Sociology Test Four

Conflict Theory: Religion serves the ruling elites by legitimizing the status quo and diverting attention away from social inequality in three ways:

(1) Class diversion - religion encourages people to look with hope to a "better world to come" thereby minimizing the social problems of this world. Marx: "Religion is the opiate of the masses." (2) Gender diversion - virtually all the world's major religions reflect and encourage male dominance (3) Racial and Ethnic diversion - MLK: "Sunday at 11:30 a.m., America is more segregated than at any other time of the week."

Stages of Family Life: (4) Family in Later Life:

- "Empty nest" myth: parents don't divorce once the children have left home; statistics show the opposite: higher levels of marital satisfaction once kids have departed - Class, Race and Gender: Rubin found differences in what wives expected from husbands to be class-based (lower class women: doesn't drink excessively, non-violent, maintains a steady job; middle class women: ability to communicate and share feelings with a "soul mate," successful profession)

Domestic Violence in the United States: Dating/Domestic Violence on Campus:

- 1/5 of intimate relationships on campus (from "hookups" to dyads) involve violence - Approximately 20-30% of college women have reported a completed or attempted rape on campus, while 40% of college men say they "would likely attempt rape if they knew they would never be caught" - Should allegations of sexual assault on campus be handled by the colleges or universities? - Or should they be investigated and handled by law enforcement, as any other claim of sexual assault would be handled? - Are universities qualified to make a determination about what is essentially a criminal act?

The Electronic Church:

- 10 million people watch religious programming daily, while 40 million watch at least once a week -- Stats: American Religious Identification Survey, 2011

Inequality Between Schools: Between Public and Private:

- 10% of school age children attend parochial, denominational, and non-denominational private schools - As a whole, private schools prepare their students academically, socially and educationally to do better in life than those from public schools

2. Cultural standards of health change over time:

- 100 years ago, women going to college was seen as a danger to their health; 50 years ago smoking wasn't seen as a health risk; sex today can kill -- In Pre-Industrial societies the standard of beauty was to be heavier because it showed you had money to eat -- Now being over-weight is considered to be unhealthy

World Religions: Judaism:

- 15 million followers worldwide (6 million in the U.S.) - Three main denominations in Judaism are Orthodox, Reform and Conservative - There are similarities amongst the three - These "western religions" form congregations and focus on a clear, monotheistic deity - The "eastern religions" below see divine power in everything, and express religion and spirituality outside rigid schedules

Politics in the United States: Voter Demographics:

- 18-29 went for Obama (60% vs. 66% in 2008) over Romney (35%), yet Obama picked up older votes (44% vs. 40% in 2008) - Obama won among women (55%), African-American (93%), Hispanic (71%) and Asian voters (73%), unmarried men (56%), unmarried women (67%) and 30-45 (52%) - Romney won among older voters (65+, 56%), men (53%), whites (60%), married women (53%) and married men (60%) - By religion, Romney won among Protestants (57%), Mormons (79%), and Evangelicals (80%), while Obama won the Catholic vote (50%) and the "unaffiliated" (70%) and the Jewish vote (70

HOPE's Problems (1):

- 40% of incoming first year students will lose the scholarship by May; 80% by their 3rd year - Grade inflation (financial incentive, local schools receive lottery proceeds based on number of HOPE scholars) - Students entering college in 1969 vs. 2009: In 1969, 24% of students entering colleges had a C or below average, while 17% had A averages; in 2009, the number of C's had dwindled to 5% and the number of A's soared to 47% of entrants -- If most students are "above average," what is average?

Domestic Violence in the United States:

- 600,000 acts of domestic violence every year, 85% of which are men abusing women (20 million women aggregate) - Economic inequality, patriarchy, and the cultural battering myths ("she probably deserved it" and "if it's so bad, why not leave?") all perpetuate the problem

Access to Higher Education: HOPE: Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally Continued:

- 98% of incoming first year students are HOPE recipients; the percent of out of state students fell from 20% in 1993 to less than 10% in 2008 - However, out of state students have been increasing the past few years due in part to the recession (they pay full tuition, HOPE recipients pay 10%) - Result: an affluent student body (more bars and restaurants, high membership in Greek organizations, local music replaced by clubs/DJs, businesses relying on college labor find employment pool scarce)

Types of Religious Organization: Ecclesia and Denomination:

- A church formally allied with the state, Anglican church in England, Islam in Iran, Pakistan) - Church independent of the state that accepts religious pluralism

Types of Religious Organization: Megachurch:

- A church where more than 2,000 people worship weekly; in 1970's, 50 such churches existed, today, more than 1,300 with total membership over 4 million (half are in the south) - One-third are non-denominational, 1/5 are Baptist, the rest primarily protestant in nature - Less rigid than traditional denominations - More service-oriented to members; sometimes called "cafeteria Christianity" - Megachurches publish "Biblezines" such as Revolve and Refuel market to 21st century teens (articles: "Are you dating a Godly guy?" or "How to attract Godly girls") They use video games, music, glossy ads, sports and sexuality to sell religion

Authority and the State: Government:

- A formal organization that directs the political life of a society

Standardized Testing: Standardizing Testing Industrial Complex:

- A multi-million dollar a year industry (test administration, test preparation, tutoring services, Foundations and businesses dictating reform) - Threats to the system result in stern action

Standardized Testing: Testocracy:

- A person's value and worth to society is determined by how well they take a standardized test

Authority and the State: Authority:

- A power that people perceives as legitimate rather than coercive - How people in society cede power and authority to government is what sociologists are concerned about

World Religions: Confucianism:

- A strict code of moral conduct that adherents follow (was ecclesia of China until 1949) - Exact number of adherents today is unknown; 100,000 followers U.S.

Median Debt:

- A student at for-profit college leaves with is $31,000 ($17,000 debt for private university students, $8,000 debt for public university graduates) - For-profits make up 12% of all college students today, receive 24% of federal funding for higher education, and produce 43% of federal loan defaults (unforgivable, even in bankruptcy) -- Many for-profit graduates are unemployable ---They even come after your next of kin upon your death. - If you're an employer, you're less likely to hire someone from DeVry or other technical business whatever schools because there is a stigma along with those schools -- Why would they hire you when they have a stack of applications from schools like UGA and Emory? --- The kids are not told about this stigma before they enroll in these schools --- This is a discredited industry of for-profit education. --- They make is very easy to get a loan to go to these universities - According to critics, the college industry continues to thrive -- Since most students at for-profit schools tend to be from lower income strata, the net result is the rich getting richer, and the poor getting poorer and further in debt

Standardized Testing: School Re-segregation: Jonathan Kozol:

- America is practicing "education apartheid:" schools are more segregated today than in 1954 when Brown v. BOE came down - Schools with 96-99% all black and/or all-white student populations are not diversified

Social Epidemiology: Health and Class:

- Among the poor, infant mortality rates are twice that of middle and upper class infants - Cancer and heart disease rates increase in lower SES - Rates of mental illness higher in lower classes (consequence or cause?)

