Unit 10 Flashcards
a relatively small group of interconnected people who occupy top positions in important social institutions
Power Elite
The act of working in joint harmony through the alignment of activities in order to achieve more efficient results.
Coordinated Networks
the power elite is composed of government, big business, and the military, which together constitute a ruling class that controls society and works for its own interests, not for the interests of the citizenry
The Elite Theory of Power
the idea that U.S. politics is characterized by competing groups that work together to achieve their goals
Pluralist Theory of Power
networks of individuals that control a wide range of social and economic systems
Elite Networks
a research method that involves careful observation of naturally occurring social interaction, often as a participant
Ethnography
financial resources that are or can be converted into money
Economic Capital
situations in which a public official or employee leaves or sets aside their public position to represent their own, or other, private interests
Revolving Door
the tangible aspects of culture that one can use to gain an advantage in society. This includes clothing, jewelry, art, books, and other physical objects that carry symbolic meaning and status within a certain culture
Objectified Cultural Capital
descriptive accounts of what occurred in the field, alongside tentative sociological observations
Field Notes
a process by which advantaged groups preserve opportunities for themselves while restricting them for others
Social Closure
recognition received from an institution, primarily through educational degrees or certifications
Institutional Cultural Capital
the number of people we know and the resources they can offer us
Social Capital
symbolic resources that communicate one’s social status
Cultural Capital
the feeling that our particular mix of cultural capital matches our social context
Fit
