Theory & History

Question 1

What are the main parts of a social institutions?

Answer 1

Ideological, economic, political-legal arrangements

Question 2

When the social structures change, like when the countries were changing from feudalism to modernity, what also changed?

Answer 2

The conceptions of individuals in society, the cultural norms, and attitudes and practices.

Question 3

What are some examples of social institutions?

Answer 3

Families, schools, governments

Question 4

Are societies different around the world?

Answer 4

Yes, for example Sweden’s government is different from Congo’s government.

Question 5

What is the definition of ideology?

Answer 5

An ideology attempts to organize conceptions of authority and shared commitments in ways that justify the existing social structure. An ideology claims that societies have equality of opportunity and permits people to pursue their interests.

Question 6

What are the two types of ideology?

Answer 6

Particular ideology and total ideology

Question 7

What is particular ideology?

Answer 7

Particular ideology hides or denys one’s personal interests, a set of beliefs of a group or individual that may seem good but in reality benefits certain people more than others.

Question 8

What is total ideology?

Answer 8

While total ideology is the thought and ways of thinking that affect how we view the world. An example the topic of college is different around the world. In the U.S. it is expensive and in Sweden it is free, which may alter how the citizens of each country think about the other.

Question 9

What are the two dimensions of ideology?

Answer 9

Positive and Negative

Question 10

How would you describe a negative ideology?

Answer 10

A negative ideology places limits on what can be thought, which could lead to a stable society.

Question 11

How would you describe a positive ideology?

Answer 11

A positive ideology encourages individuals to question the legitimacy of its existing social structure thereby contributing to social change.

Question 12

What are the critiques associated with ideology?

Answer 12

Equality of opportunity does not acknowledge that a person’s position in the social structure affects “equality of opportunity”

Question 13

What events preceded modernity?

Answer 13

Imperialistic expansion and enlightenment

Question 14

What was the imperialistic expansion?

Answer 14

Also known as colonialism, countries that are more developed seize underdeveloped countries.

Question 15

What is enlightenment?

Answer 15

Also known as the Age of Reason, a period when people questioned religion and realized laws exist in the universe and therefore there is reason.

Question 16

What is the difference between Reason and reason?

Answer 16

Reason refers to the laws of the universe and reason refers to the way philosophers think to explain Reason.

Question 17

What events happen during Modernity?

Answer 17

Anti-Aristocratic Revolutions and Industrial Revolution

Question 18

What characterizes Anti-Aristocratic revolutions?

Answer 18

Peasants, emerging capitalist, and emerging working class uniting to rebel against the aristocrats

Question 19

What characterizes the Industrial Revolution?

Answer 19

Countries began importing many products to begin their industries.

Question 20

How did Enlightenment progress, what were the core ideas?

Answer 20

1: Things happened in the social and physical world that could only be explained by religion or magic.

#2: The beginning of Enlightenment explains #1 by saying the physical and social world occur in a natural order (Reason).
#3: Enlightenment develops and states Reason can be explained by philosophical investigation (reason).

Question 21

What was the concept behind the enlightenment in relation to progress?

Answer 21

Enlightenment maintained that social progress and perfectibility of humankind could occur by understanding Reason.

Question 22

Why did Enlightenment benefit society?

Answer 22

Enlightenment could help society progress and become more organized.

Question 23

What kind of worldview does Enlightenment have?

Answer 23

Secular (non-religious)

Question 24

What inspired classical social theories?

Answer 24

They were in response to unwarranted optimism of the Enlightenment Philosophy. Enlightenment philosophy assumed that social progress would follow economic progress.

Question 25

What was the result of widespread high levels of economic inequality, such as poverty, child labor, and crime?

Answer 25

Modernity

Question 26

What is social theory?

Answer 26

Social theory is the empirical analysis of society.

Question 27

What is social structure?

Answer 27

Social structure is the linkages of statuses and roles that constitute a relatively stable set of social actions and social relationships.

Question 28

What is the definition of roles

Answer 28

Roles are related to positions in the social structure that have status or class attributes.

Question 29

What is social action?

Answer 29

They are actions oriented to other people. Social actions are influenced by other social actions.

Question 30

What is the relationship between social action and social structure?

Answer 30

Widespread changes in social action can result in changes in the social structure.

Question 31

What are three dimensions of the social structure that affected individual’s social action (according to classical social theory)?

Answer 31

Economic, political, and ideology

Question 32

What changes occurred within the economic dimension?

Answer 32

The capitalism market grew in popularity.

Question 33

What are the two stages of Capitalism?

Answer 33

Mercantile and Industrial. Mercantile is based on trade and industrial is based on imports and production.

Question 34

How did the political dimension change?

Answer 34

The change from feudalism to democracy. It went from the state being the only organization in society that had the right to exercise authority to individuals exercising political rights.

Question 35

What is a civil society?

Answer 35

Where individuals could exercise political rights,

Question 36

How did the ideology change?

Answer 36

Liberalism emerged, promoting individualism

Question 37

After enlightenment, what were the social theories occurring in France?

Answer 37

Revolution, a crucial empirical event, and collectivism

Question 38

What kinds of social theory occurred in Germany?

Answer 38

Disunity and idealism

Question 39

What social theories occurred in Britain?

Answer 39

Industrialization and Utilitarianism

Question 40

What social theories occurred in the United States?

Answer 40

Expansion and voluntarism