector the multiple social movement industries in a society, even if they have widely varying constituents and goals ● ● prognostic framing social movements that state a clear solution and a means of implementation
