sociology final
Church and State
These statistics suggest that, for most Americans, freedom of religion is less important than the religion under discussion. And this is precisely the point made by those who argue for separation of church and state. According to their contention, any state-sanctioned recognition of religion suggests endorsement of one belief system at the expense of all others—contradictory to the idea of freedom of religion.
Functionalism
According to functionalism, the government has four main purposes: planning and directing society, meeting social needs, maintaining law and order, and managing international relations. According to functionalism, all aspects of society serve a purpose. Functionalists view government and politics as a way to enforce norms and regulate conflict. Functionalists see active social change, such as the sit-in on Wall Street, as undesirable because it forces change and, as a result, undesirable things that might have to be compensated for. Functionalists seek consensus and order in society. Dysfunction creates social problems that lead to social change. For instance, functionalists would see monetary political contributions as a way of keeping people connected to the democratic process. This would be in opposition to a conflict theorist who would see this financial contribution as a way for the rich to perpetuate their own wealth.
Conflict theory (education)
Conflict theorists do not believe that public schools reduce social inequality. Rather, they believe that the educational system reinforces and perpetuates social inequalities arising from differences in class, gender, race, and ethnicity. Where functionalists see education as serving a beneficial role, conflict theorists view it more negatively. To them, educational systems preserve the status quo and push people of lower status into obedience.
Conflict Theory Religion
Conflict theorists view religion as an institution that helps maintain patterns of social inequality.religion has been used to support the "divine right" of oppressive monarchs and to justify unequal social structures, like India's caste system.
Latent Functions of Education Courtship
Education also fulfills latent functions. As you well know, much goes on in a school that has little to do with formal education. For example, you might notice an attractive fellow student when he gives a particularly interesting answer in class—catching up with him and making a date speaks to the latent function of courtship fulfilled by exposure to a peer group in the educational setting.
Functionalism (Education)
Functionalists view education as one of the more important social institutions in a society. They contend that education contributes two kinds of functions: manifest (or primary) functions, which are the intended and visible functions of education; and latent (or secondary) functions, which are the hidden and unintended functions.
OutSourcing
Giving jobs out of county for cheaper
Globalization
Globalization refers to the process of integrating governments, cultures, and financial markets through international trade into a single "world market.
Karl Marx Religion
He believed religion reflects the social stratification of society and that it maintains inequality and perpetuates the status quo. For him, religion was just an extension of working-class (proletariat) economic suffering. He famously argued that religion is "is the opium of the people
Downfall of religion
Historical sociologists Émile Durkheim, Max Weber, and Karl Marx and psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud anticipated secularization, claiming that the modernization of society would bring about a decrease in the influence of religion. Weber believed membership in distinguished clubs would outpace membership in Protestant sects as a way for people to gain authority or respect
Karl Marx (Politcal Conflict)
Marx saw a historical pattern in which revolutionaries toppled elite power structures, after which wealth and authority were more evenly dispersed among the population, and the overall social order advances. In this pattern of change through conflict, people tend to gain greater personal freedom and economic stability
Emile Durkheim (Sacred-Extra Ordinary)
Religion is "a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say set apart and forbidden, beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community, called a church, all those who adhere to them"
Structural Functionalism (Religion)
Religion, in fact, depends on society for its existence, value, and significance, religion serves several purposes, like providing answers to spiritual mysteries, offering emotional comfort, and creating a place for social interaction and social control.provides social support and social networking, offering a place to meet others who hold similar values and a place to seek help (spiritual and material) in times of need. it can foster group cohesion and integration. Because religion can be central to many people's concept of themselves, sometimes there is an "in group" versus "out group" feeling toward other religions in our society or within a particular practice.
Manifest Functions of Education Social Control
School systems in the United States also transmit the core values of the nation through manifest functions like social control. One of the roles of schools is to teach students conformity to law and respect for authority. Obviously, such respect, given to teachers and administrators, will help a student navigate the school environment. This function also prepares students to enter the workplace and the world at large, where they will continue to be subject to people who have authority over them. Fulfillment of this function rests primarily with classroom teachers and instructors who are with students all day.
sociological perspective of religion
Social scientists recognize that religion exists as an organized and integrated set of beliefs, behaviors, and norms centered on basic social needs and values. Moreover, religion is a cultural universal found in all social groups.
