Sociology 103 Tutorial #4
TUESDAY, APRIL 2ND, 2013
Readings
Test #3
 Starting points: lecture 9 and 10.
 Readings in Sociology all: 1,2,3,5,6,14,15,16.
All multiple choice.
Monday April 29th, 7:00
Previous Exams
Past exam library:
http://exams.library.utoronto.ca.myaccess.library.ut
oronto.ca/
Exam rooms
Because the exam is ‘controlled’, there will be no extra
exams in each room.
Be sure you are in the right location.
Rooms
A - DOBRI MON 29 APR EV 7-10 BN2N
DOBRO - KAN MON 29 APR EV 7-10 BN2S
KAO - MO MON 29 APR EV 7-10 BN3
MU - YANG,S MON 29 APR EV 7-10 EX200
YANG,X - Z MON 29 APR EV 7-10 EX320
Exam Breakdown
33 Reading Sociology
New: Section 14 (States and Gov): 4 New Chapters.
Old: 35 chapters (7 sections)
35 Starting Points (easy – no surprises)
New: Politics / Social Movements
82 Lectures
Total 150
Hint for Reading Sociology
The multiple choice questions will likely come from:
1) The main arguments of the papers (is it theoretical
or empirical?)
2) The key sociological figures (and their theories).
3) Bolded terms.
4) Sections are HEAVILY organized. The sub
headings will direct your focus.
5) Often, the main argument will come in the first 2-3
paragraphs – this should also direct your focus.
Reading Sociology
Answer the following questions:
1) Identify the main argument of the chapter
(thesis).
2) What is the purpose of the article (i.e.,
academically, why did the author write this paper –
is it tied into a debate?). (Puzzle/contribution).
3) Identify and define all key terms and key figures.
Section on Politics
Readings in Sociology:
(Likely) ALL chapters are likely to be tested.
Starting Points:
Just this weeks chapters: politics and social
movements
Research questions: Ch 57
1. Was there a relationship between
public opinion and political context?

Public expenditures, governing party
2. Were public opinion and economic
context related over the period under
study?

Median income, income inequality, business cycle
3. How does individual-level income affect
support for government intervention?
4. Does the relationship between income
and attitudes differ in Canada and the
US?
10
Chapter 57: Redistribution


Explore the relationship between social expenditures and public
opinion
Main conclusion: People are affected by the political and
economic conditions that they experience but not by level of
social spending per se
Purpose: “This paper examines the relationship between economic
and political conditions on welfare spending in Canada from 1980 to
2005”.
The Debate: How are attitudes shaped, and what is the relationship
between public opinion and social spending.
Key Terms: Welfare State, redistribution, social democracy, public
expenditures.
The Debate or Puzzle

