soci 100b final

Conspiracy Theory

A conspiracy theory is a form of collective behaviour in which groups of people believe in the existence of a conspiracy against the public or common good by a hidden network or "cabal" of actors whose mission is to hide the truth. Conspiracy theories generally have little to no direct evidence to support their claims, relying instead of speculation, inference, and the reinterpretation of facts Tend to rely on a belief that the universe (either literally or figuratively) is deterministic; there is a reason for everything - even for random acts of violence or acts of God. Conspiracies often rely on the axiom that there's no such thing as a coincidence. Example: Moon landing fake

Environmental Racism:

A form of discrimination against minority groups and people from poor countries who are subjected to a disproportionate share of environmental hazards and polluting industries. Example: Flint Michigan - The state has still not addressed the city's lead problem with drinking water. The city's population is predominantly black. and Hurricane Katrina (predominantly black communities were located in the most flood prone areas, and authorities were slow to respond to the disaster in those areas)

Anthropocene

A new geological era resulting from the consequences of human activities on the Earth. We are not exiting the Holocene which began 12,000 years ago and are now entering Anthropocene. Example: cutting down trees to accommodate overpopulation, increasing CO2. Fallout from nuclear weapon testing in 1950 which can be found in ice and sediments, is the "golden spike" that we have entered a new geological epoch like at the end of the cretaceous period were iridium sediments were found from the meteorite that ended the dinosaur age. Permanent new climate.

Bullshit Artist

A person who habitually exaggerates, flatters, or talks nonsense: A person who pays no attention to what is actually true, but is more concerned spreading their own opinion. This person does not directly object what is true, instead they will say whatever they think will convince their audience to believe them. Unlike liars, they do not attempt to hide the truth, bullshit artists will completely disregard the truth by stating their own facts and opinions. Example: of a bullshit artist could be the stereotype of the used car salesman. This stereotype follows the idea that the salesman will say whatever they think the potential buyer will want to hear, regardless of whether it's true or not.

Health

A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing, influenced by geography, education, social stability, socioeconomic status, and is not universal Example: average life expectancy, no active physical ailments or issues. Can depend on one's socioeconomic status (access to healthcare) gender, etc)

Gig Economy

An emerging type of work where labour is almost completely detached from corporate structures. Labourers are no longer "employees" of a company, they are "private contractors" who join or leave specific jobs as the market demands · Pros: o Highly flexible and adaptable o Companies can bring on short term workers in a hurry and shed them when they need to · Cons: o Workers have almost no protections of any kind o No benefits either o Workers can be fired at any time, for any reason, without any warning o The high number of available workers guarantees that wages stagnate or fall · The gig economy is a result of the aftermath of the 2007/2008 economic collapse · Example: Postmates, selling art on etsy

Social Movement:

Collective challenges by people with common purposes and solidarity in sustained interaction with elites, opponents, and authorities. They carry out, resist, or undo a social change. most highly structured, rational, and enduring form of collective behaviour. Most social movements are established to stimulate change. They usually begin as small groups of people who possess little social power and who seek legitimacy, recognition, and change from such existing social institutions as government, political parties, and civic leaders Social movements are a form of collective behaviour and are typically established to stimulate change such as carrying out, resisting, or undoing a social change. They are the most highly structured, rational, and enduring form of collective behaviour. They typically begin as small groups of people who possess little social power and who seek legitimacy, recognition and change from existing social institutions (such as government, political parties, and civic leaders) Example: An example of a social movement is the Friday's for future climate strike. Fridays for Future is a dynamic global student movement pushing for immediate action on climate change through active campaigning and advocacy. It was chosen as Champion of the Earth for inspiration and action because of its role in highlighting the devastating effects of climate change.

Environmental sociology

Environmental sociology is the study of the interaction between humans, human society, and the physical environment. Environmental sociologists try to understand how human actions impact global ecosystems, and how humans adapt to changes - both natural and manmade - in the surrounding natural world Example: An environmental sociologist may study how a law such as the carbon tax influences and changes the way companies may act, and how it affects the environment as a result.

