Final Exam: Social Institutions 260 - Ott

Be familiar with Connell's article on "Pride and Prejudice and Professionalism

"How do gay teachers balance demands of pride and professionalism?" - professionalism, in the context of teaching, is infused with heteronormativity - inequality regimes: heterosexuality is an obscured, but essential component of the day to day rules, practices, policies, and interactional norms of most organizations.

What is Embric et al.'s study on boundary creation in a predominately white, working class environment?

"How do working class men police the social boundaries of heteromasculinity and institutionalized heterosexuality within the context of work?" - researched boundary creation across the lines of sexuality

How does Stewart argue that social classes "crystalize" involves Bourdieu's idea of cultural capital)

"across countries, the higher the inequity, the lower the upward mobility. Societies separate, and once classes are far enough apart, they crystalize." the 9.9% maintain and defend walls put in place to separate social classes. They use their cultural capital and relationships within their class status to enforce these boundaries.

What are some impacts of historic institutional racism in housing policy?

- Redlining = segregation - denied financial services to neighborhoods based on race - health hazards disproportionately located in black communities

How are race and health linked?

- Systematic location of health hazards on the basis of race. - women who are discriminated against are 5x more likely to deliver low weigh babies and 3x more likely to have preterm births - food swamps and food deserts are more likely in black communities leading to obesity and heart disease

According to Anderson, what is the "code of the street"?

A code that exists in black communities that focuses on respect. Kids are socialized into this through friends on the street. Even "decent" families are expected to follow it by code-switching.

How does Lareau argue that class is reproduced across generations?

Class is reproduced because parents pass down economic and social benefits (or disadvantages) to their children. Education system is set up to reproduce class inequality through facilitating capital transfer

What does Lareau mean by "concerted cultivation" and "accomplishment of natural growth"?

Concerted cultivation: - Attempts to foster child's talents by incorporating organized activities into child's life - middle and upper class parenting style - schools align with this style - Cultural benefits of increased social prowess due to increased experience - breeds sense of entitlement, disrespect, lack of creativity, and stress Natural growth: - Limits on structured activities, unsupervised, less involved - lower class parenting style - increased independence and resilience - social and institutionalized constraint compared to peers.

What does Bourdieu identify as the three kinds of capital?

Cultural capital: What you have and what you know Social capital: Who you know, depends on social network/connection Economic capital: money and assets, most important type because it can be turned into other forms of capital over time. Bonus: (symbolic capital: legitimizes other forms of capital. less essential to social world, its the amount of prestige you have [reputation and competence and image of respectability])

What is meant by 'capital'?

Currency that buys you a higher position in society, foundation in social life and decides your role in the social world.

What are "decent" and "street" families?

Decent: accept mainstream values, largely working poor, more rule focused and involved. (expected to code switch to street code) Street: opposition to mainstream culture, individually focused, less rule oriented, reliance on 'street' friends, violent discipline.

What does Kendi propose as an alternative and why?

Education is not sufficient on its own. We need to treat racism by dissecting it to understand it, devote time to educating and challenging ideas, and use this understanding to create truly anti-racist policies that will lead to racial equity.

How can institutions be gendered?

Gender is present in the processes, practices, images, and distributions of power in the various sectors of social life. Masculinity and femininity are constructed and maintained through institutions. (ex. The code of the street) Separate spheres ideology (Davies & Frink)

How does Bourdieu argue that "taste" is a social and classed phenomenon?

He rejects the pure conception of aesthetics and argues that 'good taste' is a reflection of the taste of the ruling class (used as symbols). therefore, 'good taste' is a social and classed phenomenon, rather than an objective truth.

What is Kendi's conceptualization of racism?

If racial discrimination is creating equity, then it is anti-racist. The only remedy to racist discrimination is anti-racist discrimination. Racist behavior is the result of racist policy and a lack of protective policy.

How is professionalism infused with heteronormativity (including Acket's concept of "inequality regimes")?

Inequality regimes: Heterosexuality* is an obscured, but essential component of the day to day rules, practices, policies, and interactional norms of most organizations. *heterosexuality, along with whiteness, maleness, and middle class status

How does institutionalization involve habitualization and taken-for-granted knowledge?

Institutions and their norms become fixate in daily life to the point where it's "just the way things are" and largely unquestioned. This knowledge is taken-for-granted as objective fact rather than subjective, flexible, and socially constructed.

Inequality Regimes

Interlocked practices and processes that result in continuing inequalities in all work organizations.

What does Carter say about the limits of education?

