Soc Justin

Capitalism:

"An economic system characterized by private ownership of the means of production, personal profit, and competition" (In Conflict and Order, pg. 188). It is "a community of producers the members of which are unceasingly striving to deprive each other if the fruits of their collective labor- not by force, but on the whole in faith compliance with legally established rules." (Reader, pg. 210). This structure prompts competition to see who will be the most successful and usually takes on a laissez faire stance with as little government intervention as possible. This is also a class-based system that is set up in social hierarchies where the rich are at the top and the poor are at the bottom. · An economic system where capital goods are owned by private individuals or business rather than by the state. This promotes personal profit and competition. [textbook pg. 188]

Socialism:

"An economic system in which the means of production are owned by the people for their collective benefit." (In Conflict and Order, pg. 190). "In such an economy, the means of production are owned by society itself and are utilized in a planned fashion." (Reader, pg. 211). Under this system the people own what they produce and will receive their benefits once they sell those products. This system aims to treat all citizens equally and supply government assistance to any citizens that need it. · An economic and political theory that advocates for the community as whole to be in charge of the distribution, exchange, and control of the means of production. [Textbook pg. 190]

why do capitalist want fewer jobs than workers?

"Capitalists like high unemployment because it tends to deflate wages and therefore increases profits" (In Conflict and Order, pg. 200). Professor O'Connell writes in chapter 10 of the reader that "production levels have been maintained with fewer workers, fewer workers means lower costs for the firm" (Reader, pg. 93). The capitalist employers simply fire workers and give more responsibilities to the workers that keep their jobs. With this strategy the capitalists are able to pay less individuals while having the same amount of production occurring. · Capitalists want fewer jobs than workers because this way they can take advantage and pay less for the same amount of production. "Production levels have been maintained with fewer workers, fewer workers means lower costs for the firm." [Reader pg. 93]

What are the difficulties in doing sociological research?

- Sociology is not black and white and therefore can be difficult to understand. One must be objective when doing any scientific research. This is difficult to do when the scientists themselves have strong beliefs, values, and biases. Therefore, some kind of opinions will always have some place in this research. (Ref: E: 1, Conflict and Order, Page: 11) a. Usually can't do experiments because it involves people and ethical issues (Lecture 1- 4 /5) b. Powerful people determine what is researched. It is not always up to the researchers themselves. c. Sociology is in essence a bureaucratic institution. d. The researcher is a product of society. Paradigms are constructed by those who hold power in society. e. Bias always exist in the study. Human behavior is hard to research because it changes in different situations. The result might not be precise because it involves a lot of theoretical theories. Sociological research involves factual, comparative, historical, and theoretical questions (Eitzen Chapter 1)

What comprises a social class?

-Generally, a social class is a number of people who occupy the same relative economic rank in the stratification system. Money is a central criterion for classification. (Ref: E: 8 Conflict and Order, page 127) e. Social class is determined by power and status. There is a hierarchy for social class, which is based on race and occupation. Other factors also include wealth and whether or not it is old money or new money and amount of education. (Lec 7?) f. A social class is comprised of people with similar levels of wealth, power, and social status. g. Social classes are often ranked into unequal categories: lower class, middle class, upper class. h. Within social classes are groups and organizations i. Each group has a status and each status has a role or set of expected behaviors. A number of people who occupy the same relative economic rank in the stratification system (Eitzen Chapter 8) A group of people who share the same level of production and social status.

How has the capitalist class tried to solve the current economic problem?

-Immigrants are blamed for the current economic problem (Ref: R: 10, page: 98). a. they blame the economic problems on immigrants (Reader Chapter 10) Wage reduction. Employers attacked labor unions and restructured the job market (Reader Chapter 10 p 92) • The capitalist class has tried to solve the current economic problem by denying that there is a problem. • Through ideological social control, people are led to accept the existing distribution of wealth. • By making use of globalization, the capitalist class try to solve the current economic problem. • A culture of poverty has also been created by the upper class. It suggests that poverty is merely a result of people's values and cultural norms. It implies that if they were to adopt the values of the upper class, then they might not be poor.

Assimilation

-Is the process by which individuals or groups adopt the culture of another group, losing their original identity. (Ref: E: 16 Conflict and Order, Page: 300) a. The process in which a group of people take in the dominant culture to fit in, losing, part of or all of,their original identity (Eitzen Chapter 16 - p300) b. Refers to the process of a cultural group adopting the cultures and norms of another group, often the dominant group. c. Assimilation does not always happen willfully. The norms of a culture can be forced on to another culture. d. It means that people will share the same culture and behavior in order to fit into the environment, which is what we called the socialization. The process by which individuals or groups adopt the culture of another group, losing their original identity (Eitzen Chapter 16).