Religion: Pre-Industrial Societies:

- Animism (elements of the natural world are conscious life forms; today's Native American beliefs) - Belief evolved in divine power (Deism or Theism), various forms of poly-theism (multiple gods) and ethicalism (adhering to certain principles)

Alternative Family Forms: (3) Gay and Lesbian Couples:

- Approximately 800,000 same sex couples live together in the U.S., raising approximately 270,000 children - Resistance to same-sex marriage is fading - 56% of Americans now support same sex marriage (2013 PEW) and the Supreme Court's decisions in U.S. vs. Windsor (2013), clears the way for more states to recognize same-sex marriage (17 as of 4/14; 33 states still with bans) - 30% of Americans now live in states where gay marriage is legal

Stages of Family Life: (1) Dating:

- Arranged marriages in pre-industrial societies took the guess work out of marriage - Romantic love had little to do with it - Industrialization eroded the importance of extended families, so personal choice enhanced when it came to selecting a mate - Dating sharpens courtship skills and serves today as a period of sexual experimentation - The basis for marriage rests ultimately on "romantic love," an emotion, feelings of affection and sexual passion towards another person - "Falling in love" and marriage are strongly guided by social forces

Politics in the United States: 2012 Presidential Election:

- Barack Obama won 51% of the total popular vote and 332 electoral votes - Mitt Romney won 48% of the total popular vote and 206 electoral votes - Most expensive election in history: $2.2 billion raised and spent by all the parties and their candidates from the primary to the election - Add in congressional races, total over $6 billion

Conflict Theory: Inequality Between Schools:

- Because of the way schools are funded (50-55% local/property tax, 35-40% state funds, less than 7-10% Federal), not all schools receive the same funding - Directly affects the quality of education received

Social Epidemiology: Health and Race:

- Being disproportionately associated with poverty, AA's, Latinos and Native Americans suffer more health maladies than do whites in society

Health Risks: Eating Disorders:

- Both intense diet and weight control; overweight and obesity kill nearly as many in the U.S. annually as cigarette smoking. 61% of the U.S. adult population is now overweight or obese (35% being overweight, 27% obese). Amongst children and adolescents the numbers are 15% and rising. - As with cigarettes, obesity is correlated with lower SES. Combined with physical inactivity and other unhealthy eating habits, overweight and obesity contributes directly to cancer, heart disease and diabetes, killing 350,000-400,000 adults annually in the U.S. - Under-eating: 3-5% of females suffer from under-eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, binging. Roughly 90% of diagnosed anorexics are female, with first symptoms usually surfacing between 14-18 years of age; most anorexics are in their teens and 20's. 10% of anorexics are male and increasing. - Anorexia is still most prevalent amongst white women from affluent families, though rates of eating disorders are increasing in all groups. College women: 25% report having an eating disorder, 4/5 of which report bulimia; most college-age women believe that "guys like thin girls." In extreme cases, this can lead to death. - Under and over-eating combined, nearly 70% of adults and children in the U.S. have some form of eating disorder affecting health and quality of life. - Sin Taxes: can taxing socially undesirable behaviors (cigarettes, alcohol, tanning booths) discourage behavior? Should a "fat tax" be implemented to curb the costs of health care related to obesity and being overweight?

Religion and Social Demography: Age:

- Both men and women tend to become more religious with age, starting with having kids, through your elderly years

Religion and Social Demography: Geography and Politics:

- Catholics live disproportionately in the Northeast and Southwest, Lutherans in Midwest, Baptists in South - People who are more religious tend to vote more politically conservative, while less religious people vote more politically liberally

Standardized Testing: Atlanta Public Schools:

- Cheating "scandal" in 2009-10 led to 1/4 of the GBI's agents investigating "erasure tampering," now a state crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison - April 2015: 10 teachers sentenced to prison terms ranging from 2-8 years - Similar investigations and prosecutions are taking place across the state and country (mainly in low-income, inner-city, predominantly Af-Am districts)

The Family: Patrilocality vs. Matrilocality:

- Couples lived with the husband's family (Patrilocality) or the wife's family (Matrilocality) - In agrarian societies, Patrilineal descent (tracing kinship through the male's family) was the norm - In horticultural societies, there was some evidence of Matrilineal descent

Social Epidemiology: Health and Demography:

- Death is rare amongst the young, with 2 exceptions, accidents and AIDS

Economic Systems: Socialism:

- Economic system in which natural resources and the means of producing goods and services are collectively (governmentally) owned - Tenets of socialism: (1) Collective ownership of property (2) Pursuit of collective goals (3) Government control of markets

Economic Systems: Capitalism:

- Economic system in which natural resources and the means of producing goods and services are privately owned - Tenets of capitalism: (1) Private ownership (2) Pursuit of profit (3) Free competition (Laissez-Faire or market economy)

Economic Systems: State Capitalism:

- Economic system that combines private ownership of corporations and businesses, but they work closely with the government in doing business (trades and tariffs, foreign markets, global economy)

Economic Systems: Welfare Capitalism:

- Economic systems that combine mostly market-based economics with government programs to provide for people's basic needs (social security, welfare)

Capitalism and the Economy:

- Economy is a social institution that organizes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods (food, clothing, autos, houses, etc.) and services (doctors, lawyers, software engineers, etc.) - Marx: how and what we produce, and how much and what we consume defines us as a society

Theoretical Analysis of Education: Conflict Theory:

- Education and schools reproduce the class structure from one generation to the next by providing learning according to the student's social background, thereby perpetuating inequality - Schooling reinforces the norms and values of the society's most elite members, and gives the affluent more educational opportunities than the poor - Six distinct ways that education perpetuates inequality: (1) Social Control (2) Standardized Testing (3) The Sorting Machine (Tracking) (4) Inequality Between Schools (5) Access to Higher Education (6) Credentialism

Structural-Functionalism: Social Placement:

- Education helps young people assume culturally approved statuses and perform roles that contribute to the ongoing life of society - Teachers encourage the best and brightest to pursue the most challenging and advanced studies while guiding students with ordinary abilities into programs suited for them - Schooling enhances meritocracy

Structural-Functionalism: Cultural Innovation:

- Education transmits as well as creates culture - Schools stimulate intellectual inquiry, the development of new ideas and research to expand...

The Family: Pre-Industrial Societies:

- Extended family (family unit including parents, children and other kin) were the norm - Also known as family of orientation (central to socialization) - Extended families emphasized arranged marriages that were either Endogamous (between persons of the same social categories) or Exogamous (persons of different social categories)

Theoretical Analysis of Family: Structural Functionalists:

- Family is the "backbone of society" and provides several key functions: (1) Socialization: most important agent (2) Regulation of sexual activity: the incest taboo (3) Social placement: ascribed status (4) Maternal and emotional security

For-Profit Higher Education: Helping the poor or subprime scam?

