Module 1: Experiencing Culture, Society and Politics

Question 1

Sociological Imagination

Answer 1

• individual problems have structural roots; interconnection of social and personal problems

Question 2

Interrelationship of Culture, Society and Politics

Answer 2

• Society: complex network of individuals with same geographic territory, interaction, culture, and institutions
• Culture: social behavior of human societies;
• Culture is: dynamic and flexible & adaptive; shared and contested; learned and transmitted through socialization or enculturation; integrated and; requires communication
• Politics: process by which people create, preserve, and change the general rules they live under;
• Politics as an arena: where politics takes place;
• Politics as a process: exercise of politics

Question 3

Key Social Constructs in the Study of Culture, Society and Politics

Answer 3

• Gender: perceived sex & its expected roles, behaviors, identities and expectations
• SOGIE Spectrum: Sexual Orientation (who am I attracted to), Gender Identity (association with a gender on the spectrum), Gender Expression (expression of my gender)
• Sex: biological reproductive attributes
  -Ethnicity: group sharing cultural, linguistic, religious or ancestral roots
• Nation: group with shared culture, history, language, and geographic territory with political aspirations
• Nationality: association with a nation
• State: defined political unit with sovereignty, population, territory and government
• Citizenship: legal status granted to members of a state with defined rights and responsibilities
• Religion: value & belief system of a society
• Socioeconomic class: classification of individuals based on social and economic status

Question 4

Comparing Anthropology, Sociology, and Political Science

Answer 4

Anthropology: study of humankind and its biological and cultural evolution

Sociology: study of society

Political Science: study of politics, government and the body politic