What is language?

-Language is a powerful medium of socialization, and through language, children absorb subtle messages regarding societal expectations. (Ref: E: 4, Conflict and Order, page: 60) a. Language is a type of shared knowledge that written, spoken, and unspoken. It also influences the way members of society interact and perceives reality (Eitzen Chapter 3 - p40) b. Language is how we communicate with one another. It allows us to convey our thoughts through spoken or written words. c. Words change the way we think. The choice of words can significantly alter the way one interprets a phrase. Words put meaning behind our thoughts and when we change the meaning, we change the way people view certain ideas. As a result, language is a powerful tool in society and can often be used to manipulate thoughts. d. Language refers to symbols that evoke similar meanings in different people" (In conflict and order understanding sociology). It can be written, spoken, and unspoken way to communicate with others. It also has an influence on people's thought, meaning that the language can affect how people think of the society. Language is the vehicle through which socialization occurs (Eitzen Chapter 4)

alienation

-Refers to the separation of human beings from each other, from themselves, and from the products they create. (Ref: E: 11 Conflict and Order, Page: 194) a. A state of being isolated from a group of people or from the products they create (Eitzen Chapter 11 - p194) b. Isolation from a group or experience c. In Marxist theory, can be described as a consequence of living in a stratified society. The separation of social classes can deprive certain groups of experiences they should otherwise have. It separates the identity from the products of labor from the working class and gives them a sense of being controlled. The separation of human beings from each other, from themselves, and from the products they create (Eitzen Chapter 11) It means the separation of humans based on their social class, and the product they make.

the bottom 40% of American society holds what percentage of wealth?

-The bottom 40% of American society holds 0.3% of U.S. wealth (Ref: Lecture 8, 4/26/18) a. 0.3% (Lecture 7 - 4/26) 0.3% (Lecture 8)

interaction leads to...

-The creation of culture, or culture emerges from social interaction. Also helps develop one's personality or "Self". Through interacting with other human beings, you learn that they have expectations of how you should behave. (Ref: E: 4, Conflict and order, Page: 57-58, Lecture 5, 4/17/18). a. The creation of culture. (Culture emerges from social interaction) (Eitzen Chapter 3- p40) Humans' concepts of themselves, personality, love, freedom, justice, right and wrong, and reality (Eitzen Chapter 5) • Socialization • By interacting with others, one learns certain expectations of how to behave. Thes expectations reflect the values and norms of culture. • If one does not meet these expectations, it is likely someone will correct them. • interaction leads to socialization. By interacting with people, we try to behave the way they expect, which leads to the socialization.(Eitzen)

the Protestant Ethic

-The religious belief emphasizing hard work and continual striving to prove that one is saved. (Ref: E:3, Conflict and Order, Page: 46) a. The religious belief that places an emphasis on hard work and the continuous striving to prove that one is saved (Eitzen Chapter 3 p47) b. The Protestant work ethic started with the Protestant idea that God favored those with more wealth. Essentially, the wealthier you were, the more likely you were viewed as a saint or good person. c. Overtime, this idea evolved. As the nation becomes more secular, the cultural desire to make a lot of money remains. The Protestant ethic is the religious belief emphasizing hard work and continual striving to prove that people are saved and seen as favorable in the eyes of God (Eitzen Chapter 3). d. a religious belief that hard working can save you as an eternal salvation.

What is defined as the attempt to manipulate the consciousness of citizens so that they accept the dominant beliefs, comply willingly with the laws, and do not question the existing distribution of societal power?

-This is known as ideological social control. (Ref: E: 5, Conflict and Order, page: 72) a. ideological social control (Eitzen Chapter 5- p72) b. Ideological social control. Through the ideological apparatus such as the media, religion, and education, the ruling class maintains hegemonic control over how the masses think. c. As a result of hegemony, the working class develop a false class consciousness, believing that their interests are the same as the ruling class interests. ideological social control (Eitzen Chapter 5) d. Ideological Social Control

Subculture:

A culture within the dominant culture of society. Subcultures are often structured around religion, age, class, and ethnicity (lecture 5). These cultures often hold different views from the dominant cultures which are often defined by WASP. For example, a Mexican culture could be considered a subculture in an Anglo-Saxon dominated area. · Values and norms that are different from the dominant culture and are shared by a smaller group within the society. Examples of subcultures include hippies and greasers. [lecture 4/17]

Fascism:

A system that pushes for more of an authoritarian state and gives the power to a single person, often a dictator, who will control most parts of society. It was used by Spain, Italy, and Germany in the 1900's. This system has the government very involved in society and seeks to establish order through the state. · A governmental system characterized by radical authoritarian nationalism, dictator having complete power, controlling all aspects of industry and commerce, and often racism.