- For profit colleges and universities have increased enrollments 236% from 2000-2010 - Stockholders are making huge returns on investments, tuitions are extremely high - The tuition you're paying is making a company money - The six-year graduation rate, however, is astonishingly low (2-27% for a mean of 22%) -- In comparison, state colleges and universities graduate from 60% of their students (UGA 84%, 2011), while private universities graduate 80% (the Ivy's 95%+)

The Family: Polygamy:

- Form of marriage uniting three or more people, as more common, usually polygyny (one male and two or more females) - Polyandry (one female and two or more males) was rare

Theoretical Analysis of Education: Structural-Functionalism:

- Formal education contributes to the operation of society in four distinct ways: (1) Socialization (2) Cultural Innovation (3) Social Integration (4) Social Placement

The "Global Economy" and the Global Recession: (3) Multi-National Corporations:

- Friend or foe? Do these companies hurt second and third world countries (Dependency theory: multi-nationals rape the natural resources, employ by slave wages) or are they helping these countries (Modernization theory: industrialize and post-industrialization makes life better for those in individual and developing nations)?

Theoretical Analysis of Religion: Symbolic Interaction: Liberation Technology:

- Fuses Christian principles with political activism - Though traditionally leftist in nature (Civil Rights Movement coalesced in the church), today's counter-liberation theology is more conservative (Christian coalition, Moral majority)

Politics in the United States: Party Identification

- Generally, people in the U.S. describe themselves as either Liberal (25% of the population), Conservative (35%) or Moderate (40%) - Moderates are plentiful because most people are conservative on some issues and liberal on others - Economic/social issue conservatives tend to vote Republican while economic and social issue liberals tend to vote Democratic - Party identification is weak in the U.S. in 2012, 38% identified themselves as Independents, 32% as Democrats and 28% as Republicans - 43% said they "lean Republican" while 50% said they "leaned Democrat" - Yet, just 15% claim themselves to be "strong Democrats," 12% "strong Republicans" - Independents are up from 12% in 1992

Economy in History: Agricultural Revolution: Primary Sector Economy...

- Generates raw materials directly from the natural environment - Two-thirds of most countries today function on Agricultural economy ("developing nations") - In 1900, 40% of U.S. workers were farmers; today, less than 2% of the U.S. workforce works in agriculture - Today, farming and agriculture is profitable because of corporate agribusiness

Stages of Family Life: (3) Child Rearing Continued: Abortion and Reproductive Technologies:

- How we "feel" about abortion (pro-life or pro-choice) is often dependent on social factors and demographics - According to the GSS (2012): -- Males slightly favor pro-choice more than women (44% vs. 41%) -- The less educated are more inclined to favor abortion restrictions (70% of those with less than high school education vs. 50% with some college) - Persons in their 40's tend to be the most pro-choice; those over 60, the most pro-life (younger persons are more inclined to be pro-life, 58% vs. 42% pro-choice) - Regionally, the northeast tends to be more pro-choice, while the south, particularly the southeast or "deep south" tends to be more pro-life (over 80% in the deep south vs. 20% pro-choice) - Those wealthier, less religious and more likely to vote Democratic are more pro-choice, while those less wealthy, more religious and more likely to vote Republican are more pro-life

Economic Systems: Communism:

- Hypothetical economic system where all members of society are socially equal (from each according to their ability, to each according to their need), and government is largely absent

1. Cultural patterns define health:

- Ideas about health amount to a form of social control, which encourages conformity to cultural norms (competition, hard work are healthy; cooperation, welfare are unhealthy) -- Getting out of bed and going to work every day being healthy is capitalist -- Used to control the population

Economy in History: Adam Smith

- In "Wealth of Nations" (1776) Smith argued the "barter system" should be replaced by money (capitalism) - Money was an agent of social change

Stages of Family Life: (2) Marriage:

- In 1950, the mean age for first marriage for women was 20, for men 22 - In 2014, the mean for first marriage for women is 26, for men 28 (first children, 25 and 27, respectively) - Only after marriage do couples get to know each other (infidelity: 25% of men, 20% of women) - "Marriage changes things; suddenly you wake up in bed next to a relative"

Health Risks: Cigarette Smoking:

- In 1960 45% of the adult population smoked in the U.S. (In 2011, 19% smoke (22% of men, 16% of women). Smoking is more common in the working and lower classes (30% below poverty line, 19% above). Varies by race/ethnicity: 31% of Native Americans smoke, 21% whites, 19% AA, 12% Hispanic, 10% Asian. - They are more stressed and have a lack of education about the affects of smoking - While 60% smoke regularly, 40% are "social smokers" who smoke intermittently or socially (similar to "social drinkers"). Smoking varies by education (45% high school dropouts/GED, 24% high school graduate, 9% college graduates, 5% post-graduate). - 44 million Americans smoked in 2011, 78% of whom/34 million) smoked daily (22% "occasionally"). While 10% of smokers will get lung cancer, in real numbers that's 400,000 adults who die prematurely each year as a direct result of cigarette smoking (including emphysema). Sharp declines amongst college students (from 24% in 2005 to 18% in 2011), yet tobacco industry continues to be and $89 billion industry

HOPE's Problems (2):

- In 2000, UGA ended use of the TSI (total student index) which allowed for preferences on borderline students for admission based on race (affirmative action), class, gender, activities, legacy - Minority student populations and students from rural parts of the state declined dramatically (with 60% female, males seem to be disappearing as well) -- Why?

Stages of Family Life: (3) Child Rearing:

- In pre-industrial societies, families had an average of eight children - Children were economic assets, needed to perform necessary labor and to take care of parents in old age (this is why childbirth rates are high in developing/agrarian societies today) - Child mortality: in 1900, one-third of children born in the U.S. died by age ten - Industrialization: turns children into "economic liabilities" -- The median number of children per family in 2014 was 0.99 (for whites, 0.89; African Americans, 1.15; Latinos, 1.53) -- The ideal number of children remains between 2 and 3 (75% of respondents) -- 2014 Census: one-half of women between 15-44 do not have kids

The "Global Economy" and the Global Recession: (2) Product Passage:

- Increasing numbers of products pass through several countries before ending up on one's market (rubber from Africa or South America, is turned into shoes in China, and sold in U.S.)