New Social Movement:

Form of collective behaviour Many new social movements are different from their more traditional social movement cousins, because rather than focus on tangible gains (like union movements fighting for labour rights), NSMs often strive for cultural change around issues of identity that transcend national boundaries. they are more globally focused than were earlier movements. Today, climate change, environmental destruction, and the loss of biodiversity are challenges that resonate with people around the world. In contrast to earlier movements inspired by the working class, new social movements are increasingly inspired by middle-class interests Example: Gay rights movement. Aims to gain acceptance from society as a whole

Primary Labour Market:

Jobs that provide stable and comfortable salaries, potential for growth and promotion, and fringe benefits, but also require postsecondary training or education. Examples of Jobs in the Primary labour market would be accountants or electricians

Repertoires of Contention

Repertoire of contention refers, in social movement theory, to the set of various protest-related tools and actions available to a movement or related organization in a given time frame. Example: Student Strike. Since Greta Thunberg is young and a student, not attending school on Fridays is her form of protest. By not doing what is expected of her, going to school, is within her repertoire and she can use that as a form of protest.

Moral Panic

The reaction of a group based on the false, distorted, or exaggerated perception that some group or behaviour threatens the well-being of society. Example: "Welfare Queens" The widespread belief that impoverished women, particularly women of colour, would allegedly misuse or collect excessive welfare payments through fraud, child endangerment, or manipulation. Reporting on welfare fraud began during the early 1960s, appearing in general-interest magazines such as Readers Digest. The term "welfare queen" originates from media reporting in 1974. In the 1990s, partly due to widespread belief in the "welfare queen" stereotype, twenty-two American states passed laws that banned increasing welfare payments to mothers after they had more children.[14] In order to receive additional funds after the birth of a child, women were required to prove to the state that their pregnancies were the result of contraceptive failure, rape, or incest.[14] Between 2002 and 2016, these laws were repealed in seven states.[14] California governor Jerry Brown said at the time of the repeal of California's law, "I don't know a woman — and I don't think she exists — who would have a baby for the sole purpose of having another $130 a month."[14]

Reformist Social Movement

a movement, which is a form of collective behaviour, that aims to work within the existing social structure to improve society by addressing specific issues. Example: Women's suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Beginning in the late 19th century, besides women working for broad-based economic and political equality and for social reforms, women sought to change voting laws to allow them to vote.

Fads

a short-lived but enthusiastically embraced new cultural element. Another form of collective behaviour. Fads can exist in 1 of 4 forms such as idea, personality, object, and activity. Example: Fidget spinners, were popular for a duration of a few months, but faded away in popularity. Since the product does not satisfy a strong customer need, the popularity does not last long.

Food Desert:

an area typically in a highly populated, lower income urban environment, where healthy, fresh food is difficult to find. A food desert is an area that has limited access to affordable and nutritious food, in contrast with an area with higher access to supermarkets or vegetable shops with fresh foods, which is called a food oasis. - Example: Chicago grocery store is 2x the distance away as a convenience store is.

Corporation:

capitalistic legal entity characterized by loyalty to shareholders over consumers. Recognized as a single entity (one person). shields from personal responsibility example: google, Microsoft

Social Change

changes in the typical features of a society over time such as organization (hierarchies, equality), or values and norms. Can be gradual or dramatic. Example: Social change of the views on smoking. Was once widely accepted and embraced, however now it is prohibited in most public areas and is frowned upon.

Reactionary Social Movement

emerges when groups resist an event or decision they feel they cannot tolerate. Example: anti-abortion protests. Many anti-abortion movements began as counter-movements in response to the legalization of elective abortions.

Food Security

refers to the ability for all individuals to access safe and nutritious foods. Food security also considers the affordability of that food. Population growth, climate change and industrial expansion may have an impact on food security making it more difficult to obtain nutritious foods. In some low-income areas in north America, food deserts have been created as there are no local grocery stores forcing the population to rely on fast food and corner stores. Example: A single parent must rely on food stamps to get food for their family. they must be very smart about what food they get as they can have a limited amount and must feed their family. Often, they will have to choose the less expensive and less nutritious foods.

Political Economy

the pattern of interactions between government, corporations, and the public. studies the relationships between individuals and society and between markets and the state, using a diverse set of tools and methods drawn largely from economics, political science, and sociology. Refers to how the political, economic, and legal systems of a country are interdependent. Example: The interaction between politics and the economy can be seen in the aftermaths of the 2008 financial crisis, where there is a rise in right wing popularity. The same can be seen in the 1930's before WW2, where right wing politics are more popular during times of economic instability.