Why does stratification exist according to order theory and conflict theory?

According to the order (functionalist) theory, stratification exists so that the society can function properly and be orderly (lecture 7). Stratification is meant to inspire individuals to advance their education, develop skills, and earn a prestigious job. It is then supposed to reward the honorable hard workers in society with wealth and status that the lower classes are deprived of (lecture 8). According to the conflict (class struggle) theory, stratification exists to help one economic class, the ruling class, accumulate wealth by exploiting another class, the working class (lecture 8). It is supposed to create a distinction between the classes in order to justify why the wealthier class should be given more privileges in society. The example he gave during lecture was the relationship between the slave masters and the slaves since the masters would become wealthy off of the labor the slaves provided and the slaves would not benefit from their own efforts. In that scenario the master was the superior class that was exploiting the lower class of slaves for their own benefits. · The functionalist (order) theory explains the existence of inequality is necessary for the proper functioning of society. [lecture 4/24] This theory dictates that a society must reward the development of skills and education over other factors, such as effort alone. Ultimately, the order theory says that people who are making more money are doing it by using great skill. [lecture 4/26]

Communism:

An economic and political system that gives ownership of property to the community and state rather than to single individuals. This is meant to be a classless and stateless society, it is the opposite of capitalism. Karl Marx believed that every society had "a dynamic tension between two groups - those who own the means of production and those who work for the owners." except for communism (In Conflict and Order, pg. 18). It was used by the Soviet Union in the 1900's and intensely disapproved of by the United States. · Political and social theory developed by Karl Marx that advocates for a society where all means of production are publicly owned, rather than individually. Communism advocates a classless system where everyone works and is paid according to their abilities and necessities. [Textbook pg. 18]

Conflict theory on unity

Because various individuals and groups in society have different goals and interests, in reality, there isn't much unity. Conflict theorists believe that the unity or order that is currently present in society is superficial, because it comes from coercion not consensus. The powerful use force and fraud to make sure society is running smoothly AKA benefiting them. However, if the oppressed and powerless working class did unite, they would be able to overthrow the dominant class (Chapter 2 TB). Everybody has conflicting self-interest. There are a few extremely wealthy people that control the vast majority of things since it is in their best interest. Since people look out for their best interest true unity is an abstract unrealistic goal

"Coffee and the Protestant Work Ethic"

Coffee was seen as a panacea in the 15th, 16, and 17th century. Just some of the things it was thought to do: cure colic, whets the appetite but can also decrease it, induces sleep but also keeps you awake, sobers one, speeds up perception and mental activity etc. It came onto the scene as a valuable replacement for the ever prevalent beer. As a beverage sobriety AND a cure for sexual urges, it was the favorite drink for Puritans. Coffee was a historically significant drug and rose in popularity during a time when rationality, logic, and reason were becoming the new way of thinking. (Chapter 5 Reader). The protestant work ethic relied on an individual's self-motivation and power to work hard and be successful. The introduction of coffee in the 17th century was historically significant because its effects on the human body in many ways achieved what the protestant ethic aimed to fulfill spiritually. Coffee increased awareness, productivity, and aided in making rational forward thinking individuals.

Conflict theory

Degree of stability in society is unstable. The fundamental relationship among the parts of society consists of competition, conflict, domination of the bourgeois (middle class), elite class, and subordination of the working, proletariat class to them. Basic form of interaction is competition, not cooperation, which then leads to conflict and struggle. Because groups of society and individuals are competing for power and resources, there isn't much social integration. States that social change will only result from conflict among competing groups and as a result, tends to be abrupt and revolutionary. Believes that the institutional framework of society is the primary source of social problems, not the individual person (Chapter 2 TB). Theory that structural inequalities are cause of stratification

Agent of socialization

Family is the primary agent of socialization according to the In Conflict and Order Textbook. The reason for this is because families condition children to what's right or wrong within society while also teaching the children norms. Those children pass similar norms onto their children and the cycle continues. Schools are another agent of socialization but unlike families, schools are more uniform, structured, and impersonal. Schools equip students with skills to prepare them for the adult roles as well as accepted attitudes. In school, peers can also serve as an agent of socialization while also causing issues surrounding anxiety and depression. The media is another agent of socialization. This includes The Internet, radio, television, movies and so on. According to the textbook, media may have effect on children in a multitude of ways for example, they may "(a) become immune or numb to the horror of violence, (b) gradually accept violence as a way to solve problems, (c) imitate the violence they observe on television, and (d) identify with certain characters as victims or victimizer." (pg. 66) The process of learning cultural values, norms, and expectations. Socialization continues through a lifetime. People learn culture through interaction and when you interact with others, you find out people have expectations on how you should behave (these expectations are built on values and norms of society). Society's socialization agents are: family, school, peers, and mass media.