Theoretical Analysis of Family: Symbolic Interactionist:

- Individuals construct family life - Families are not a rigid conception, but an ongoing process -- Social exchange: dating and marriage are forms of negotiation. Individuals shop in the marriage market, and dating sharpens the skills needed to make the best deal possible. Terms of the exchange are in fact converging: men have to concentrate more on how they look; women have to concentrate more on careers and what they can bring to the table financially

3. Technology affects health:

- Industrialization improved healthcare amongst infants and children; post-industrialization improved healthcare amongst the elderly - Top 3 killers in 1900: Influenza/Pneumonia, Tuberculosis, and Stomach/Intestinal diseases, average life span was 40; top 3 causes of death in 2012: heart disease, cancer, stroke; average life span is now 76 -- In the first 50 years it was just how do we keep children alive, and now it's how long can we keep you alive for as long as possible because of technological breakthroughs in the last 100 years

Conflict Theory: Access to Higher Education:

- Inequality continues after secondary school when it comes to access to colleges and universities - One must have means to send children to an Ivy League school, where tuition can run more than $40,000 annually

Conflict Theory: Standardized Testing:

- Inherently biased based on class, race and ethnicity - Questions reflect society's dominant culture and put minorities at a disadvantage - Standardized tests measure nothing more than a student's test taking ability, yet the drive for teacher "accountability" and the "end of social promotion" has led to an increasing reliance on standardized tests

Education in the United States:

- Inherently political from the beginning - 1850 - states began passing Mandatory Education Laws which required children to attend school until the age of 16 or the completion of the 8th grade - By 1918, the last of the states passed mandatory education laws - High school graduates (or equivalency) have increased dramatically from 13% of the adult population in 1900 to 87% in 2012 - Higher education is more attainable, 3% of the adult population (25+) with a four year degree in 1900 vs. 29, 4% in 2012

The Family: Marriage...

- Is a legally sanctioned relationship designed for economic cooperation and childbearing

Alternative Family Forms: (2) Cohabitation:

- Is it a step toward marriage or an alternative to marriage? - It is the sharing of a household by an unmarried couple, has increased from 550,000 couples in 1970 to 7 million today (6% of all households) - Almost half of women 15-44 cohabit with a partner today as a first union; 70% of women with less than high school degrees cohabit, compared with 47% of women with bachelor's degrees or higher - 40% of cohabitations will transition to marriage by 3 years, 30% remain intact, 30% dissolve - By education, however, 55% of women with bachelor's degrees transitioned to marriage by 3 years vs. 30% of those without a high school diploma - 20% of cohabiters will experience pregnancy in the first year of cohabitation; this now constitutes almost 25% of all live-births annually in the U.S. - Domestic violence and violence are greater amongst cohabiters than married couples - Despite its prevalence, most research suggests that living together actually discourages marriage

Power Beyond the Rules: Racial Profiling:

- Is it terrorism only if the participants are young Arabic-descent males who practice Islam? Are we safer today or are things like the Patriot Act just so much social control?

World Religions: Christianity:

- Largest religion in the world, more than 2 billion adherents or roughly one-third of the world's population - Approximately 80% of the people in the U.S. who are religious identify with Christianity

Theoretical Analysis of Education: Latent Functions:

- Latent functions of schooling include child care, adolescent care, and networking

4. Inequality affects health:

- Lower SES person have less access to healthcare and longevity decreases; pre- and post-natal care varies dramatically based on class; the wealthy live better, longer lives; the poor live unhealthy, shorter lives - Part of this is access to healthcare, also culture and lifestyle -- When you look at the kinds of pre/post natal care mothers get, is almost always depended on class and system stratification -- The access to the care determines whether the infant will start healthy or unhealthy

Theoretical Analysis of Medicine: Conflict Theorists:

- Medical care and health are forms of social control; profit motive supersedes everything, including access to healthcare, insurance and the politics of medicine. Medicine explains things in terms of the biological, viruses and bacteria, while ignoring the damaging effects of poverty and social class on health. Hospitals, doctors and insurance companies kill 200,000 patients each year.

Theoretical Analysis of Medicine: Symbolic Interactionists:

- Medical care and health are subjective social constructions; constantly changing (ADHD; "fat pride"). "Illness" is socially defined, and the "Sick Role" is how we expect the afflicted to behave.

Religious Pluralism in the United States:

- More than 280 denominations and 300,000 congregations exist in the U.S. (not including sects and/or new cults) - Protestant denominations now account for 32% of U.S. (52% of churchgoers), with the largest denominations Baptist (19%) followed by Methodists (6%), Lutherans (4%), Presbyterians (2%) and Episcopalians (1%) - The largest denomination in the U.S. is Catholicism (25%) - Fastest growing segments of Christianity are "Christian Generic" (evangelical/born again, Pentecostal/charismatic, non-denominational Christian) at 21% - Atheists/Agnostics/No Religion: fastest growing segment of the U.S. population - In 1990, 8.2% claimed no belief - In 2011, 19% (broken down: Agnostics 1%, Atheists 2%, no religious preference 16%) - Social prestige of religion: Episcopalians, Presbyterians and Jews enjoy high social standing, Methodists and Catholics moderate social position, and Baptists, Lutherans and members of sects in lower social standing

Domestic Violence in the United States: Child Abuse:

- More than 3 million reports of child abuse and neglect every year, of which 800,000 children are confirmed victims of abuse and neglect (80,000 physical abuse, 56,000 sexual abuse, 440,000 neglect, 31,000 psychological maltreatment, 7,000 medical neglect) - Economic inequality, patriarchy (girls are more likely to be abused than boys) and cultural myths ("kids deserve a good, hard spanking") all contribute

Problems in the School: Student Passivity:

- More than violence, schools are plagued with boredom - Emphasis on rigid uniformity, numerical ratings (SAT's, GPA's, Standardized test scores, etc.), and little individual responsibility (keeping students from learning on their own) makes schools a recipe for boredom

Economy in History: Secondary Labor Market Jobs:

- Most service oriented work provides little income or benefits and often fewer rewards than factory work - Includes self-employment (approximately 7% of the workforce today, women now own 30% of all businesses, 40% of small businesses)

Problems in the School: The End Result:

- Most students feel quite safe in coming to class without having read the assignment, and not having done so, secure in the knowledge that they won't be called upon anyway

Dropping Out:

- Nationwide in high school (2012), 25% of students (3.3 million) dropped out before graduation; in largest 50 cities, 47% of students did not graduate with their class (dropouts, those retained for failure, students who may drop out and then return, etc.) - In GA, 50% of HS freshmen do not graduate with their class. Among minority groups, the poor, inner-city and rural resident, dropout rates over 50%

Alternative Family Forms: (1) One-Parent Families:

- Nearly 27% of U.S. families with children under 18 have only one parent in the house (85% of which are single mothers) - In 2012, more than 40% of live births in the U.S. were to unmarried women (1.7 million) - On average, children growing up in single parent families start out poorer, get less schooling and end with lower incomes as adults - Are also more likely to end up single parents themselves

World Religions: Buddhism:

- Nearly 400 million adherents worldwide (2500 years old) - 1.2 million Buddhists in the U.S. (2011)

The Family: Industrial Societies:

- Nuclear family (family unit composed of one or two parents and their children) becomes the norm - Also known as family of procreation (or conjugal family) - People left their extended families to seek work in industrial urban centers - Society continues to arrange many marriages; majority are Endogamous - Laws prescribe Monogamy (marriage joining two partners) as the norm through with rates of divorce and remarriage considered, one can engage in serial monogamy - Today, couples reporting high levels of marital satisfaction are those who live in Neolocality (away from both sets of parents) and most practice Bilateral descent (importance of both blood lines)

World Religions: Hinduism:

- Oldest of the world's religions (6500 years ago), Hindus 870 million adherents worldwide - Sometimes referred to as "ethical religion;" spiritual progression via reincarnation (2 million, U.S. 2011)

Access to Higher Education: HOPE: Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally:

- Originally, HOPE was made available to graduating seniors with a B average or higher who were from lower to middle income families - Prevent "brain drain" from Georgia - The income cap in 1993 was $50,000; $100,000 in 1994, and was eliminated entirely in 1995 - The number of HOPE recipients doubled following the elimination of the cap - As a result, competition at the state's more prestigious universities (UGA) increased -- UGA's admission standards soared from 3.1 GPA and 1050 average SAT in 1992, to 3.7 GPA and 1252 average SAT in 2009

Academic Standards:

- Overall SAT scores of college-bound seniors have been declining since the 1960's, from median score of 516 in math and 543 in verbal (1968), to 514 in math, 496 in reading and 488 in writing in 2012 - Their verbal scores represent an astonishing decline in reading comprehension, leading to measures of functional illiteracy amongst adults; 30 million (15%) adults read at or below 8th grade level, innumeracy (insufficient math skills) affects 22% - Functional illiteracy used to not be a big deal, but economically you're penalized today if you're illiterate - You won't be able to know what's going on around you or be able to get a job

Economy in History: Contingent Work:

- Part-time, temporaries, contract, day laborers - Nearly 33% of the U.S. labor force participates in contingent work (6.6 million part-time workers 3/15, down from 10 million in 2009; "Obamacare" dire predictions are greatly exaggerated) - Temping and day laboring can be low wage, dead end work, but some part-time and contract work is quite lucrative - Still, contingent work is secondary labor market work

Standardized Testing: "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB) 2001:

- Pass/fail standardized tests after every grade, 3rd through 8th - Schools get black-listed for poor performance; parents feel trapped (falling test scores = falling property values) - Teachers are threatened with termination if students don't perform at certain levels; "teaching to the test" becomes the norm; critical thinking skills "outside the box" are sacrificed

Theoretical Analysis of Religion: Structural Functional:

- People engage in religious life to celebrate the awesome power of society - Belief is stronger amongst the less educated and poor, yet higher education and more income spurs increased participation in religious organization

Theoretical Analysis of Medicine: Functionalists:

- People play roles necessary to keep society's members healthy; the Sick Role (patterns of behavior defined as appropriate for people who are ill) and the Physician's Role (behavior defined as appropriate for doctors) all keep the emphasis on the individual.

Health, Medicine and Society: Health:

- Physical, mental, and social well-being; Medicine: social institution that focuses on combating and improving health - Society affects morbidity (how often we don't get sick) and mortality (death) in 4 ways:

Theoretical Analysis of Power in Society: Conflict Theorists Power-Elite Model:

- Power concentrated among the rich -- SIGs, PACs and Super-PACs are not political democracy; they keep the people at the top in power without any real opposition - The two-party system is corrupt, as the candidates the people vote on have already been hand-picked by the power-elite in society to favor their interests, no matter what the outcome

Theoretical Analysis of Power in Society: The Functionalists Pluralist Model:

- Power is dispersed among many different competing interest groups -- Special Interest Groups (SIGs): organizations of people interested in some economic or social issue --- SIGs include groups like the AARP, the NRA, the ACLU, the Sierra club, NOW, etc. --- SIGs employ lobbyists as their professional advocates -- Political Action Committees (PACs): organizations whose aim is to raise and spend money on the election or defeat of certain political candidates --- Campaign Finance Reform was aimed specifically at PACs and Super-PACs (beyond reporting) - Individuals and corporations were to be limited in what they could give particular candidates (hard money) and PACs (soft money)

Max Weber, Three Types of Authority and Four Types of Intersecting Political Systems: Rational-Legal Authority:

- Power legitimized by legally enacted rules and regulations -- Democracy power is exercised by the people as a whole, supports rational-legal authority --- Representative Democracy places authority in the hands of the office and the elected leaders who are accountable to the people (U.S.) --- In a pure democracy, the majority rules, regardless of the rights of the minority --- In a Constitutional Republic, majority rules, but rights of the minority are protected

Max Weber, Three Types of Authority and Four Types of Intersecting Political Systems: Charismatic Authority:

- Power legitimized through extraordinary personality that inspires devotion and obedience -- Authoritarian political systems (denies popular participation in government) or Totalitarianism (seeks to extensively regulate all aspects of people's lives)

Max Weber, Three Types of Authority and Four Types of Intersecting Political Systems: Traditional Authority:

- Power legitimized through respect for long-established cultural patterns -- Monarchy: political system to support traditional authority --- Absolute Monarchies existed during pre-industrial times (hereditary rule) whereas Constitutional Monarchies today are more symbolic --- However, absolute monarchies such as Saudi Arabia continue to exist

Economy in History: Primary Labor Market Jobs:

- Professions, white-collar, high-salaried, high-benefit work - Charles Handy: "the corporation or organization of tomorrow will be nothing more than a box of contracts" - The average young person today will change careers three times, one of which hasn't even been invented yet

Theoretical Analysis of Religion: Symbolic Interaction: Weber:

- Protestantism and the spirit of capitalism (religion dictated the economy); religion is a highly variable construct; not a static concept, but a dynamic concept - To some, God does not exist; to others, God definitely exists; the "religious experience" is real to the believer - Besecke's "reflexive spirituality" suggests most believers look to religion for meaning, wisdom or purpose, but not for absolute or literal truths from sacred texts

Recession 2008-2011: By...