It has the potential to be a great equalizer, but it currently only produces a semblance of equal opportunity.

How are the effects of deindustrialization demonstrate in the film American Factory?

It highlights the cultural shift of communities/laborers devistated by the loss of factory labor.

How does meritocracy serve as a justification for income inequality?

It rationalizes inequality. The discussion is framed around individual responsibility for their economic well-being. It ignores social foundations impact of policy on creating and sustaining inequality. Because people believe that those in poverty aren't working hard enough and they don't deserve a hand up because others that are successful supposedly didn't get a hand up (even though they have a hand up because of their privilege). False consciousness blinds people from seeing the true nature and systematic road blocks of their economic situation.

How does the code of the street work?

It regulates the use of violence. Those inclined to aggression can navigate violent encounters in an approved way. Values respect above all else.

How does Carter critique the idea that education is a "great equalizer"?

It's not an equalizer because everyone starts at different social positions

What are the two major revolutions, identified by Davies and Frink, that shaped the ideal worker model?

Market revolution: redefined work to only those tasks that make money Industrial revolution: further separates home from work, both physically and abstractly through the introduction of factory time.

What was the Quadlin Audit Study and what are the main take-aways? How do they relate to the ideal worker model?

Method: Fake job applications (manipulated gender, achievement, and field of study) Overall: Academic performance is gendered. (High achieving men sought after because they are the ideal worker). Women had to be 'likeable' but men didn't. Men more likely to be hired over women despite lower GPA. Achievement: women with higher grades were penalized while women with moderate grades were rewarded. Men's callback rates were higher based on higher GPA's. Gender: moderate achieving women rated higher than high achieving women. Men rated as competent and commited were more likely to get an interview. Women rated as likeable offered interviews.

What is the importance of the Federal Housing Administration and GI Bill in the development of a strong middle class?

New Deal introduced these two to create a strong middle class by granting home loans. FHA: Loans for homeowners, resulting in upward mobility. Vast majority of black Americans were left out of loaning opportunities due to redlining. GI Bill: Loans granted for homeowners, resulting in upward mobility. Home loans were subject to same FHA restrictions so white home-ownership soared while black home-ownership hovered.

How does Goffman argue that interaction is an institution?

Not a natural form of interacting, but something that can change across societies. More than simply words and meanings, but a commonality of practices and rules over time that maintain order in interaction. (taken-for-granted rules of interaction)

What is a "performance team"?

Once a routine is developed after an initial meeting, actors orient themselves to maintaining consistencies in their claims.

What is the current state of discrimination protections for the LGBTQ+ community?

Only 21 states prohibit discrimination on sexual orientation and gender identity. There are current supreme court cases about LGBTQ+ discrimination but still no federal law protecting them.

Total Institutions

Power is more diffused through institutions, stemming from multiple directions instead of a single force.

How is class mobility unequally distributed?

Race and class inequality are so deeply woven into the foundation of out institutions that we fail to recognize it (taken-for-granted knowledge)

How does Kendi critique the concepts of systemic or institutional racism, and racial discrimination?

Racist behavior is a result of a lack of protective policy. Focusing on individuals takes pressure off of 'central agents of racism': racist policies and policy makers. Focus on individual racists is treating a symptom.

How does Geography do the work of Jim Crow?

Relining. Segregation of blacks and whites in terms of neighborhoods, in terms of cities and suburbs, took on the primary function of maintaining that distance.

How is capital a part of collective identity?

Shared cultural and social capital, share same values, beliefs, etc

What is meant by "a cycle of capital"?

Social capital --> economic capital --> cultural capital--> Social capital --> cont.... 1. capital transfer between people 2. capital converting/transforming between types *profit is always gained in this cycle due to labor time.

How does Stewart argue that the 9.9% is the new American aristocracy?

Social class breeds resentment (continually looking for others approval). Mobility justifies inequality. Serves the purpose of normalizing inequality. Frames the discussion around individual responsibility for economic well-being while ignoring unequal social foundations and policy that sustains this inequality.

How does Bourdieu argue that social class is a "practice" or social construction?

Social class is identified through visual clues, but most importantly is reflected through taste. Class = money and taste

What is meant by meritocracy?

Social mobility is based on the belief that our destiny is under our control.

What is meant by deindustrialization?

The decline in manufacturing sectors share of total national employment. The move from industrialization/factory labor to financialization/service based economy.

Social Institutions

The major organizing features of society, including stable patterns of behavior that define, govern, and constrain social action.

Socialization

The process of internalizing the norms and ideology of society. Learning how to behave in a way that's acceptable to society.