George Washington

GW has his face on the dollar bill, the capitol is named after him, his face on Mount Rushmore, and yet he was a slave owner that was a white supremacist. However, today in society, we don't see him as a bad person though, we celebrate him. On the other hand, people like Saddam Hussein who didn't necessarily profit off of forced labor, but kept people are terrorists who we don't have any sympathy for. Prof. O'Connell explains that this is because one man was white and the other was Arab. We don't have any sympathy for the Arab man because he isn't white, but because GW was white, we are willing to look the other way (Week 3 Lecture). A representation of how history can be rewritten in the favor of those writing it. George Washington is remembered as a hero who was the first president and helped establish the country and is now commemorated on the one dollar bill while people ignore that he was a brutal slave owner as well.

The middle class is ________ and the gap between the "haves" (the wealthy) and "have-nots" (the poor) is ________.

In the recent years "... the middle class is shrinking, that gap between the haves and the have-nots is increasing." (In Conflict and Order, pg. 77). The middle class is becoming poorer and the wealthy are becoming wealthier. Chapter 2 of the reader discusses how "the top 1 percent has close to 40 percent of the wealth" and Professor O'Connell has mentioned in many lectures that there is a large gap between the upper and lower class, especially since the middle class has been greatly reduced in size (Reader, pg. 11). · "The middle class is shrinking, the gap between the haves and the have-nots is increasing." [Textbook pg. 77] This means that the poor are becoming poorer and the rich keep getting richer, thus dividing the social classes even more.

How do capitalists accumulate wealth?

Inheritance: the longer the money has been in the family also counts for more prestige. What job matters as well: doctor, banker, etc. Through the wage labor: workers are not paid the full value of labor. Means of production, gaining profit through exploitation of laborers, and creation of wealth. Through false consciousness, which supports the ideas of capitalists and prevents the lower class from seeing the true nature of their state

Are institutions more radical or conservative?

Institutions are more conservative by definition, based on the slow process of becoming radical, there is room for change.

Culture

Knowledge that members of a social organization share. Societies system of values and norms. Culture makes society possible. Culture is designed to make survival possible. The knowledge, beliefs, and customs that the members of a social organization share (lecture 4/10). The knowledge, beliefs, and customs that the members of a social organization share (both material and nonmaterial). Professor O'Connell mentioned three types of cultures: the dominant culture, the subcultures, and the countercultures. The dominant culture projects the norms and rules of behaviors(the culture we tend to accept). Subcultures include the existence of other cultures in society but are not dominant. However, fewer people embrace them. Countercultures are cultures that are in conflict with the dominant culture.

What most affects an individual's life chances?

Max Weber claims that life chances are positively correlated with one's socioeconomic status. SES, socioeconomic status, factors on an individual's life.

What's the difference between population and sample?

Population: all the inhabitants of a particular town, area, or country. Sample: representative of the population. Is often in surveys because it would be impractical and nearly impossible to survey the entire population. (Chapter 1 TB)A population the entirety of subjects intended to be studied that fall into the characteristics being studied. Populations are often not possible to study entirely so samples are taken. Samples are smaller subsets that are obtainable and available to study that are supposed to represent the population.

Scapegoating

Scapegoating is when a person is blamed for mistakes or the faults of others. It often happens between different races and different socio-economic classes too. The use of an individual, group, or strata to blame or pass a burden to due to the conflicting best interest of another individual or group.

Is race, class, or gender the most important variable in society?

Social class is the single most important variable in society. It correlates with almost all other social characteristics from birth to death (you social status grants more access to resources such as education and wealth). Social class is the most important variable in society since the different classes gives status and role, through stratification.

The Take, the film

Social injustices done by a president who promised so much goodness but sold the country and later refused to pay the debt. Factory workers running the factories without the bosses, make their own rules. Winning through the support of the towns, cheaper prices, trying to maintain their families and running everything legitimately (same pay). Booming 1st world country dropped into complete poverty

Conflict theory and role of competition

Society fragmented and unstable with people competing for power and resources while those with the power take advantage of the powerless.Competition is a main component of the fundamental relationship among the parts of society because the things people want are always in short supply. People compete with each other for scarce resources since people have their personal best interest in mind. This creates a fragmented and hierarchical society with an uneven distribution of goods most of which are controlled by an elite ruling class which leaves others to fend for the few remaining resources

What is sociology the study of?