Relationship between policy and public opinion
 Two explanations:
1.
2.
Elected officials maximize chance of re-election by responding to
public preferences (Stimson 1995, Wlezien 2004, Brooks and
Manza 2007)
Economic and political factors influence public preferences
(Andersen and Fetner 2008, Kenworthy and McCall 2008)
 Regardless of causal interpretation one prefers, growing
inequality within nations (Fisher and Hout 2006,
Firebaugh 2000, Banting 2006, Myles 2010), and a
general rightward shift in government policy underscore
the importance of studying these relationships
Potential influences on public opinion
1. Political regime—i.e., social democratic, liberal,
2.
3.
4.
5.
conservative—influences attitudes (Svallfors 1997;
Papadakis 1993)
Support for spending lowest during economic
recession (Shivo and Uusitalo 1995, Svallfors 1991,
1995 )
Public responds to changes in public spending
(Soroka and Wlezien 2004)
Class or income effects based on “economicutilitarian” views (Kaltenthaler and Ceccoli 2008, Jaeger
2006)
Type of programs (i.e., targeted versus universal)
also matters (Korpi and Palme 1998)
Figure 1
Trends in public expenditures and public opinion
(b) Support for public spending
2.5
3.0
Welfare
1.5
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005
14
Poverty
Child care
2.0
Average response
20
18
16
14
Percentage of GDP
22
(a) Public expenditures
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005
Figure 2
Trends in economic indicators
2000
8
9
10
11
12
1990
6
7
Percentage unemployed
9.0
8.0
6.0
7.0
Ratio 80th perc./others
45
40
35
30
2005 constant dollars (1,000s)
1980
15
(c) Unemployment rate
(b) Income inequality
(a) Median family income (after tax)
1980
1990
2000
1980
1990
2000
What the figures show
There is some evidence that preferences for spending
among the Canadian population increased during
times of declined spending.
At the very least, these figures show that expenditures
do not reflect Canadian’s preferences.
Important questions this article answers
Main conclusion: People are affected by the political and
economic conditions that they experience but not by
level of social spending per se
What is the strongest influence of public opinion on
welfare state spending?
2) When is public support for welfare spending highest?
3) What factors do not have a strong influence on public
opinion (think of the debate)?
4) People in which types of countries tend to be the
strongest supporters of welfare state spending?
1)
Chapter 57 discussion questions
Public opinion and redistribution
1)
Do you think the Canadian government should raise taxes and spend more on social
services?
2)
Who benefits in society from increased spending on social services?
3)
This paper argues that people are perceptive, or aware, or inequality and its effects as it
becomes larger. Evaluate this assumption. How is it possible for people to ‘see’ inequality?
How is it difficult to see increases in inequality?
4)
This paper evaluates two narratives regarding public opinion. Which do you believe and
why?
“How are attitudes shaped, and what is the relationship between public opinion and social
spending”.
Joshcurtispolisoc.com
Chapter 56
“Canada’s Rights Revolution”
Purpose: To describe fundamental themes related to
social movements, through different research and
media narratives.
Focus: Canadian focus.
Important Ideas
1) What are social movement organizations?
1) Discussion of human rights: a) significant
advances; b) mechanisms that advance/inhibit
social progress.
2) What should be done in Canada?
Ch 55: Counting, Caste, and Confusion
Purpose: Describe how National Census Data in India were
successfully collected in order to sample Caste systems.
They ask: By 1921 census collectors were equipped to sample
the populations correctly. ‘How did this radical transformation
occur? To answer this question we draw upon national archival
research. We examine the correspondence of census officials as
well as reports concerning caste data”.
Research goals: “To explain how the national census bureau
was able to adapt to successfully sample these populations”.
Important terms
This chapter is about the problems that existed with
early census gathering (so, methodological issues) and
how they were over come.
So, things to know:
1) What were the early problems? (local rather than
national)
2) What was the solution? (caste enumeration
through which process?). Who is Risley? His
attempt to discriminate between the Indian people
reflects what?
Chapter 58: Social Europe and Eastern Europe
Purpose:
The problem of declining universalism and it’s effects on European countries. In
particular, rising neo-liberalism and conservatism in EU countries as a result of
the ‘Social Europe Project’.
Key ideas:
Since the 1980s, EU social policy decisions represent corporate and neo-liberal
interests: they have no interest in pursuing decommodificaiton policies.
Social policies that decommodify labour are necessary for income equality, and
buffer the exploitation of people’s labour.
States at the outset: “Capitalist economies cannot be maintained without social
policy- a point that many neoliberal commentators neglect.”
The functioning of the economy depends on functioning institutions, so it can
never be maintained by pure market relationships of supply and demand.
Important concepts
Neo-liberalism: is an ideology based on the advocacy of
economic liberalization and open markets, and deregulation. It
promotes the private sectors role in society and the economy.
Decommodification: refers to the process by which social policy
reduces individuals’ reliance on the market for their well being.
Health care, education, income supplements, childcare pensions,
etc.
The social policies that the EU implements are targeted at
‘excluded’ populations, and are explicitly non-universal.
SO…
Critique of neo-liberalism, in favour of socially democratic
governing and a rise in universalistic social policy.
Important Ideas
Key ideas:
-Understand ‘neo-liberalism’ and its consequences
for social policy development.
-Decommodification (and recommodification)
-Universal versus Targeted social policies, and
what dominates the EU today.
-All things considered, what are the implications for
employment and labour conditions.
Chapter 58: Target/Universal Social Policy
Which type of social policy framework do you think
works best? Targeted or Universal?
What are the advantages/disadvantages with each
policy platform?
Important passage:
“The EU favours targeted social policies by making them subject to its
hard policy process. This implies that the general level of social
citizenship in the EU is already satisfactory and that only identifiable
excluded populations need help to ‘catch up’ with it”
Income inequality