Symbolic Interactionism (education)
Symbolic interactionism sees education as one way labeling theory is seen in action. A symbolic interactionist might say that this labeling has a direct correlation to those who are in power and those who are being labeled. For example, low standardized test scores or poor performance in a particular class often lead to a student being labeled as a low achiever. Such labels are difficult to "shake off," which can create a self-fulfilling prophecy
Latent Functions of Education Integration
The educational setting introduces students to social networks that might last for years and can help people find jobs after their schooling is complete. Of course, with social media such as Facebook and LinkedIn, these networks are easier than ever to maintain. Another latent function is the ability to work with others in small groups, a skill that is transferable to a workplace and that might not be learned in a homeschool setting.
Latent Functions of Education Political and Social Integration
The educational system, especially as experienced on university campuses, has traditionally provided a place for students to learn about various social issues. There is ample opportunity for social and political advocacy, as well as the ability to develop tolerance to the many views represented on campus. In 2011, the Occupy Wall Street movement swept across college campuses all over the United States, leading to demonstrations in which diverse groups of students were unified with the purpose of changing the political climate of the country.
Christianity
The sacred text for Christians is the Bible. While Jews, Christians, and Muslims share many of same historical religious stories, their beliefs verge. In their shared sacred stories, it is suggested that the son of God—a messiah—will return to save God's followers. While Christians believe that he already appeared in the person of Jesus Christ, Jews and Muslims disagree. While they recognize Christ as an important historical figure, their traditions don't believe he's the son of God, and their faiths see the prophecy of the messiah's arrival as not yet fulfilled.Mormons, an established Christian sect, also use the Book of Mormon, which they believe details other parts of Christian doctrine and Jesus' life that aren't included in the Bible.
Mega Churches
a Christian church that has a very large congregation averaging more than 2,000 people who attend regular weekly services,popular because of technological advances, texas megachurch
Tracking
a formalized sorting system that places students on "tracks" (advanced versus low achievers) that perpetuate inequalities.
emergent norm theory
a perspective that emphasizes the importance of social norms in crowd behavior
social movement
a purposeful organized group hoping to work toward a common social goal
Monotheism
a religion based on belief in a single deity, Judaism Islam
Polytheism
a religion based on belief in multiple gods; Greeks and Romans
resource mobilization theory
as a way to explain movement success in terms of its ability to acquire resources and mobilize individuals. For example, PETA, a social movement organization, is in competition with Greenpeace and the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), two other social movement organizations.
Totemism
belief in a divine connection between humans and other natural beings; native Americans obijwa
Symbolic Interactionism Religion
beliefs and experiences are not sacred unless individuals in a society regard them as sacred. The Star of David in Judaism, the cross in Christianity, and the crescent and star in Islam are examples of sacred symbols. the role of religion in the banal components of everyday life, and the ways people express religious values in social interactions
Max Weber Religion
believed it was a precipitator of social change; examined the effects of religion on economic activities and noticed that heavily Protestant societies—such as those in the Netherlands, England, Scotland, and Germany—were the most highly developed capitalist societies and that their most successful business leaders were Protestant
Atheism
believes in no deities
global cities
cities that headquarter multinational corporations, exercise significant international political influence, host headquarters of international nongovernmental organizations, host influential media, and host advanced communication and transportation infrastructure
Cultural Capital
cultural knowledge that serves (metaphorically) as currency to help one navigate a culture';For example, there has been a great deal of discussion over what standardized tests such as the SAT truly measure. Many argue that the tests group students by cultural ability rather than by natural intelligence.
G. William Domhoff
describe the members of the power elite maintaining their position by collectively following the same social patterns, such as vacationing at a handful of destinations, joining elite clubs, and attending select schools. He also pointed out that the existence of a power elite stands in contrast to an important American ideal: that all Americans have a voice in their government. Domhoff acknowledges that all Americans can potentially exert political influence, but he asserts that our current social and political systems make it easier for the wealthiest citizens to shape policy.
Minority Voting
describe the members of the power elite maintaining their position by collectively following the same social patterns, such as vacationing at a handful of destinations, joining elite clubs, and attending select schools. He also pointed out that the existence of a power elite stands in contrast to an important American ideal: that all Americans have a voice in their government. Domhoff acknowledges that all Americans can potentially exert political influence, but he asserts that our current social and political systems make it easier for the wealthiest citizens to shape policy.