Sociology is the systematic study of human society (Chapter 1 TB). Sociology is the study of societies and their patterns of interaction, relationships, and culture

What's stratification? What are misconceptions about stratification?

Stratification is the ranking of the members of society into unequal classes or categories based on age, height, occupation, or another aspect of a person (Week 4 Lecture & Chapter 7 TB). The people who have more resources represent the top layer of the social structure of stratification. Other groups, with progressively fewer and fewer resources, represent the lower layers of our society (Week 4 Discussion). A separation based off differences often used in sociology as a categorization and often hierarchy based off factors such as wealth, income, race, and education. The misconception is that strata are merit based and that individuals can change their classification while in reality strata classification is often based of birth right. The way strata are created often gives little room for mobility between classifications

What are underlying assumptions of sociologists?

The "underlying assumption of the sociologist is that things are not as they seem" and "The assumptions of the sociological perspective are that (a) individuals are, by their nature, social beings, (b) individuals are socially determines, and (c) individuals create, sustain, and change the social forms within which they conduct their lives." (In Conflict and Order, pg. 13). In other words, the assumptions are that people are social because they have been immersed in social relationships since birth and because people hope to have benefits from these relationships. People are socially determined because they are so heavily influenced and manipulated by their peers and the family that raised them. People construct groups, social organizations, social movements for change, and they are not passive individuals. · "Individuals are, by their nature, social beings." Meaning, we came into this world depending on others and thus we are immersed in social groups. Another assumption is that "individuals are, for the most part, socially determined," or in other words, a product of their environment. Finally, "individuals create, sustain, and change the social forms within which they conduct their lives." This means that as people take part of social groups and are changed by them, they can also change said group. [Textbook pg. 13]

dominant culture:

The dominant set of knowledge, beliefs, customs, and behaviors that individuals share in a society. This culture is often created by WASP (white, Anglo-Saxon, protestant)[ individuals and this group establishes the hegemonic norms in society (lecture 5). The dominant culture is defined by the master narratives which are created and controlled by the ruling class (lecture 5). · When the majority of people share ways of doing such as values, behavior, and beliefs. Historically, the dominant culture has been WASP: White Anglo-Saxon Protestant/Puritanism. [lecture 4/17]

What is the labor theory of value?

Value of a product comes from labor that is put in by the workers. Workers get paid by their minimum labor to produce product. It is an ideology believed by many classical economists, such as Adam Smith.

Impact of industrialization on work

With a surplus of labor, employers set wages as low as they wanted because people were willing to do work as long as they got paid. They worked long hours but got paid very little. Working conditions were horrible because the factories had little sunlight and there was a lot of smoke coming out of it. With industrialization, as work moved outside the home into factories, families became private domestic retreats set off from the rest of society. Industrialization has spurred the culture of consuming.Even when workers protest, capitalists presumably win because workers are too dependent on industrialization.

Assimilation, indicators of assimilation

You become assimilated into a culture through immigration. The principal indicator of successful assimilation is language. Definition: The process by which individuals or groups adopt the culture of another group, losing their original identity. A principle indicator of assimilation is learning the language

Status

a social position (Eitzen p.44) The arrangement of social positions in society according to importance or value (Alexandra R. Lecture 04.10.18). Your socially defined position based on your structural positioning, defines parts of our identity (Alexandra R. Lecture 04.10.18)Ascribed Status: status that one is born with, status which the individual has no control (Eitzen 44) o Achieved Status: acquired statues based on merit o socially defined position based on structural positioning, defines part of identity, structural position defines your status (Lecture 3)

Folkways

norms that are viewed as less important and are not severely punished if violated (Eitzen p.42). Informal social rules that regulate behavior. Folkways are not severely punished if broken (i.e crying in front of the professor) (lecture 4/10). norms that can be broken and would not result in severe punishment (Lecture 3)

the functionalist theory of stratification argues that stratification exists because...

o ...it is necessary for proper functioning of society (O'Connell Lecture 04.26.18) o ...it is beneficial for society o inequality is functional for society and because of status/prestige (Lecture 7)

Countercultures

o A culture in conflict with the dominant culture (O'Connell Lecture 4/17). o "A culturally homogeneous group that has developed values and norms that differ from the larger society because the group opposes the larger society" (E: pg 54 Ch.3) This can be consider the subcultures O' Connell spoke about in lec 4/17. The dominant cultures itself creates subcultures, and as mentioned in E: pg 54 Ch.3, there is numerous countercultures in the US that explain the lack of consistency with respect to US values. There is a large diversity in religion, ethics, culture in the US that creates these countercultures.