- Race: whites at 4.7%, African Americans 10%, Hispanics 6.6%, Asians 4% - Age: teenagers 15-19 unemployment rate 17% (16-17, 19%; black teens, 40%); 20-24, rate 10%; 25-54, 5.4%; 55+, 4.3% - Education: without high school diploma, 8%; high school diploma, 5.4%; some college, 5.1%; college degree and more, 2.7% - Gender: recession hit men hardest, 2/3 of jobs lost -- Unemployment rate for men peaked at 11.4% (now 5.2%), women's rate peaked at 8.8% (now 4.9%) - Industry (non-farm): construction (11% unemployment rate), manufacturing (8%), retail (8%), office and administrative support (6%), government (7%), management, business and financial (2.8%), professional and related (2.8%) - Clearly, primary labor market has not suffered to the extent of the secondary labor market

Conflict Theory: Credentialism:

- Randall Collins calls us a credential society - We evaluate a person's worth based on how many degrees he or she has; turns cultural capital (privilege) into social capital (personal merit)

Power Beyond the Rules: Terrorism:

- Random acts of violence or threat of such violence employed by an individual or a group as a political strategy - Four distinguishing characteristics: (1) Terrorists try to paint violence as a legitimate political tactic. Terror is therefore a weak organization's strategy to harm a stronger foe (2) Terrorism is employed not just by groups (Al-Qaeda) but by governments (state terrorism). State terror is lawful in some authoritarian and totalitarian regimes (3) Democratic societies reject terrorism, but are especially vulnerable to terrorists because of extensive civil liberties and freedoms (4) Terrorism is always a matter of definition. One person's "terrorist" is another's "freedom fighter" (or "extremist group" or "militia"). Part of what makes the "war on terror" practically unwinnable is the fact that very few country's can agree on a definition - In the U.S., definitions of terrorism, in the wake of September 11, 2001, are also highly variable. Do "lone wolf" events not fit the definition of terrorism?

Stages of Family Life: (4) Family in Later Life Continued: Jesse Bernard: "His and Her Marriage:"

- Rates of depression are higher among married women than single women; rates of depression are higher among single men than married men -- Why? Socialization - Woman are still socialized to believe their identities are inextricably tied to the man they marry; men are socialized to avoid marriage at all costs - Extended families are still more common amongst Latino families (as well as traditional male authority over women), while 70% of African-American children are born to single women, compared to 33% Latino families, 18% Asian, 18% white - Inter-racial and inter-ethnic marriages are still the explanation/exception rather than the rule...14% of all marriages in 2012 (meaning 86% of marriages are Endogamous when it comes to race or ethnicity) - Gender also affects how marriage is viewed

Structural Functional: Durkheim:

- Religion provides three main functions to society: (1) Social Cohesion: shared symbols, values and norms of religion bring people together (2) Social Control: many cultural norms and values have religious justification. Also, religion is used to legitimize the political system (3) Provide Meaning and Purpose: religious beliefs offer a comforting sense. Major life-course transitions (birth, marriage, death) are usually marked by religious observances

Theoretical Analysis of Religion: Conflict Theory:

- Religion's support of the social hierarchy enforces inequality and stratifies society: religious salience increases as income decreases and as people age, and religious belief is stronger amongst racial/ethnic minorities and women - Thus, groups already marginalized in society (the poor, minorities, women, the elderly) are under the social control of religion

Religion and Social Demography: Class:

- Religious belief is stronger in the lower classes, yet volunteerism in religion is higher in the middle and upper classes; upper classes more protestant than the rest of the country

Types of Religious Organization: Cult:

- Religious organization substantially outside the mainstream of society - Cults typically form around charisma (extraordinary personal qualities that can turn an audience into followers) - Proselytizing to new members - As many as 5,000 cults operate in the U.S. at any given time - The popular view of cults is deviant or even "evil" (Heaven's Gate, suicide cults, "crazy") - Intrinsically, there is nothing wrong with this type of religious organization - All mainstream world religions began as cults, by definition

Types of Religious Organization: Sect:

- Religious organization that stands apart from the larger society (Amish, Scientologists, Krishnas, Jehova's Witnesses) - Sects are less formal than churches in terms of organization and can be breakaway groups from established churches

Types of Religious Organization: Church:

- Religious organization well integrated into the larger society

Religion and Social Demography: Race:

- Religious salience is higher in minority communities than in the white community; the church is a source of institutional change for African-Americans (civil rights) than whites

Education: Industrialism:

- Required a semi-skilled, semi-literate workforce - Basic reading, writing and arithmetic were necessary to function not only economically but also to participate in political democracy

HOPE's Problems (3):

- Research has shown working and poorer classes play the lottery at a far greater rate than the middle and upper classes do - De facto the poor are paying for the rich and their children to attend college

Supreme Court: Citizens United vs. FEC (2010):

- Restricting what corporations and organizations spend in the political process "chills political speech" campaign finance reform was unconstitutional - Corporations are considered to be "natural persons" under the First Amendment, and may now spend unlimited amounts of money in the political process

Education: Pre-Industrial Societies:

- Rudimentary - Formal education (where it existed) consisted largely of Technical or Trade Schools; members learned to participate in agrarianism - Higher education (literature, the arts, history, science) was for elites

Recent Issues:

- School Choice (vouchers), Magnet Schools, and Home Schooling (15,000 in 1980, to 2.1 million in 2011; 70% white, 15% Hispanic, 8% AA) - On the far left and far right, there is agreement about vouchers. Also, more than 75 million adults are enrolled in educational courses - A lot of people think, if you're just going to pay money to send your kid to private school, why don't you just give more money to your local public school to make it better? --- This is the view of the people in the middle - Magnet schools- pull in kids who want to excel in particular topics, they tend to be very popular and very successful because the kids are very into what they want to be learning - Homeschooling is a reaction to everything we've been talking about -- All of the emphasis on rote memorization, etc. and if they don't have the money to send them to private school, they would rather just teach the kids themselves -- 30 years ago, homeschooling was just for extremely religious people, whacking militia people, etc.

Structural-Functionalism: Social Integration:

- Schooling helps forge a culturally-diverse mass of people into a unified society - It fosters social integration and teaches new immigrants the majority's way of life

Structural-Functionalism: Socialization:

- Schools transmit cultural values and norms, as well as civics classes which instruct students in the political way of life - In pre-industrial societies, ways of life were transmitted from parent to child; in industrial societies, schools emerge as a separate social institution to prepare children for adult roles in a technologically complex world

Religion: Industrial and Post-Industrial Societies:

- Science vs. Religion; mono-theistic (focusing on one God) - Also, a-theism (the denial of existence of God or gods), agnosticism (skepticism whether the existence of a God or gods can be proved or disproved) are creations of the Enlightenment

World Religions: Islam:

- Second largest religion in the world, 1.6 billion adherents or about 20% of the world's population, fastest growing of the world's religions (2.6 million, U.S. 2011)

Secularization vs. Religious Fundamentalism:

- Secularization (historical decline in the importance of the sacred; reliance on science) vs. Religious Fundamentalism (conservative religious doctrine that opposes intellectualism in favor of strict interpretation of sacred texts)

Problems in the School: Discipline and Violence:

- Several thousand students and at least one thousand teachers are physically assaulted on school grounds each year - Students routinely arrested for behaviors (fighting) once routinely handled by schools/parents - The "criminalization of childhood" - Bullying

Economy in History: Recession 2008-2011:

- Since recession began 12/07, 8.5 million jobs were lost - The unemployment rate as of March 2015, was 5.5% - There are more than 8.7 million unemployed people of which 2.7 million people are long-term unemployed (27 weeks+; 37% of the unemployed) (Stats: BOL)

