Introduction

Question 1

Define sedentary societies

Answer 1

societies that had more complex divisions of labour. Less community and group solidarity

Question 2

Define Modernity

Answer 2

The social, economic, and political developments that unfolded, largely in Europe and North America, from the enlightenment to the mid-twentieth century

Question 3

What was Ibn Khaldun’s cyclical theory of history>

Answer 3

Argues that society grows and collapses in a four-generation cycle.

Question 4

What are the 8 social forces in the development of sociological theory?

Answer 4

Rise of socialism, colonialism, industrial revolution and the rise of capitalism, political revolutions, feminism, urbanization, religious change, and the growth of science

Question 5

What is the enlightenment?

Answer 5

A period of intellectual development and change in philosophical thought.
Belief that people could comprehend and control the universe by a means of reason and empirical research
Goal of a “better” more rational world

Question 6

What was the conservative reaction to the enlightenment?

Answer 6

Emphasis on social order and strength of religion
Saw the French Revolution as a product of Enlightenment thinking
Regarded tradition, imagination, emotionalism, and religion as useful and necessary components of social life.

Question 7

What were Comte’s main contributions to sociology?

Answer 7

French sociologist
“social physics”
Developed positivism
Law of 3 stages
intellectual disorder is the cause of social disorder

Question 8

What is the law of 3 stages?

Answer 8

1. Theological (<1300) - Supernatural powers and religious figures
2. Metaphysical (1300 - 1800) - belief that abstract forces like “nature” rather than personal gods explain virtually everything
3. Positivistic (1800+) - belief in science, emphasis on absolute causes and concentrated instead on obervation of the social and physical world

Question 9

Who was Hegel? What were his main contributions to sociology?

Answer 9

German social theorist
The dialectic - a way of thinking or an image of the world
idealism - emphasizes the importance of the mind and mental products rather than the material world.

Question 10

Who was Feuerbach? What were his main contributions to sociology?

Answer 10

German sociologist
Materialism: real people, not abstract ideas, are defined; focused on religion, argued the need to focus on the material reality of real human beings

Question 11

Who was Simmel? What were his main contributions to sociological theory?

Answer 11

Symbolic interactionism
Human action is an expression of ever-changing, dynamic life forces.

Question 12

What is Ameliorism?

Answer 12

A desire to solve social problems by reforming individuals
“blaming the victim”

Question 13

Who was Spencer? What were his main contributions to sociological theory

Answer 13

British sociologist
Felt that the state should not intervene in individual affairs except in the rather passive function of protecting people
Militant societies: defined by being structured for offensive and defensive warfare
Industrial societies: Based on friendship, altruism, elaborative specialization, recognition for achievements rather than characteristics one is born with

Question 14

Who was Martineau? What were her contributions to sociology?

Answer 14

Relationship between economics, politics, and social morality
Morality: a set of values that members of the society hold in common
Manners: concrete behaviours and practices of everyday life
Anomaly: when a manner does not align with morality.

Question 15

What were the main sociological views on non-european sociologists?

Answer 15

The West is the source of reason and progress and the East is is a “mystical and spiritual” place
Colonialism and the impacts of it

Question 16

What was Marx’ reaction to Hegel?

Answer 16

Accepted Hegel’s focus on the dialectic
Argued that the dialectic could be applied to material aspects of life

Question 17

What was Marx’ reaction to Feuerbach?

Answer 17

Accepted the concept of materialism
Argued that a dialectic orientation to the material aspects of like is needed as Feuerbach didn’t approach it in a dialectical way

Question 18

What is dialectical materialism?

Answer 18

The dialectical relationships within the physical world
E.g. Capitalist class vs. Working class

Question 19

What is political economy?

Answer 19

The study of the relationship between the political and economic aspects of society

Question 20

What did Marx write about the political economy?

Answer 20

Challenged conservative political economy, and criticized their acceptance of capitalism. Advanced his own alternative and critical political economic analysis of capitalism.

Question 21

What was Weber’s reaction to Marx?

Answer 21

Marx viewed social inequality in terms of class; Weber argued that it is not broad enough and needs to encompass other types of inequality
Built off of his perception of class, capitalism, and other issues.

Question 22

Define Modernity

Answer 22

The social, economic, and political developments that unfolded, largely in Europe and North America, from the enlightenment to the mid-twentieth century

Question 23

What was Ibh Kaldun’s main studies?

Answer 23

Analyzed the forms of social organization that emerged out of the relationship between tribal, largely nomadic, desert societies and urban or sedentary society

Question 24

Define nomadic societies

Answer 24

Societies that had a relatively simple social organization, were based on strong kinship ties, and gave rise to brave fighters

Question 25

What is Asibayya?

Answer 25

Social solidarity and group feeling, the bond that holds groups together

Question 26

How did political revolutions affect sociological theory?

Answer 26

the sociological highlight of the negative effects of PR, particularly displayed in chaos and disorder

Question 27

What is the industrial revolution and the rise of capitalism?

Answer 27

Agricultural system -> industrial system

Question 28

What is colonialism? how did it affect sociological theory?

Answer 28

“Refers to the direct political control of a society and its people by a reign ruling state”
Shaped European identity, social Darwinism

Question 29

How did the rise of capitalism affect sociological theory?

Answer 29

Marx was a major supporter of the overthrow of capitalism and its replacement of a socialist system.

Question 30

What is urbanization? How did it affect sociological theory?

Answer 30

Rural living -> urban living.
Developed problems like overcrowding, pollution, noise, and traffic.

Question 31

How did the growth of science affect sociological theory?

Answer 31

Because of the rise of scientific theory and evidence, sociologists wanted to model sociology after successful physical and biological sciences.

Question 32

What are the 2 intellectual forces?

Answer 32

The enlightenment and the conservative reaction to the enlightenment

Question 33

Who was Weber? what were his main contributions to sociological theory?

Answer 33

Ideas are simply the reflections of material interests, and material interests determine ideology
Theory of rationalization - formal rationality involves a concern for the actor making choices of means and ends.