Introduction to Sociology Ch 10

Underground Economy

an unregulated economy of labor and goods that operates outside of governance, regulatory systems, or human protections

In the past, the United States manufactured clothes. Many clothing corporations have shut down their U.S. factories and relocated to China. This is an example of

capital flight

Slavery in the pre-Civil War U.S. South most closely resembled

chattel slavery

A sociologist who focuses on the way that multinational corporations headquartered in core nations exploit the local workers in their peripheral nation factories is using a _________ perspective to understand the global economy.

conflict theory

Dependency theorists explain global inequality and global stratification by focusing on the way that

core nations and peripheral nations exploit semi-peripheral nations

A sociologist working from a symbolic interaction perspective would

want to interview women working in factories to understand how they manage the expectations of their supervisors, make ends meet, and support their households on a day-to-day basis

France might be classified as which kind of nation?

Core

Chattel Slavery

a form of slavery in which one person owns another

GINI Coefficient

a measure of income inequality between countries using a 100-point scale, in which 1 represents complete equality and 100 represents the highest possible inequality

Subjective Poverty

a state of poverty composed of many dimensions, subjectively present when one's actual income does not meet one's expectations

Second World

a term from the Cold War era that describes nations with moderate economies and standards of living

Third World

a term from the Cold War era that refers to poor, unindustrialized countries

Fourth World

a term that describes stigmatized minority groups who have no voice or representation on the world stage

Modernization Theory

a theory that low-income countries can improve their global economic standing by industrialization of infrastructure and a shift in cultural attitudes towards work

Dependency Theory

a theory which states that global inequity is due to the exploitation of peripheral and semiperipheral nations by core nations

One flaw in modernization theory is the unwillingness to recognize _________.

its inherent ethnocentric bias

Absolute Poverty

the state where one is barely able, or unable, to afford basic necessities

Global Stratification

the unequal distribution of resources between countries

Global Wealth and Poverty

When looking at the world's poor, we first have to define the difference between relative poverty, absolute poverty, and subjective poverty. While those in relative poverty might not have enough to live at their country's standard of living, those in absolute poverty do not have, or barely have, basic necessities such as food. Subjective poverty has more to do with one's perception of one's situation. North America and Europe are home to fewer of the world's poor than Africa, which has most poor countries, or Asia, which has the most people living in poverty. Poverty has numerous negative consequences, from increased crime rates to a detrimental impact on physical and mental health.

Global Feminization of Poverty

a pattern that occurs when women bear a disproportionate percentage of the burden of poverty

First World

a term from the Cold War era that is used to describe industrialized capitalist democracies

If a sociologist says that nations evolve toward more advanced technology and more complex industry as their citizens learn cultural values that celebrate hard work and success, she is using _______ theory to study the global economy

modernization theory

Peripheral Nations

nations on the fringes of the global economy, dominated by core nations, with very little industrialization

Mike, a college student, rents a studio apartment. He cannot afford a television and lives on cheap groceries like dried beans and ramen noodles. Since he does not have a regular job, he does not own a car. Mike is living in

relative poverty

Faith has a full-time job and two children. She has enough money for the basics and can pay her rent each month, but she feels that, with her education and experience, her income should be enough for her family to live much better than they do. Faith is experiencing

subjective poverty

One flaw in dependency theory is the unwillingness to recognize _______.

that previously low-income nations such as China have successfully developed their economies and can no longer be classified as dependent on core nations

Debt Bondage

the act of people pledging themselves as servants in exchange for money for passage, and are subsequently paid too little to regain their freedom

Debt Accumulation

the buildup of external debt, wherein countries borrow money from other nations to fund their expansion or growth goals

Global Inequality

the concentration of resources in core nations and in the hands of a wealthy minority

Gross National Income (GNI)

the income of a nation calculated based on goods and services produced, plus income earned by citizens and corporations headquartered in that country

Deindustrialization

the loss of industrial production, usually to peripheral and semi-peripheral nations where the costs are lower

Capital Flight

the movement (flight) of capital from one nation to another, via jobs and resources

Theoretical Perspectives on Global Stratification

Modernization theory and dependency theory are two of the most common lenses sociologists use when looking at the issues of global inequality. Modernization theory posits that countries go through evolutionary stages and that industrialization and improved technology are the keys to forward movement. Dependency theory, on the other hand, sees modernization theory as Eurocentric and patronizing. With this theory, global inequality is the result of core nations creating a cycle of dependence by exploiting resources and labor in peripheral and semi-peripheral countries.

Global Stratification and Classification

Stratification refers to the gaps in resources both between nations and within nations. While economic equality is of great concern, so is social equality, like the discrimination stemming from race, ethnicity, gender, religion, and/or sexual orientation. While global inequality is nothing new, several factors make it more relevant than ever, like the global marketplace and the pace of information sharing. Researchers try to understand global inequality by classifying it according to factors such as how industrialized a nation is, whether a country serves as a means of production or as an owner, and what income a nation produces.

Relative Poverty

the state of poverty where one is unable to live the lifestyle of the average person in the country

In a U.S. town, a mining company owns all the stores and most of the houses. It sells goods to the workers at inflated prices, offers house rentals for twice what a mortgage would be, and makes sure to always pay the workers less than needed to cover food and rent. Once the workers are in debt, they have no choice but to continue working for the company, since their skills will not transfer to a new position. This situation most closely resembles

debt slavery

If a sociologist points out that core nations dominate the global economy, in part by creating global interest rates and international tariffs that will inevitably favor high-income nations over low-income nations, he is a

dependency theorist

Core Nations

dominant capitalist countries

A ____________ perspective theorist might find it particularly noteworthy that wealthy corporations improve the quality of life in peripheral nations by providing workers with jobs, pumping money into the local economy, and improving transportation infrastructure.

functional

Semi-Peripheral Nations

in-between nations, not powerful enough to dictate policy but acting as a major source of raw materials and an expanding middle class marketplace

Maya is a twelve-year-old girl living in Thailand. She is homeless, and often does not know where she will sleep or when she will eat. We might say that Maya lives in _________ poverty.

absolute