Religion

- Social institution involving beliefs and practices based upon a conception of the sacred - The sacred (awe-inspiring or reverential) and the profane (everyday) help us understand society - Religion and the social world have a dialectical relationship: how is faith influenced by society, and how does faith shape our social world? - Sociology does not seek to pass judgment on any religion as right or wrong -- Rather, sociology seeks to explore the role of religion in society and how religious beliefs and practices guide human behavior

The Family:

- Social institution that unites individuals into cooperative groups that oversee the bearing and raising of children - Traditionally family was persons related by blood, marriage or adoption (kinship)

Education:

- Social institution which guides a society's transmission of knowledge, basic facts, job skills and cultural norms and values to its members - Schooling: formal instruction by which learning is transmitted

Standardized Testing: School Re-segregation (3):

- Solution: "Inter-district integration" -- Poor kids who go to school with middle class kids do better; housing vouchers rather than school vouchers - Problem: de facto segregation is now constitutional -- Parents Involved vs. Seattle School District (2007) - Supreme court ruled the use of race in drawing neighborhood districts to be unconstitutional -- "The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race"

Standardized Testing: School Re-segregation (2):

- Standardized testing "terrorizes teachers and principals, and humiliates students" - Scripted teaching (teaching to the test) is destroying teaching as a profession - Principals are "under the sword of high-stakes testing", driven to "cheating" themselves - NCLB should be abolished -- "It is an unspeakable hypocrisy to hold a 7 or 8 year old accountable for her performance on a standardized test"

Standardized Testing: School Re-segregation (1):

- Standardized testing and the "sociopathic emphasis" on them is "pure skinnerian, rat-control psychology" - Disadvantages lower class, especially Af-Am and Latino kids (why is curriculum bi-lingual, but standardized tests aren't?) - Wealthy parents pull kids out of public schools; lower classes "trained to accept place in society"

Alternative Family Forms: (4) Singlehood:

- Starting in 2008, more Americans 15 and older were single than married for the first time in a century - In 1968, 28% of women 20-24 were single, in 2012 percentage was 76% - However, a fertility declining in women after the age of 27 and men after 35, a growing segment of middle age people are finding themselves childless and without spouses (problematic also for couples who delay having children)

McCutcheon vs. FEC (2014):

- Struck down individual limits to candidates and parties - Chief Justice Roberts said the First Amendment required striking down the limits - "There is no right in our democracy more basic, than the right to participate in electing our political leaders" - Dissenting Justice Breyer called the decision a "blow to the First Amendment and American Democracy" - If the court in Citizens United opened a door, today's decisions may well open a floodgate - Super-PACs are now growing

Problems in the School: College: The Silent Classroom:

- Students also learn to "maintain the social situation" by showing "civil attention": laughing at the appropriate junctures, nodding their heads when necessary, and showing enough interest without becoming too involved in the situation - Professors interpret these "shows of attention" as indicating real involvement - Students therefore know it's the rare instance when they will be called upon directly by name in a college classroom - Professors are unwilling to call upon students by name, believing that such tactics will be viewed as hostile by students

Social Epidemiology: Health and Gender:

- The Morbidity Paradox: Women outlive men 79 years vs. 73 years, and the gap is increasing - Masculinity is associated with "coronary-prone behavior." Type-A personality, aggressiveness, competitiveness, repressed emotions, cigarette smoking, drinking alcohol, sexual promiscuity are seen as "masculine" and lead to shortened lives and increased rates of heart disease, cancer and stroke amongst men -- Men also usually don't want to go to the doctor.

Theoretical Analysis of Family: Social Conflict:

- The family unit perpetuates inequality from one generation to the next by stressing the following things: (1) Property and Inheritance: reproduces class structure in each succeeding generation (2) Patriarchy: families transform women into sexual and economic property of men (3) Race and Ethnicity: emphasis on Endogamy shores up the racial and ethnic hierarchy

Problems in the School: College: The Silent Classroom: Karp and Yoels:

- The only voice you hear is the professor's - Students know instructors come to class with prepared lectures, so are unwilling to participate -- The number one reason why students do not talk in class: "I had not done the assigned reading" 80%; followed by "I don't know enough about the subject matter" 79%; "The class is too large" 70%; The chance I might appear unintelligent in the eyes of other students/the professor 46% -- The "Talkers" are 3-5 students who can be counted on to respond to questions or comments by the professor -- They account for 50%+ of the classroom interactions

Power Beyond the Rules: Revolution:

- The overthrow of one political system in order to establish another - American, French, and Russian revolutions share a number of traits: rising expectations, unresponsive governments, radical leadership, establishing legitimacy

Authority and the State: Politics:

- The social institution which distributes power, sets a society's goals, and makes decisions

Stages of Family Life: (4) Family in Later Life Continued: Divorce:

- There are approximately 2.4 million marriages annually in the U.S., and 1.2 million divorces - While the divorce rate is half the marriage rate, half of all marriages do not end in divorce (20% end within five years, 35-40% longitudinally for first marriages) - Buts its effect is widespread: Out of all adults over the age of 18, 21% of men and 22% of women have been divorced at some point - Causes of divorce are numerous: divorce is more socially acceptable, and divorce is easier to legally obtain (No-Fault divorce laws) -- Role exit - Who divorces: young spouses who marry after brief courtships, few financial resources, and yet to mature emotionally -- Within ten years of marriage, the divorce rate is 50% for couples 18-21, 35% for couples 21-25, 30% for couples 26 and over ("starter" or "trial" marriages are a myth) -- Less religious people divorce at a greater rate, as do couples who both have successful careers -- Also, those who have divorced once are likely to divorce again (50%+ remarry within five years) -- Child support is awarded in 51% of all divorces, yet there are more than 3.5 million "dead-beat dads" who fail to support their children ($4 billion in arrears) -- During the Great Recession (2008-2011) divorce filings went down, but rates of domestic violence, due to financial stresses and unemployment, went up

Health Risks: Sexually Transmitted Diseases:

- There are more than 50 STDs; one-fifth of the U.S. adult population (45-50 million) has an STD other than AIDs, killing approximately 7,000 annually. - AIDs-related deaths have dropped to roughly 15,500 in 2012 in the U.S., but almost 50,000 new HIV cases are recorded annually, bringing the total to more than 1.1. million reported cases since the epidemic began 25 years ago. Of those million cases, roughly 565,000 have died, and nearly 1/5 of the infected don't know it. Homosexual and bisexual men account for 48% of AIDs cases in the U.S., 52% amongst heterosexual men, women and children. - Globally, HIV infects some 34 million people, 60% of whom live in sub-Sahara Africa; more than half are young people (under 25) and half are women. In Africa, there are more than 11 million AIDs orphans. The epidemic has killed 25 million people around the world since 1981.