What is the main purpose of capitalism?

o Capitalism exists to create wealth for those in power, and exploit those in the lower classes. o Justifies the stratification of society, and creates a false class consciousness in those without power. o Creates conflict between those in the working class while those in the top reap the benefits of low wages and high production. o The accumulation of wealth which explains the persistence of poverty

Dysfunctions

o Deviation from the norms of social behavior in a way regarded as bad. Some of the subculture/countercultures can be considered dysfunctions in society. In the US, any action that does not follow the popular opinion of society can be labeled as bad. For example, in lec 4/10 when O'Connell spoke about the swimwear and how it was considered offensive to show so much skin, a dysfunctions.

What is heroification?

o Faults and other details about historical figures are left out of history, making historical "heroes" with seemingly no flaws. o Children are less likely to connect with such figures as their perfection is so exaggerated, George Washington o Helps to hide discrimination and inequality throughout history. o person's flaws and mistakes a erased in favor of a perfect god-like character whose actions change the world around them

order model

o Functionalism or structural functionalism, A model that views society as composed of interdependent parts that work together creating order and stability. Society is seen as cooperative, stable, and in harmony (E: pg. 17). o "A model that views society as composed of interdependent parts that work together creating order and stability. Society is seen as cooperative, stable, and in harmony" (E: pg 17 Ch.2). In other words, functionalism or structural functionalism. Each individual part serves a different function that keeps the system in balance. If one part of the system gets disrupted, the other parts will accommodate for that and balance the system. " ... the primary social process is cooperation and the system is highly integrated, all social change is gradual, adjustive, and reforming" ( E: pg 17 Ch.1) We learn the "order model" through the dominant culture taught in social groups such as institutions or media. (Lec 4/24)

generalized other.

o George Herbert Mead's concept regarding how an individual oreints him or herself towards the norms and values of the society he or she resides in. o An individual in society is cognizant of the expectations of "others" in society, and adjusts accordingly. o Helps explain how social norms take root. o A generalized other is a general notion that a person has of the expectations others have of them. This gives that person perception of their relation to the other people as a whole in the societal system. A generalized other also involves a person's perceptions of societal norms and how they relate to themselves.

incest taboo

o Incest taboo is a culture rule that prohibits sexual relations between family. It's part of the deviance of society, which means: "Any behavior that does not conform to social expectations" (E: pg 88 Ch.6). There is five important principles to social deviance: "1. Deviance is socially constructed. 2. Deviance is relative, not absolute. 3. The majority determines who and what is deviant. 4. Deviance is an integral part of all societies. 5. The violators of important social norms are often stigmatized" ( E: pg 88-89 Ch.6) There is inconsistencies between society of what is deviant so something is deviant depending on how society reacts to the action. For example, "Egyptian royalty were required to marry their siblings, whereas this was prohibited as incestuous and sinful for European royalty" ( E: pg 89 Ch.6)

conformity.

o Individuals, through social constructions/control, are pushed to "fit in" with others of their social class. o People strive to follow the rules of society and act how the "generalized other" would want them to. o Government, religion, and family are just of the institutions that individuals attempt to conform to. o Explains generalized "order" of social patterns.

looking-glass self.

o People see themselves through the lens of others, their reflection. o Charles Cooley o A person is defined by those around them, and how they are treated by those people. o Self-fulfilling prophecy o part of yourself that grows out of society's expectations of you. o can come from how we imagine others see/judge us and how we change our actions accordingly

Karl Marx

o Says economy is the only institution that matters. o Conflict theory rather than order, says that there is ruling class exploiting a lower, less powerful one. o Describes false class consciousness, where a marginalized society believes that being marginalized is actually good for them. o encourages behavior in accordance with socially accepted conventions or standards

social constructions.

o Socially created standards and laws such as social norms. o Norms include folkways and mores (varying importance of social laws) o Folkways: less important, not severely punished if broken (not tipping, etc.) o Mores: Important, based on morality (murder, theft, etc.) o Values: criteria to evaluate objects, acts, feelings, or events o Social Constructs are mechanisms or ideas created by society through years of conditioning. Race, for example, is a social construct. Biologically, race has no basis. Society created the idea of race to justify inequality. Some may say that binary gender is a social construct. Biologically, gender is not just male or female, many intermediates are possible. However for the last 20 centuries nearly everyone has been designated as one of the two genders. Gender is a social construct in the sense that everyone abides by it and the norms that it dictates.

