WEEK 15 and 16: INSTITUTIONS Flashcards
Definition of families in Canada
married or common law couple, either opposite or same sex, with or without children OR a lone parent living with at least one child, in the same dwelling
Monogamy
a form of marriage in which two people are married only to each other
serial monogamy
when a person has several spouses in their lifetime but only one spouse at a time
Polygamy
when an individual has several husbands or wives simultaneously
Polygyny
man married to more than one wife
Polyandry
women married to more than one husband
Polyamory
multiple partners, no marriage
Patriarchy (family structure)
a society in which men dominate in family decision-making
Matriarchy (family structure)
a society in which women dominate in family decision-making
Egalitarian
Authority pattern in which spouses are regarded as equal
Functionalists on family
Focus on what families do for society and their members
According to sociologist William F. Ogburn, there are six main functions of the family :
Reproduction
Socialization
Protection
Regulation of sexual behaviour
Affection and Companionship
Provision of Social Status
Critical Perspectives on family (conflict theory, feminism)
Rather than focusing on what families do for society (functionalism), they focus on what families do TO socieites
The types of family structures (patriarchy, matriarchy, egalitarian)
Engels on Family
family as the ultimate source of social inequality
Family plays a role in the transfer of power, property and privilege
Many men still make family decisions
Men typically find divorce easier than women in a patriarchal society (eg. Stay-at-home mothers)
Symbolic Interactionists on family
Interested in the ways relationships form
Eg. courtship: the period during which a romantic relationship develops
Courtship and shifting interactions with the Internet (tinder)
Changes to family over time
social class differences
gender role difference
differences in sexual orientation
and race
changes in marriage trends
child-rearing shifts
Purpose of sociology of religion
concerned with how individuals, institutions and cultures construe religious beliefs, how these ideas penetrate public culture and individual lives and with the implications of religious interpretations for individual, institutional and societal processes.
The Sacred and The Profane
the sacred: encompasses elements beyond everyday life that inspire respect, awe and even fear, provides believers with meaning, order and coherence
The Profane: ordinary and commonplace elements of life
Ecclesia
a religious organization that claims to include most or all of the members of a society and is recognized as the national or official religion
Denominations
a large, organized religion, not officially linked to the state or the government
Sects
a relatively small religious group that has broken away from some other religious organization to renew what it considers the “original vision” of the faith
Cults of New Religious Movements (NRM)
a small alternative faith community that represents either a new religion or a major innovation in an existing faith
Durkheim on religion (functionalism)
The sacred and the profane
Religion is functional because it:
Gives meaning and purpose to people’s lives
Offers ultimate values to hold in common
Serves to bind people together in times of crisis and confusion
Parsons on Religion (Functionalism)
Emphasized the integrative function of religion
Integration: coordination, adjustment and regulation of relationships among various actors within the social system ( a key societal need and pillar that ensures society survival)
Marx on Religion
Religion promotes “false consciousness” among disadvantaged people and lessens collective political action
False consciousness: distracts from own circumstances
Religion promotion of social stability helps to perpetuate patterns of social inequality
provisions for addressing inequalities can be taken from the government and put onto religious organizations to deal with
prevents addressing inequalities meaningfully
Weber on Religion
Predestination: leads to uncertainty of salvation
Asceticism: leads to denial of pleasure and emphasis on labour
Protestant ethic: work hard and accumulate wealth as a sign of salvation
Over time, this leads to the spirit of capitalism: accumulate wealth for its own sake
Secularization Thesis
the heavily debarred theory that religion will decline around the world, making states increasingly secular
Largely due to modernization: changes to state and economic relations that have veered from reliance on the church and traditional values
Functionalism view on the family
Performs essential functions for society to ensure its stability:
Families ensure that society has an ongoing supply of new members and is a source of socialization
Provide economic support for their family members, by offering intimacy, warmth, safety and protection
Provide emotional support for family members by offering intimacy, warmth, safety and protection
Family Development Theory
Throughout the lifespan, members’ roles, expectations and relationships change largely depending upon how they adapt to the presence or absence of child-rearing responsibilities
A schholed society
Growth in modern schooling - mass post-secondary enrolment in Canada
Schooling has become integral to modern life
Unlocks more career opportunities
Can protect people against poverty or unemployment
Creates a more skilled labour force
The forms and functions of education are increasing and diversifying
Now covers phys ed, media literacy, drug and alcohol awareness, sex ed etc
Functionalists on education
How does education maintain social order
Transmitting culture
Promoting social integration
Other functions od education
Students learn skills and values essential for the labour force
Transitional agent of social control between parents and employers
Stimulates cultural innovation
Conflict theorists on education
Education creates unequal opportunity
Schools tend to preserve social class inequalities in each new generation
Streaming (conflict theory)
the practice of putting people in certain curriculum streams based on test scores
Credentialism
an increase in the lowest level of education required to enter a particular field of employment
The Pygmalion Effect (Interactionalists)
The expectations that teachers have on their students inevitably affect the way that teachers interact with them, which ultimately leads to changes in the student’s behaviours and attitude
Feminists on education
The educational system has long been characterized by the discriminatory treatment of women
Increased representation does not equate to equal treatment
Eg sexism in education - stereotyping, pressure to prepare for “women’s work”, unequal funding for athletic programming etc
Key Takeaways of Bhopal
Sociologists of education lack intersectional perspectives on inequality
While gender inequality has received significant attention, racial inequality has largely been ignored
The exclusive focus on gender inequality is perpetuated by white privilege
The lack of intersectional approaches greatly impacts Black and Minority Ethnic staff who continue to face institutional inequality