Inequality Between Schools: Between Public and Public:

- Those schools that are less well-funded generally turn out students who do poorer on standardized tests, attend less prestigious colleges, have lower GPA's than those in well-heeled schools

Stages of Family Life: (3) Child Rearing Continued: Reproductive Technologies:

- To facilitate pregnancy including artificial insemination, surrogate motherhood, and in vitro fertilization - These procedures raise several sociological issues, particularly discrimination: only the wealthy can take advantage of these methods ($100,000 for in vitro alone) - What it means to be a "parent" can also become confusing - It's possible, using a combination of methods, for a child to have five parents (three mothers and two fathers) - Could we see a class split eventually, where the wealthy buy sperm and eggs at genetic auctions on the Internet in order to have "super" children? Is this an evolutionary instinct or something more sinister?

Conflict Theory: The Sorting Machine:

- Tracking is the assignment of students to different types of educational programs -- Pro: We can't teach every student the same thing at the same pace --- Tracking allows those with more aptitude to excel and offers programs for those less able to do well --- Teaching everyone the same thing at the same pace would hurt everyone -- Con: Tracking has more to do with social background than personal aptitude --- Standardized tests are used to determine (lock) the track --- Wealthier/affluent kids do better on standardized tests than those who are poor or minority, tracking effectively segregates students academically and socially into different worlds - Wealthy students attend college-prep courses/tracks, poor and minority students attend general diploma courses/tracks in high school -- Schools reserve the best teachers for the higher tracked students -- Rigid tracking has a detrimental impact on students' learning and self-concept (self-fulfilling prophecy)

Economy in History: Industrial Revolution: Secondary Sector Economy...

- Transforms raw materials into manufactured goods - Less than 20% of the U.S. workforce is in the secondary sector today - Five major transformations took place in society as a result of industrialism: 1. New forms of energy (steam, electricity) 2. Centralization of work (factories, urbanism) 3. Manufacturing and mass production (turn raw materials into salable products) 4. Specialization (division of labor) 5. Wage labor (selling yourself for a wage; even better, according to Simmel is the "salary system" where workers are paid not for a direct service but the sum total of their services)

Stages of Family Life: (3) Child Rearing Continued: Child Care:

- Two-thirds of both husbands and wives with children work - One-third of children remain at home (with parents and other relatives) - One-third spend time in some other home and one-third go to an organized child care facility - More than 5.6 million "latchkey" kids (15% school age children) come home to empty homes after school

The "Global Economy" and the Global Recession: (1) Global Division of Labor:

- Two-thirds of the world is agricultural (developing nations countries), and 25% is industrialized (China, Mexico, etc.) - The percentage of countries living as the U.S. (post-industrial) 10-15% - Global unemployment rate: 7% (3/15)

Types of Religious Organization:

- Types of religious organization is determined by degree with which each is integrated into society

Religion and Social Demography: Family:

- Very religious households have more children than non-religious households; also likely to resemble traditional patriarchal parenting styles; domestic violence rates same as non-religious households

Conflict Theory: Social Control:

- Via the Hidden Curriculum (subtle presentations of political or cultural ideas in the classroom), education serves as a form of social control, reinforcing the acceptance of the status quo - Things like compliance, discipline, punctuality, respect for authority prepare students to be docile and disciplined in the workforce - Bowles and Gintis: mandatory education laws came about at the exact time capitalists were seeking a docile and disciplined industrial workforce

Politics in the United States: Voter Apathy (Political Alienation):

- While 60% of the electorate voted in 2012, it was down from 63% in 2008 - Mid-term (or "off year") elections are worse - In 2010, despite the "voter anger" meme, 42% of eligible voters turned out - In 2014, just 36% showed up...the lowest since WWII - Apathy, alienation and non-participation remain a huge problem

Citizens United and McCutcheon...

- Will further entrench the corporate and individual power-elite in society, making the "average citizen's" concerns and vote less relevant - See also billions spent by Super-PACs

Religion and Social Demography: Gender:

- Women are more active in religious organizations than men (even though most mainstream religions relegate women to subordinate status); very religious women are less likely to participate in labor force and "submit to their husbands" in terms of power and authority

Economy in History: Labor Unions

- Worker organizations that seek to improve wages and working conditions through strategies like collective bargaining and strikes - Max Weber, Bureaucratic Inertia - In 1950, more than a third of workers were in unions; today, less than 12% (varies by sector: 37% of government workers vs. 7% private sector) - Public sector unions (police, firefighters, and teachers) face challenges due to the recession, while private sector unions struggle to make inroads in the service sector economy (hospitality; Vegas) - Still, support for unions (55-70%) far surpasses support for politicians or government (25-40%) (Gallup, 2013)

Economy in History: Unemployment

- Workers with low salaries, fewer benefits, disappearing retirement - Rate of underemployment is 13% (2014 average)

Economy in History: Information Revolution: Tertiary Sector Economy...

- generates services rather than goods; productive system based on service work and extensive use of information - More than 80% of the U.S. workforce today is in the tertiary sector - Service sector jobs include everything from secretarial, food service, and clerical jobs, to white collar jobs such as sales, law, accounting, banking, advertising and teaching - If you are providing customer or client a service (and not producing a tangible product) you are in the tertiary sector - Three major transformations are occurring because of the Information Revolution: 1. From tangible products to ideas (manipulating symbols) 2. From mechanical to literacy skills (reading and writing) 3. Decentralization of work (computers, internet, etc. make where you are physically less important)

Medicine in the United States (3):

Ironically, the U.S. is alone among industrialized societies in having no government-operated program of care for everyone; some programs, such as Medicaid (poor), Medicare (elderly), prison healthcare, do exist. The U.S. operates a direct-fee system in which patients pay directly for the services of physicians and hospitals via insurance.

Medicine in the United States: The Biomedical Culture:

The Biomedical Culture, which vaunts physicians, is new: historically, medicine was viewed as low-ranking, non-prestigious job (in Rome, doctors were slaves). The profession originally evolved from barbers, yet Medicalization and the rise of institutionalized medicine, from insurance and hospitals to Big Pharmaceuticals, has allowed virtually any social problem or behavior to be seen in medical terms.

Medicine in the United States:

The U.S. views doctors with tremendous prestige. Physicians "manage the situation" to display authority (lab coats, "Doctor" salutation, wait rooms, jargon). We "defer to doctors in ways we do not defer to other people," yet much of medicinal diagnosis is guesswork and fails to meet the basics of scientific inquiry.

Medicine in the United States (4):

While the vast majority of Americans (84%) have some type of medical coverage, either private or public, some 30 million people (12% of the population) don't, which includes 7 million children under age 18. ACA (affordable care act, "Obamacare") enrolled 16.4 million new customers with insurance from September 2013 to March 2015. Close to 6 million young adults (18-26) stayed on their parent's insurance.