"subversive" nature of sociology

o Sociology undermines our foundations because it questions all social arrangements, whether religious, political, economic, or familial (E: pg. 13) o "Sociology is subversive—that is, sociology undermines our foundations because it questions all social arrangements, whether religious, political, economic, or familial" (E: pg 13 Ch.1 ). Sociology challenges our disciplines, behavior, and culture beliefs which can make many uncomfortable. There are many areas to focus on such as family background, education system, or poverty. Students have the common reaction of finding sociology's questions threatening.

A sociological theory

o Statements that attempt to explain aspects of society (human behavior) and guide future analysis of society. o Related to the scientific method in use/creation, however social aspects of humanity are much more complex and harder to record than physics for example. o Never perfect, but can lead to better understanding of society even with the imperfections.

ideologies.

o System of beliefs in a society that govern choices, morals, and keep the system of control intact. o Used to justify exploitation and otherwise criminal acts against marginalized people. o Ideological Apparatus: Institutions that control thoughts (media, religion, etc.) o Ideologies are sets of ideas that explain reality, provides guidelines for behavior, and expresses the interests of a group. These ideas can come from school, churches, and media. Ideologies can be in the form of religions or other ways of life. Ideologues can include morals, ethics, and methods of daily life. Ideologies can change over time based on the needs and priorities of people.

manifest consequences

o The intended consequences of rules, norms, activities, and social structures (E: pg. 17). o One way to focus on social integration. It's the intended consequences of rules, norms, activities, and social structures. For example, "punishment of crime has the manifest consequence of punishing and deterring the criminal" (E: pg 17 Ch.2).

the bourgeoisie or capitalist class.

o The political and economic elite. They own the means of production and gain their wealth through the exploitation of the working class/proletariat (O'Connell Lecture 4/17) o This class owns the means of productions such as factories machinery, and finance. They define the dominant culture creating the massive narrative to define history without taking into account subcultures. The feed off the work the proletariat class without recognition. ( Lec 4/17)

the top 20% of the population owns what percentage of the country's wealth?

o The top 20% own 85% of the U.S.'s wealth (O'Connell Lecture 4/26) o The top 20% of the population now owned 84% of the US wealth leaving the 80% of the population with 16% . Breaking down the 80% populations with more detail, the 20% under the top 20% holds 9 - 10% of the wealth. The middle class ( the next 20%) holds 4-5% of the wealth leaving the bottom 40% with 0.3 % of the wealth. Overall the top 1% holds 39% and 90% holds 22.8% of the wealth. ( Lec 4/26)

latent consequences

o The unintended consequences of rules, norms, activities, and social structures (E: pg. 17). o Another way to focus on social integration. The unintended consequences of rules, norms, activities, and social structures. For example the unintended consequence of a crime, " ... is the societal reaffirmation of what is to be considered moral, correct behavior" (E: pg 17 Ch.2).

the proletariat or working class.

o Those not in the elite class, form the foundations for the elite class through labor (O'Connell Lecture 4/17) o This class would be considered part of the subcultures whose stories are not part of the dominant narrative. The capitalist class builds their wealth off the working class. This class has 0.3% of the US wealth. ( Lec 4/17 & 4/19) "Subculture: A relatively cohesive cultural system that varies in form and substance from the dominant culture"( E: 52 Ch.3) .

Gary Marx's "Unintended Consequences of Undercover Work,"

o Undercover cops who had to play roles to fit in with criminal groups started actually internalizing their roles. o Cops begin to sympathize more with the criminal organizations they infiltrate, and see more of a gray area that just good or bad. o Exhausting morally and mentally, often leading to noticable changes in an undercover cop's psyche. o Sometimes the cop may have issues going back to a normal routine after the time of undercover work has ended. o If a person plays a role for an extended period of time, elements of that role, ideas, traits can be part of who the person actually is. After working undercover assignments, police officers may become acclimated to the roles they were playing and find it difficult to return to "normal" work. It is common for people to subconsciously absorb and internalize society and culture around them.

social control

o Use of social constructions to control the social climate of society, used for the benefit of powerful institutions. o People's actions are determined by two things- their own volition, social controls or a combination of them both o Also used to "prevent chaos", keep society from falling apart. o Ex. White Anglo-Saxon Protestant values of the United States that help to control society. o (see 62. social constructions)

bureaucracy

o a group of hierarchies o government characterized by specialization of functions, adherence to fixed rules, and a hierarchy of authority (Merriam-Webster) o can be racial, occupational, and educational hierarchy (Alexandra R. Lecture 04.10.18) o following a hierarchy organization, ordering to those below them (Lecture 8)

