Sociology CH. 10 Flashcards
systems and structures within society that shape the activities of groups and individuals
social institutions
methods and tactics intended to influence government policy, policy-related attitudes, and activities
politics
the formal, organized agency that exercises power and control in modern society, especially through the creation and enforcement of laws
government
the ability to impose one’s will on others
power
the legitimate right to wield power
authority
system of government by and for a small number of elites that does not include representation of ordinary citizens
authoritarianism
a government ruled by a king or queen, with succession of rulers kept within the family
monarchy
a political system in which all citizens have the right to participate
democracy
stripped of voting rights, either temporarily or permanently
disenfranchised
a relatively small group of people in the top ranks of economic, political, and military institutions who make many of the important decisions in American society
power elite
a system of political power in which a wide variety of individuals and groups have equal access to resources and the mechanisms of power
pluralist model
organizations that raise and spend money to influence elected officials and/or public opinion
special interest groups
organizations that raise money to support the interests of a select group or organization
political action committees (PACs)
high-profile individuals whose interpretation of events influences the public
opinion leaders
an image or media representation that does not reflect reality in any meaningful way but is treated as real
simulacrum
the process by which a society transmits its knowledge, values, and expectations to its members so they can function effectively
education
the practice of dividing or arranging a territorial unit into election districts in a way that gives one political party an unfair advantage in elections
gerrymandering
the placement of students in educational “tracks,” or programs of study (e.g., college prep, remedial), that determine the types of classes they take
tracking
values or behaviors that students learn indirectly over the course of their schooling
hidden curriculum
public schools run by private entities to give parents greater control over their children’s education
charter schools
payments from the government to parents whose children attend failing public schools; the money helps parents pay private school tuition
school vouchers
the education of children by their parents, at home
homeschooling
a homeschooling alternative that rejects the standard curriculum in favor of student-driven types of learning
unschooling
institutions in which students earn a high school diploma and two years of credit toward a bachelor’s degree
early college high schools
programs that allow high school students to simultaneously enroll in college classes, earning credit for both high school and college degrees
dual enrollment
A society that views credentials (e.g., certificates, degrees, and diplomas) as essential for employment in certain jobs, serving as evidence of the ability to perform specialized tasks.
credential society
two-year institution that provides students with general education and facilitates transfer to a four-year university
community college
any institutionalized system of shared beliefs and rituals that identify a relationship between the sacred and the profane
religion
the holy, divine, or supernatural
sacred
the ordinary, mundane, or everyday
profane
a term describing religions that worship a single divine figure
monotheistic
a movement within the Catholic Church to understand Christianity from the perspective of the poor and oppressed, with a focus on fighting injustice
liberation theology
the regular practice of religious beliefs, often measured in terms of frequency of attendance at worship services and the importance of religious beliefs to an individual
religiosity
a person’s public display of commitment to a religious faith
extrinsic religiosity
a person’s inner religious life or personal relationship to the divine
intrinsic religiosity
the practice of emphasizing literal interpretation of texts and a “return” to a time of greater religious purity; represented by the most conservative group within any religion
fundamentalism
a term describing conservative Christians who emphasize converting others to their faith
evangelical
a term describing those who consider themselves spiritual but not religious and who often adopt aspects of various religious traditions
unchurched
nonreligious; a secular society separates church and state and does not endorse any religion
secular
