Soc

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Mass media

Back 1

the variety of technical devices and processes through which mass communication takes place

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Culture industry

Back 2

Organizations with an interest (economic or otherwise) in having their products reach the widest possible market, an aim they achieve through use of the mass media.

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Cultural products

Back 3

Information and knowledge that are produced and communicated by the mass media

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Marx

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media reflected ideas of “the ruling class”

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Adorno and Horkheimer

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the culture industry produces passive consumers without any critical faculties (propaganda tool)

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Gramsci

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media not completely determined by power structure, but part of overall struggle

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Television vs. Newspapers

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Television serves more functions in times of crisis and can provide immediate, minimally edited images of what is happening. Such images are usually edited (or censored) to avoid giving offense. TV can provide “natural” comfort in a way that print media can not. TV viewing is very frequently accompanied with another activity, such as socializing, eating, doing housework, etc.

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political-economy

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approach emphasizes the structures and processes involved in the production of culture: the ownership of media organizations, the drive to make profits, the pressure to gain and keep a mass audience, the opposition of private owners to government regulation or to radical change that might threaten profits.

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cultural-sociological

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approach reveals symbolic and normative constraints on the media and production and media consumption, such as professional values of journalists, the types of narrative structure in media contents, and differences between audiences in the ways they consume media products

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Consumption

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A term referring to the ways in which an audience takes in and interacts with a cultural product.

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Cultural sociology

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however, sees media audiences as active interpreters of the meanings of media messages

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Production

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The ways in which cultural products are created and transmitted

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Cultural Imperialism

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ways in which societies throughout the world have become swamped with aspects of American culture, such as Hollywood films, television shows, and popular music.

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Cultural texts

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Any cultural products (e.g., a photograph, musical selection, or television program) that can be read and analyzed as one would analyze a written text—that is, in terms of the language or patterns of meaning that make up its cultural structure or code

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Reception

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The way in which mass-media content is received or used by audiences: what the audiences selectively choose to attend to and why.

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Habitual

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least mindful way of approaching activities, whereby people orient themselves to media in an unthinking way.

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Escapist

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a slightly more mindful approach, whereby people have some awareness of a desire to be freed - mentally, emotionally, physically, or socially - from their situation.

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Playful

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people are not only getting away from what they were previously doing or feeling but also turning toward something else in a creative frame of mind

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Reflective

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people monitor and evaluate their thoughts and feelings, trying to anticipate what difference it would make if they chose another activity, and generally trying to be conscious of how media viewing might fit into the context of their free-time activities.
Multi-tasking

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Multi-tasking

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Lembo recognized that many people do other things while simultaneously viewing television—indicating an emerging trend in which people could disengage from the powerful discourses of television. Television may be less powerful than has been sometimes argued. Simultaneous TV viewing may support a tendency toward “disengaged sociality.”

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Network society

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The idea that, in a postmodern culture, a new kind of system has emerged that has neither national borders nor centers.

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Capitalism

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A type of modern economic system in which people and organizations invest capital in the production of goods and services to make a profit.

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Socialism

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A type of modern economic system in which the capital invested and the profits from production and supply of goods and services are vested in the state.

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Mixed Economic System

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A type of modern economic system in which elements of socialism are introduced into an otherwise capitalist society

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Industrial Economy

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An economy characterized by the employment of large numbers of workers in the mass production of manufactured goods.

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Service Economy

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An economy devoted to supplying services, such as information processing, teaching, nursing, advertising, marketing, or food

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Division of Labor

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The specialization of tasks required to produce goods. Changes in the division of labor have occurred at the micro- and macrolevels (between males and females and also through globalization).

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Karl Marx

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emphasized that capitalist organization generated conflict, but that it was the most dynamic economic force for bringing about modernization the world had seen.

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Max Weber

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emphasized that the most rational form of organization was the modern

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Craft Workers

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are employees who combine an intense pride in their work with a broad knowledge of tools, materials, and processed as well as manual skills by long training and experience.

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Megacities

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Large urban areas encompassing a number of formerly separate towns. An example is Los Angeles, which comprises not only Los Angeles proper but also nearby suburbs, such as Long Beach.

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The Postmodern City

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A distinctive feature of the postmodern city is the geographical clustering of like-minded individuals in particular areas, e.g. young singles in the inner-city.

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urbanization

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The historical and social process by which cities grew and became the center of social life.
The most important condition underlying has been increased agricultural production

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Urban Decentralization

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The movement of the middle classes out of inner cities and into the suburbs
As the suburbs created their own facilities, suburban residents felt little need to go downtown
Inner cities became synonymous with social proble

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Mechanical Relations

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Social relations that were characteristic of traditional, premodern social life.
According to Durkheim, mechanical relations were based on the like-mindedness of individuals and involved a low degree of specialization of roles.

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Organic Relations

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Social relations characteristic of modern city. As Durkheim wrote, individuals now performed specialized roles, interdependence based on exchange of specialized services

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Deglobalization

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The movement away from a society that is pluralistic, diverse, and globalized toward one that shares a common national identity and culture (assimilation of recent immigrant groups).

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Reglobalization

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How an ethnic group reconnects itself to its society of origin and begins to reaffirm its original culture and values.

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Diaspora:

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A people who believe they have common roots but who have been scattered outside their place of origin

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Political Rule in Traditional (Pre-Modern) Societies

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: Composed largely of private groups defined as:
Economic (consisting of lords and peasants), Religious (priests and congregants), Military (knights and foot soldiers).

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traditional

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A loosely organized territory in which power is concentrated in a kinship group or family.

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Modern

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Typically states whose territory is managed through bureaucratic organizations that are governed by objectivity and efficiency.

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State

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A clearly defined and impersonal political area

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Politics

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is the mechanism by which states (or governments, or individuals within these) gain or lose

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Power

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Power The ability to mobilize the resources of society to attain a particular goal.

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Marx on Power

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The state controls politics to benefit the capitalist class above all others – the state is not independent. Middle and lower classes have no ability to influence policies other than a complete revolution. To the extent that there are concessions made, it is only to prevent a revolution.

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Power elite

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The thesis that American society is dominated by its elites from three spheres: the economy, politics, and the military.

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state autonomy

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The ability of the state to define goals that are independent of social groups, classes, and societies.
Emphasizes as alternative to Marxism

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Authority

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The ability to carry out one’s will while maintaining the respect of others.

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Legitimation

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the way in which authority comes to be accepted and generally supported by those whom it affects.

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Civil Society

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The sphere of social life that is separate from the state, governed by legal norms, and supported by institutions.

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Civil Repair

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The process by which the civil qualities of previously excluded groups (e.g. women and African-Americans) are recognized and civil membership is expanded to include the members of such groups.

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Discourse of Decline

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The frequently articulated argument that civil society and public life are in decline, people are withdrawing from civic participation, & society is becoming alienated and individually oriented. This argument is hardly new; despair about unfulfilled ideals accompanied the development of the civil sphere from the very beginning. Evidence suggesting a deepening (not a decline) of the civil sphere in the U.S., which can be found in the achievements of social movements, volunteer and voter participation rates increasing, etc.

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Social evolutionary theories

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Society like an organism that progressed through a series of developmental stages, each increasingly more complex

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Conflict theories

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revolutionary change. Karl Marx: increasing conflict between different groups in society (such as economic classes) which would force social change to happen

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Collective Behavior

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As defined by Neil Smelser, “mobilization on the basis of a belief which redefines social action” (1962).

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Resource Mobilization Theory

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McCarthy and Zald: Movements/individuals operate on rational basis, make rational choices.

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New Social Movements Theory

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is interested in the analysis of culture and meaning in social movements.