keywords for theory and methods Flashcards
the enlightment
-philosphical movement challenging tradiitonal religious views
modernity
-17th - mid 20th driving in industrilaisation on socio was developed during this period
consensus
everyone being in agreement func
postmodernity
from 1980s onwards
conflict
explain society in terms of groups being fundamnetally in conflict e.g marx and fems
structure
-focus on structure of society and its institiutions e.g funcs and marx
action
-focuses on interactions and actions of individuals
free will
-individuals have choice in their behaviour
determinism
-idea that peoples behaviour is moulded by their social surroundings and they have little free will
positivism
-believes socio should copy methods of natural sciences
interpretivism
-shouldnt be scientfic but aims to understand actions through small scale research
micro
-looks at small scale interactions within society(bottom up)
macro
-looks at society as a whole (top down)
social order
-refers to society which is relatively stable w shared norm/values/agreement
functional prerequisites
-basic needs that must be met if society is to survive e.g education
collective conscience
-shared beliefs and values which bring communities tg and regulate individual behaviour
structural differentiation
-new specialised instituitons take over functions performed by single institiution e.g family cost functions
dysfunction
-part of social structure that doesnt contribute to maintence but creates tension instead
manifest functions
-merton- recgonise theres inetnded and unintended functions of the action of an individual or instituion
latent functions
-unrecognised or unintended outcomes of the action of an individual or institiution
new right
-political approach influenced by sociological ideas and gov policies
dependency culture
-belief that individuals rely on government for welfare rather than seeking employment
economic base
- foundation of society is it’s economic system e.g capitalism
superstructure
-institutions in society which help support the economic base