Soc 103 Mid Term Study Guide

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Marx's Dialectical Materialism

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paradox, opposites, contradictions- everything that exists gives rise to its contrary and eventually its own demise. In every instance there is more than one reality at play

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Thesis

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spirit of the age: the ideas that define a period of history

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Antithesis

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contradictions of this ideas: conflict of opposites

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Synthesis

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resolution of the conflict: a paradigm shift that gives rise to a new thesis

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Hegel

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Ideas---->History

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Marx

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Existence---->Ideas

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False Consciousness

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derives from Marx's notion of Commodity Fetishism:
Basic Idea: social relationships function as an expressed of commodity relations. with the rise of wage labor, our relationship with what we produce (the fruits of our labor) becomes objectified and distinct, something that is no longer our own.

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Fetishism

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the attribution of special powers or intrinsic value to inanimate objects and by extension turns something that has no independent reality into something that has an independent reality.

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Alienation

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Four types:
1. Alienation from that which is produced- commodities
2. Alienation from the productive act itself- work
3. Alienation from our species-being- essential human nature
4.Alienation from other human beings- community

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Class Consciousness

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the ideas and values that a particular socioeconomic group has of itself. A self awareness of who group members think they are in relation to other/different groups

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Class Consciousness
2 types

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1. Class in itself- Class consciousness in relation to the means of production
2. Class for itself- Class consciousness that actively seeks its own interests.

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Social Structures (4)

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1. Lasting- stability, habits, routines
2. Normatives- Boundaries, rules, law
3. Relationships- form, bonds
4. Patterned- function- roles that place behavioral expectations

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Descriptive Judgments

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judgments are about the world as it presumably is. These are judgments that put forth statements or fact or putative facts

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Normative Judgments

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judgments about the world as it ought to be. They prescribe what should or should not be the case or make claims based on subjunctive values

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Objectivist Presumptions

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1.Independence-doesnt need us to be an object
2. Measurement- independent objects can be measured
3. Testability- Hypothesis can be tested for validity
4. Reproducibility- results of experimental testing can be reproduced

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Subjectivist Presumptions

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1. Dependence- object or event depends on us to make it
2. idiosyncrasy- making means almost impossible
3. Unfalsifiable- can't be proven wrong- ex: religion
4. Irreproducible- unique experiment/experience that cannot be reproduced- ex: history

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Structuralist Perspective

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the study of social structures that can be measured as aggregate phenomena and theorized across space and timing. Social structures are what ultimately provide the bases for individual actions.

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Structuralist Perspective
2 types

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Typical method- quantitive
Typical approach- Top down

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Constructionist Perspective

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the study of individual actions within the context of other actors and groups. These actors and groups are what ultimately provide the basis for social structures

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Constructionist Perspective
2 types

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Typical Method- qualitative
Typical Approach- Bottom Up

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Generalization

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claims about larger set of objects or events that share a common characteristic or trait

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Generalization
2 types

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1. Constructionist perspective is LESS likely to generalize (better with validity)
2. Structuralist perspective is MORE likley to make broad generalizations (better with Scope and prediction not detail oriented)

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Explanatory Power

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indicates how well a theory explains objects and events in the real world

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Explanatory Power
3 concepts

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1. Prediction- degree to which an approach allows us to predict- Hypothesis
2. Scope- how much of the phenomena can be explained (razor, simple theories are the best theories)
3.Validity- how well the outcome soon responds, does the theory explain the real events accurately

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Marx's Historical Stages (6)

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1. Primitive Communism
2. Slave Society
3. Feudalism (proto-capitalism)
4. Capitalism
5. Socialism (proto-communism)
6. Communism

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Primitive Communism

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No property

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Slave Society

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systematic Government control private property

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Feudalism (proto- capitalism)

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queens, kings etc..

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Capitalism

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full market economies, wage earnings, private property, legal system

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Socialism (proto-communism)

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dictatorship, prolotariatism workers take over the....

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Communism

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elimination of class no property free exchange no gov. no property to protect

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Gramsci's Dialect

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differs from Marx's dialect by positioning culture and ideology as a central part of the struggle between the state and civil society (citizens).

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Cultural Hegemony

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is not only political and economic control but about ideology control
1.Dominant Ideology - dominant class
2. Provisional Assent- active sense of false consciousness

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Organic Intellectuals

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1. individuals who are tied to the particular interests of a specific class- prolotariot- working class
2. Outside the traditional power structures- provide and critique

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Traditional Intellectuals

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1. function within society as sources for maintaining the ideas and ideals of the status quo.
2. Portrayed as dispassionate or disinterested intelectuals who approach truth and reason without any partisan or sectarian beliefs- common sense, neutral