How has tax policy resulted in maintaining and growing income inequality?

The rich pay less taxes than the poor. Tax cuts for the more affluent and more taxes for everyone else.

Know generally about laws barring workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and/or gender identity

There are no federal laws; it's legal in the majority of states to discriminate. Only 21 states prohibit discrimination on sexual orientation and gender identity.

How is "street" an oppositional culture?

They have a mistrust of the police and mainstream culture.

What is important about the 9.9%?

They hold most of the wealth in the US. "We the 9.9% have mastered the art of getting the government to work for us even while complaining that it's working for those other people.

How did FHA and GI Bill institutionalize segregation and wealth inequality?

They made racial discrimination legal by separating Americans by race an only providing benefits to those living in white communities, making it more difficult for black Americans to have upward economic mobility.

What is meant by the "ideal worker"?

White man with no outside engagements who is dedicated to his job.

Why do women who have higher academic achievement face more trouble on the job market than women or men who have lower academic achievement?

Women with higher GPA's are perceived as bossy, cold, and unrelatable. Women in double bind: - Achieve high enough grades to maximize opportunity - Limit achievements to maximize likability - Assert yourself as a man and be seen as a boss, yet assert yourself as a woman and be seen as bossy.

False Consciousness

a way of thinking that prevents a person from perceiving the true nature of their social or economic situation. Legitimizes inequality. Ex. Meritocracy

How do Berger and Luckmann argue that institutions are self-governing?

because the rules and sanctions are enforced throughout daily life and get passed down/socialized to following generations who continue the cycle. Socialized and taken-for-granted knowledge.

What impact did deindustrialization have on jobs?

decline in manufacturing jobs ('59: 31.3% ; now: 7.9%) Increase in service jobs ('60: ~50% ; now: 80.2 %)

What are "embodied", "objectified", and "institutionalized" cultural capital?

embodied: qualities of your mind/body (skills, accent, taste, mannerisms) Objectified: material belongings with cultural significance Institutionalized: symbols of cultural competence and authority (credentials, degree, etc)

Culture

encompasses social behavior, norms, knowledge, beliefs, laws, customs, habits of a particular group of people

Apply the concept of preservation through transformation

ex. The New Jim Crow After emancipation, mass amounts of black Americans got incarcerated and, because of the 13th amendment allowing prisoners to do unpaid labor, this created legal slavery by a different name.

What is the relationship of institutional legitimacy and institutional resistance?

legitimacy: an institution is viewed as existing in accord with the accepted norms, values, beliefs, practices, and procedures of a given group. Resistance: If it's legitimate, it's exercise of authority is too. It produces compliance and reduces resistance. The more legit an institution is, the less it's questioned.

How does street code regenerate alienation?

oppositional culture helps preserve self-respect lost to being alienated from society. It's a coping mechanism for structural inequality. But at the same time, it maintains alienation.

What is meant by "preservation through transformation"?

prior institutions/practices appear to pass but are reborn in a new form. Appearance of change masks preservation.

What is meant by interaction order? Be able to explain how it serves as the chief organizing feature in society (according to Goffman).

process of regulating and maintaining order in an interaction, a form of ritual. It's a moral obligation to maintain order, our job to allow others to play their roles and assist them using the tools of interaction. We assume that others are also under this obligation.

How does deindustrialization relate to growing income inequality?

produced extreme polarization of incomes. Massive growth in low paying jobs, decline in middle-income jobs, increase in high-paying jobs. Rising costs of education, housing, and healthcare outpaced income growth during this time.

What do Berger and Luckmann mean by "institutionalization"?

reciprocal typification of habitualized actions by types of actors. Organized by rules, sanctions, and oversight mechanisms.

How do the maintenance of face, sign vehicles, and preventative and corrective practices each play a role in maintaining interaction order?

sign vehicles: tools for doing impression management (costumes/props, setting/scenery, behavior) Face: keeping up your impression Preventative: avoiding situations that could threaten your face Corrective: if your face is threatened, engage in corrective practices to maintain face

Sanctions

socially constructed expressions of approval or disapproval

What are the three main categories of how gay teachers balance the demands of pride and professionalism?

splitting, knitting, and quitting

Environmental Racism

systematic location of health hazards based on race

Racialization

the extension of racial meaning to a previously racially unclassified relationship, social practice, or group

Conspicuous consumption

the spending of money on and the acquiring of luxury goods and services to publicly display economic power

Social Facts

values, cultural norms, and social structures that transcend the individual and can exercise social control