Untitled Quiz

Preface

• Sociology is the study of modern human societies
• Society is the largest group, a definite and distinct entity, defined by:
  • A definite territory (geographic location)
  • Sexual reproduction (relatively self-sustaining and independent)
  • Comprehensive and common culture
  • Interdependence between its different parts (organized relationships)
• A group is two or more people who form an interactional system, and share a feeling of unity
• A society has demands and needs to meet, and problems to solve to survive
• The four functional problems of any social system are:
  • Adaptation (making a living from the environment)
  • Goal attainment (achieving goals; peace and order)
  • Integration (holding different parts of the system together)
  • Latent pattern maintenance (replacing worn-out parts; norms)
• Social institutions exist to meet these functional problems

Part One, Chapter One, Introduction

• An institution is an organization with definite systems of interactions, bureaucracy, and boundaries
• Social institutions are vital to any society and its culture, dealing with basic social organization and universal social issues
• Social institutions involve systems of social relations, values and procedures to meet society's needs
• They're composed of people interacting to form social relationships and the patterns of interactions.
• Social institutions perform universal and vital tasks for social survival

Part One, Chapter One, Introduction

• These vital tasks include:
  • Producing new members
  • Producing and distributing life necessities
  • Maintaining peace and order
  • Providing a sense of purpose to life

Social Institutions I & II, Chapter Two, The Sociology of the Family

• Family is expected to meet individual and societal needs
• Three key sociological concerns of family study
  • Organization, structure, and functions of families
  • How the family is sustained and modified over time
  • Interrelationship of families with other institutions and how relationships are formed and change
• Definitions of family are complex but generally include: common residence, economic cooperation, reproduction, and socially approved sexual relationships between adults
• Various forms of family structures
  • Nuclear Family: two adults and their children
  • Extended Family: multiple generations living together
  • Polygamous Family: one person with multiple spouses (polygyny for men, polyandry for women).
• Differences exist between nuclear and extended family structures

Social Institutions I & II, Chapter Two, The Sociology of the Family

• Additional forms, such as
  • Single parent families
  • Dual-career families
  • Reconstructed families
• Patriarchy, matriarchy, and equalitarian are different ways the power relations can be organized within families

Social Institutions I & II, Chapter Three, Sociology of Religion

• Religion is a cultural universal
• Religion exists across all societies with a significant influence
• Three central concerns for the sociology of religion
  • The interaction between religion and society
  • The social function and significance of religion within society
  • The diversity of religion and the social factors influencing its variations

Social Institutions I & II, Chapter Four, Sociology of Education

• Education plays a role in a society's socialization process, transmitting norms, values, and behaviors
• Sociology of education studies processes within educational systems
• Study focuses on:
  • Interrelation between the education system and other social and cultural systems, and how education is shaped by these systems
  • The role of education in social and cultural changes and in maintaining existing systems
  • The organizational processes and interactions within the school system as a social subsystem
• Types of educational subcultures include:
  • Collegiate
  • Vocational
  • Academic
  • Nonconformist
• Education inequalities exist based on various factors
  • Socioeconomic background
  • Gender
  • Geography
  • Cultural values

Social Institutions I & II, Chapter Five, Political Sociology

• Politics involves relationships between individuals and groups with power differences
• It's the exercise, distribution and organisation of power within a given society
• Political sociology examines the intersection between politics and society
• Key aspects:
  • The relationship between politics and society, and interrelationships between governmental and other institutions
  • Origins and types of political theories
  • Study of distribution and exercise of power
  • Structure of political processes
• Historical development of political thought, from Greek thinkers (e.g., Plato, Aristotle) to more recent thinkers such as Machiavelli and Hobbes.

Social Institutions I & II, Political Sociology, continued

• Comparing different theoretical approaches to political thought and power
  • Elitism
  • Pluralism
• Detailed descriptions for each of theoretical approach
  • The impact of a political system on the society
  • Factors contributing to political stability and change
  • The nature and structure of political processes