Lecture 1 - Introducing Sociology Flashcards
How can suicide rates be influenced by social forces?
Based on SOCIAL SOLIDARITY (shared beliefs + frequent and intense interactions), degree of integration within groups
(Increased solidarity = lower suicide rate)
Define sociology.
The systematic study of human behaviour in a social context
What are the 3 types of suicide, according to Durkheim? (EAA)
Egoistic - poor integration, weak social ties
Anomic - lack of shared beliefs
Altruistic - tight norms, high solidarity
Define social structures.
Stable patterns of social relations
What are the 4 levels of social structures? (MMMG)
Microstructures - intimate, face-to-face social relations (Friends, family)
Mesostructures - social relations within organizations where members aren’t extremely close (Colleges, political parties)
Macrostructures - social relations with social organizations, aspects of society as a whole (Class relations, patriarchy)
Global structures - social relations across the globe (International organizations, economic relation b/w countries)
Define sociological imagination.
The ability to see that personal struggles and social struggles are connected
How did the Scientific, Democratic and Industrial revolutions influence sociology?
Scientific - idea that conclusions should be based on evidence, not speculation
Democratic - idea that people can control change, not God
Industrial - gave sociologists brand new social problems to analyze
How are values, theories and research interconnected?
Values - ideas of right and wrong, which determines what problems are important to analyze/make theories on
Theory - a tentative explanation for an aspect of social life, which suggests how + why facts are related
Research - observation of society to assess the accuracy/validity of a theory
What are the features of a functionalist theory?
- Behaviour governed by social structures
- How social structures maintain/undermine social stability
- Emphasizes social structures as reflections of shared values
- Suggests that equilibrium is what ideal society should be
(Main level of analysis - Macro
Main focus - Values)
What are the features of conflict theory?
- Focus on macrostructures (Class relations/Class inequality)
- Patterns of inequality can create either social stability or social change
- Privileged are trying to stay at the top, while subordinates are trying to reach that level
- Suggests that less privilege = less conflict (Reduction of class privilege)
What are the features of symbolic interactionism?
- Focus on face-to-face interaction (Microstructures)
- Explanations of social behaviour require the subjective meanings that people attach to circumstances
- People help to create their social circumstance
- Validates unpopular opinion by emphasizing personal meanings
What are the features of feminist theory?
- Focus on aspects of the patriarchy
- Male domination/female subordination is due to the power imbalance/social convention
- Examines patriarchy in macro + microstructures
- Ideal society involves gender equality for the benefit of all
Define latent and manifest functions.
Latent - function that is invisible/unintended
Manifest - function that is visible/intended
Define cultural hegemony.
Values that everyone holds and seems like “common sense”, but are actually favoured towards the dominant in society
What is post culturalism?
The idea of things being beyond opposites/a binary (A fluid social world)
What is protestant ethic?
The belief that religious doubts would be reduced due to hard work being done
What is social constructionism?
(A variant of symbolic interactionism)
The belief that “natural” behaviours are impacted by varying historical/cultural social processes
What is queer theory?
The belief that stable identities don’t exist and label act as a social convention (imposed for control/to strip individuality)
What was the cultural turn in the conflict tradition?
More focus was put on aspects of culture that reflected the “dominant” in society
What unresolved issues did the Postindustrial Revolution create? (AvC, PvI, DvU)
Autonomy VS Constraint - more freedom to construct identity, yet less freedom when it comes to things like behaviour in public settings
Prosperity VS Inequality - greater opportunities (especially for women) but inequality still exists
Diversity VS Uniformity - more tolerant of diversity, but there’s still pressure to conform
Define classes.
Clusters of individuals who occupy roughly the same position in the economic hierarchy
Define status.
Recognized social position (based on hierarchy)
Define norms.
Culturally defined expectations
