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27 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is sociology? |
study of individuals, groups, structures and institutions (focus on relationship between individuals and social structures) |
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Two Types of Questions |
Philosophical and Empirical Questions |
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Philosophical Questions |
no right or wrong answers produces opinions Ex: is abortion a sin? |
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Empirical Questions |
Definitive answers Produces facts and interpretations Ex: Did the legalization of abortion affect the educational outcomes of women in the US? |
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Sociological Imagination |
Linking past to present linking personal to public (micro-macro) Recognizing power differentials |
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What is a social problem? |
social condition that has negative consequences for individuals our social world or our physical world |
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Sociological Paradigms |
description of the social world (impacts questions asked as well as interpretations of data) (like a pair of glasses) |
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4 Main Paradigms |
Functionalism Conflict Perspective Feminism Symbolic Interactionsim |
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Functionalism (structural) |
1.assume consensus of values 2.stress that human behavior is governed by stable patterns of social relations (social structures) 3.show how social structures maintain or undermine social stability by analyzing how the parts of society fit together and how each contributes to the whole 4.suggests that reestablishing equilibrium can best solve social problems |
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Conflict Perspective |
1.assumes competition and conflict 2.focuses on large macro structures 3.stresses how members of privileged groups try to maintain their advantages while subordinated groups struggle to increase theirs 4. shows major patterns of inequality in society produce social stability in some circumstances and social change in others 5.leads to the suggestion that lessening privilege will lower the level of conflict and increase total human welfare |
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Symbolic Interactionism |
1.focuses on interpersonal communication in micro-level 2. emphasizes that social life is possible only because people attach meanings to things 3.definitions of reality are socially constructed 4.stresses that people create their social circumstances and dont just react to them (we have agency) |
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Feminist Perspective |
1.focuses on aspects of patriarchy which is as important as class inequality 2.holds that male domination and female subordination are determined not by biological necessity but by structures of power and social convention 3. examines the operation of patriarchy in micro/macro level 4.contends that existing patterns of gender inequality can and should be changed for the benefit of all members of society 5. maintains that the experiences of women and girls are just as legitimate as those of men and boys |
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Criteria for a Social Problem |
social in origin harms many people harms society solution is social |
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How do we solve social problems? |
We cant: 1. definitions of the problem will change 2. problems are complex and interwoven 3. problems are embedded into society |
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Why should we study social problems? |
moral reasons democratic reasons societal reasons |
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The war metaphor |
social problems=war enemies use war to solve a problem there can be no peace without war "war on poverty""war on unemployment"etc. |
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What is rankism? |
Differentiate between somebodies and nobodies |
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Why is rankism a problem? |
not rank or power differences abuse, humiliation, domination, exploitation |
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How is rankism related to meritocracy? |
used to justify differences |
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What is social Class? |
refers to the relative access one has to the resources needed for survival (conceptualizations: income, wealth, power, prestige, socioeconomic status, etc.) |
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types of Poverty |
absolute & relative |
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Poverty line |
individual 11,670 family 23,850 |
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Social Stratification |
(rich get richer and the poor get poorer) top 1% own 40% of wealth bottom 40% own 1% of wealth |
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Who are poor? |
born in poverty, race, family structure, gender, age, and geography |
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1.Functionalism 2.conflict 3.feminist 4.symbolic interactionism |
1.inequality is necessary, functional and inevitable
2.people create inequality for their own advantage 3.poverty disproportionately effects women 4.provide social clues about our class standing |
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How do we measure poverty |
cost of food x 3 = poverty level |
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What causes poverty? |
economic structure, economic trends, educational deficiencies, lack of job skills, lack of employment opportunities, childcare responsibilities, transportation issues, addiction issues, disabilities, mark of a criminal record |
