Conflict and Consensus Theories in Sociology
10 Questions
0 Views

Choose a study mode

Play Quiz
Study Flashcards
Spaced Repetition
Chat to Lesson

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

Society is divided into groups with competing ideals and _____

values

The _____ Theory explains the conflict between powerful and less powerful groups in society.

Conflict

The _____ Threat Hypothesis examines the relation between social group presence and crime control efforts.

Racial

According to _____ Theory, law functions for greater public welfare.

<p>Functionalist</p> Signup and view all the answers

The process of _____ is crucial for teaching and learning social norms.

<p>Socialization</p> Signup and view all the answers

Minority groups seek to increase their ______, economic resources and political influence.

<p>power</p> Signup and view all the answers

Whites feel physically threatened and believe their ______ is jeopardized.

<p>power</p> Signup and view all the answers

The first wave of the feminist movement focused on voting, education, and ______.

<p>representation</p> Signup and view all the answers

The concept of ______ accounts for class, race, and sexuality in understanding identities.

<p>intersectionality</p> Signup and view all the answers

Feminist theory highlights the 'major blind spot' of criminology: the failure to recognize the significance of ______ roles in society.

<p>gender</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Conflict Theory

Society has groups with competing ideals and values. The powerful group controls society. Less powerful groups may follow their own norms but are punished if they differ from the dominant group's norms. This theory explains law, criminal justice, and criminal behavior.

Consensus Theory

It believes that laws reflect the shared values and norms of society and result from a general agreement among its members.

Functionalist Theory

It assumes that law serves the greater public welfare by resolving disputes, regulating disruptive behavior, and controlling crime.

Racial Threat Hypothesis

This theory states that there's a relationship between the presence of large minority groups and increased crime control efforts.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Dominant Groups

These are groups in a society with the power to shape public policy, law, and law enforcement. Their norms and values are reflected in legal definitions and enforcement.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Minority Power Shift

When minority groups gain significant political, economic, and social power, challenging the existing power structures, often leading to white backlash.

Signup and view all the flashcards

White Backlash

A reaction by dominant white groups to increased minority power, often involving feelings of threat and attempts to maintain their privileges.

Signup and view all the flashcards

First Wave Feminism

The early feminist movement (mid-19th century to 1960's) focused on gaining basic rights for women like voting, education, and representation.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Second Wave Feminism

A phase of feminism (1960-70's) that expanded beyond basic rights, demanding social equality, reproductive rights, and protection against violence.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Intersectionality

A feminist concept that recognizes how social inequalities intersect and impact individuals based on their race, class, gender, and sexuality.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Study Notes

Conflict Theory

  • Societies are divided into groups with competing values and ideals.
  • Powerful groups control society; less powerful groups may still act according to their internal norms.
  • If these norms differ from dominant group norms, they may be punished by law.
  • Group and cultural conflict explains law, criminal justice, and criminal behaviour.
  • Systems of informal and formal mechanisms control deviations and promote conformity.
  • Informal mechanisms are administered by family and friends – socialization.
  • Formal mechanisms are administered by law.

Consensus & Functionalist Theory

  • Consensus theory, by Durkheim, Sumner, and Weber, explains a formal system of laws and enforcement.

Racial Threat Hypothesis (Blumer & Blalock)

  • This examines the relationship between the presence of "threatening" social groups and crime control efforts.
  • As minority racial groups grow in population.
  • Minority groups gain more power, economic resources, and political influence.
  • Whites may feel physically threatened, and their power is jeopardized.
  • Whites may feel the need to protect their privilege and power.

Feminist Theory (Meda Chesney)

  • Meda Chesney wrote the book "Girls, delinquency and juvenile justice."
  • The feminist movement has had 3 waves. The first came in the mid-19th century to the 1960s, which demanded and gave voting rights, education, and representation – the suffragists.
  • The second wave lasted from the 1960s to the 1970s, demanding social equality; women's reproductive rights (such as Griswold v. Connecticut, which found unconstitutional to prohibit married couples from using contraception, Eisentadt v. Baird, which legalized contraception for all, and Roe v Wade, which legalized access to abortion in the first trimester plus Equal Protection against violence by intimate partners), and related topics.
  • The third wave began in the 1990s, arguing against single definitions of femininity, and focused on social construction of gender.
  • Intersectionality; class, race, and sexuality were also considered.

Feminist Theory of CJS

  • This examines the justice system through a feminist lens.

Developmental & Life Course Theories

  • Criminal activity peaks during adolescence, then generally decreases with age.
  • This is related to the age crime curve and factors affecting onset, frequency, duration, and desistance.
  • Developmental taxonomy theories of crime identify two groups based on developmental stages – life-course persistent and adolescence-limited.
  • Life-course persistent offenders, a smaller percentage of youth, may have a biological or genetic basis to their crimes.

Integrating Criminal Theory (Elliott)

  • Elliott proposed that theories could be integrated in various ways, either conceptually, propositionally, within-levels or across-levels.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Quiz Team

Related Documents

Theories Exam 4 Study Guide PDF

Description

Explore the nuances of conflict theory and consensus theory, focusing on their implications on societal norms and law enforcement. Understand how group dynamics, power structures, and the racial threat hypothesis shape social behavior and criminal justice.

More Like This

Use Quizgecko on...
Browser
Browser