Relationship between freedmen and the planter class post Civil War

o after the Emancipation the freedmen, which were previously slaves, were now considered free from slavery and could do "whatever they wanted" o however, the planters still owned the means of production (land, seeds, tools etc.) (O'Connell Lecture 04.26.18) . Reconstruction 1865-1877 i. There was no land reform (40 acres and a mule for the freedmen) o Without the means of production, the freedmen were "re-enslaved as underpaid planters' staff" (O'Connell Lecture 04.26.18) o the freedmen became the employees and the planters the employers . the employer decided on the pay o After the war, the slaves became free-- Freedmen, but they did not have the means to survive and prosper. The Planter class-- former Slave owners, had the means, the land and materials, but they did not have the labor. Freedmen ended up having no choice but to find jobs to survive, and those jobs were that of Planters'. Even if they were no longer bound to their slavemaster, they were still bound to a slavemaster. Thus, re-enslavement! (Lecture 8)

Co-optation

o appointing a member of a dissident group to a policy-making body to appease the dissenting group (Eitzen 26) o Example: Presidents and high-officials will often appoint someone from a minority to attempt to appease the minority and get their approval o Appointing members into a committee through the recommendation of preexisting members

Social role

o behavioral expectation associated with a certain status (Eitzen p.44) o Behavioral expectations associated with a certain status (Alexandra R. Lecture 04.10.18) o Example: The Zimbardo Prison Experiment - participants either acted as prison guards or inmate...the two-week study ended six-days in because ~5 of the inmates had emotional breakdowns o behavioral expectations associated with different roles (Lecture 3)

culture-of-poverty hypothesis

o the idea that those in poverty are poor because they want to i. those that believe the culture-of-poverty hypothesis believe that the poor are lazy and that's why they are poor ii. it suggests that people who are poor have different cultural values than mainstream society o The theory of the culture of poverty suggests that poverty is the result of people's values or cultural norms (Kat's Discussion 04.26.18) o the theory suggests that we learn certain norms when we grow up in a family who is poor, which explains why people who grow up poor remain poor (Kat's Discussion 04.26.18) o claims that poverty is a choice, and to not be in poverty, just simply adopt the traits of the rich, blames status of being poor on the poor (Lecture 8)

Socialization

o the process of learning cultural values, norms, and expectations (Eitzen 57) o the process of learning to behave in a way that is socially acceptable (O'Connell Lecture 04.19.18) o socialization is learned through interaction (O'Connell Lecture 04.19.18) o interactions with other people to learn about different cultural values, norms, and expectations (Lecture 3)

Motivations behind production decisions

o the ruling/dominant class has more resources therefore it makes it easier for them to express their narrative (O'Connell Lecture 04.17.18) o powerful people determine what is researched (Kat's Lecture 04.12.18) o the ruling class wants their narrative to be heard and be the dominant narrative o The ruling class hires intellectuals to write narratives and construct stories that justify the position of the ruling class. (Lecture 4/17) o profit for the ruling class

Have sociologists been socialized to ruling class ideologies?

yes

Readings to focus on:

• Walden Bello's "The Global Collapse: A Non-Orthodox View," • Juliet Schor's "A Life at Hard Labor," the onset of industrialization and capitalism has had what effect on work? • The documentary, The Take • Loewen's chapter on "The Land of Opportunity," • James Loewen's chapter "The Truth About the First Thanksgiving," • Wolfgang Schivelbusch's "Coffee and the Protestant Ethic" • Jeffrey Reiman's "A Crime by Any Other Name," • Albert Einstein's "Why Socialism," • Holly Sklar's "Imagine a Country: Life in the New Millenium," • Loewen's chapter on "Handicapped by History," • John G. Gurley's "Capitalist Restoration in Socialist Society," • Michael Parenti's "Wealth and Want in the United States," • Naomi Klein and Avi Lewis's "Argentina: Where Jobless Run Factories," • James Loewen's chapter, "1493: The True Importance of Christopher Columbus," how did Columbus • O'Connell's "Class Struggle 101," • Marvin Harris's "Pig Haters," • Jeffrey Reiman's "A Crime by Any Other Name," • David Rosenhan's "Being Sane in Insane Places," • James Loewen's chapter, "The Truth About the First Thanksgiving," • James Loewen's chapter, "Handicapped by History: The Process of Hero-making,"