Market Socialist
describes a subtype of socialism that adopts certain traits of capitalism, like allowing limited private ownership or consulting market demands
Formal Education
describes the learning of academic facts and concepts through a formal curriculum. Arising from the tutelage of ancient Greek thinkers, centuries of scholars have examined topics through formalized methods of learning.
Manifest Functions of Education Social Mobility
education also provides one of the major methods used by people for upward social mobility. This function is referred to as social placement. College and graduate schools are viewed as vehicles for moving students closer to the careers that will give them the financial freedom and security they seek. As a result, college students are often more motivated to study areas that they believe will be advantageous on the social ladder. A student might value business courses over a class in Victorian poetry because she sees business class as a stronger vehicle for financial success.
institutionalization stage
movement no longer requires grassroots volunteerism: it is an established organization, typically peopled with a paid staff.
collective behavior
non-institutionalized activity in which several people voluntarily engage. Other examples of collective behavior can include anything from a group of commuters traveling home from work to the trend toward adopting the Justin Bieber hair flip.
preliminary stage
people become aware of an issue and leaders emerge. Imagine how social media speeds up this step. Suddenly, a shrewd user of Twitter can alert his thousands of followers about an emerging cause or an issue on his mind.
Commodity
physical objects we find, grow, or make to meet our needs and those of others
Charismatic Authority
power legitimized on the basis of a leader's exceptional personal qualities;Charismatic leaders tend to hold power for short durations, and according to Weber, they are just as likely to be tyrannical as they are heroic. Diverse male leaders such as Hitler, Napoleon, Jesus Christ, César Chávez, Malcolm X, and Winston Churchill are all considered charismatic leaders.
Traditional Authority
power legitimized on the basis of long-standing customs;Britain's Queen Elizabeth, for instance, occupies a position that she inherited based on the traditional rules of succession for the monarchy.
Rational Legal Authority
power that is legitimized by rules, regulations, and laws; Mohandas K. Gandhi for instance, can be considered charismatic and legal-rational authority figures
Emile Durkheim (Profane)
religion happens" in society when there is a separation between the profane (ordinary life) and the sacred
Reform movements
seek to change something specific about the social structure. Examples include anti-nuclear groups, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), and the Human Rights Campaign's advocacy for Marriage Equality.
Revolutionary movements
seek to completely change every aspect of society. These would include the 1960's counterculture movement, as well as anarchist collectives. Texas Secede! is a revolutionary movement.
Resistance movements
seek to prevent or undo change to the social structure. The Ku Klux Klan and pro-life movements fall into this category.
coalescence stage
social media also is transformative. Coalescence is the point when people join together to publicize the issue and get organized. President Obama's 2008 campaign was a case study in organizing through social media. Using Twitter and other online tools, the campaign engaged volunteers who had typically not bothered with politics, and empowered those who were more active to generate still more activity.
Power
the ability to exercise one's will over others
social change
the change in a society created through social movements as well as through external factors like environmental shifts or technological innovations
universal access to education
the equal ability of all people to participate in an education system; In the United States, one way in which universal education is supported is through federal and state governments covering the cost of free public education.
Grade Inflation
the idea that the achievement level associated with an A today is notably lower than the achievement level associated with A-level work a few decades ago;
Hidden Cirriculum
the type of nonacademic knowledge that one learns through informal learning and cultural transmission;This hidden curriculum reinforces the positions of those with higher cultural capital, and serves to bestow status unequally.
liberation theology
the use of a church to promote social change via the political arena
frame alignment process
using bridging, amplification, extension, and transformation as an ongoing and intentional means of recruiting participants to a movement
Substinence Farming
when farmers grow only enough to feed themselves and their families
Bartering
when people exchange one form of goods or services for another
decline stage
when people fall away, adopt a new movement, the movement successfully brings about the change it sought, or people no longer take the issue seriously
Polarization
when the differences between low-end and high-end jobs becomes greater and the number of people in the middle levels decreases
recession
when there are two or more consecutive quarters of economic decline
Manifest Functions of Education Socialization
Émile Durkheim who established the academic discipline of sociology, characterized schools as "socialization agencies that teach children how to get along with others and prepare them for adult economic roles."This socialization also involves learning the rules and norms of the society as a whole. In the early days of compulsory education, students learned the dominant culture. Today, since the culture of the United States is increasingly diverse, students may learn a variety of cultural norms, not only that of the dominant culture.
