Podcast
Questions and Answers
Who are the key scholars associated with the social constructionist approach to social problems?
Who are the key scholars associated with the social constructionist approach to social problems?
Malcolm Spector and John Kitsuse
Which of these are core concepts related to social problems?
Which of these are core concepts related to social problems?
Provide an example of how the constructionist approach can be applied to the issue of climate change.
Provide an example of how the constructionist approach can be applied to the issue of climate change.
Constructionists examine how political narratives and cultural perceptions influence the urgency assigned to climate change.
Who defined relative poverty as lacking resources needed for societal participation?
Who defined relative poverty as lacking resources needed for societal participation?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the name of the occupational class schema co-developed by John Goldthorpe?
What is the name of the occupational class schema co-developed by John Goldthorpe?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary argument made by Wilkinson & Pickett in their book 'The Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for Everyone'?
What is the primary argument made by Wilkinson & Pickett in their book 'The Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for Everyone'?
Signup and view all the answers
Social mobility refers to the upward or downward movement in social class.
Social mobility refers to the upward or downward movement in social class.
Signup and view all the answers
Define absolute poverty.
Define absolute poverty.
Signup and view all the answers
What is social exclusion?
What is social exclusion?
Signup and view all the answers
Which key scholar is associated with the Social Learning Theory, which explains how violent behaviors are learned through observation?
Which key scholar is associated with the Social Learning Theory, which explains how violent behaviors are learned through observation?
Signup and view all the answers
What is coercive control, as it relates to domestic violence and child abuse?
What is coercive control, as it relates to domestic violence and child abuse?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following are types of abuse?
Which of the following are types of abuse?
Signup and view all the answers
What are some of the barriers individuals might face when seeking help for domestic violence and child abuse?
What are some of the barriers individuals might face when seeking help for domestic violence and child abuse?
Signup and view all the answers
How might patriarchal societies contribute to the problem of domestic violence and child abuse?
How might patriarchal societies contribute to the problem of domestic violence and child abuse?
Signup and view all the answers
The UK's Domestic Abuse Act 2021 is an example of a legal protection designed to prevent domestic violence and child abuse.
The UK's Domestic Abuse Act 2021 is an example of a legal protection designed to prevent domestic violence and child abuse.
Signup and view all the answers
Who wrote the influential book 'Totalitarian and Authoritarian Regimes', which provides a typology of different political regimes?
Who wrote the influential book 'Totalitarian and Authoritarian Regimes', which provides a typology of different political regimes?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the main focus of the book 'Competitive Authoritarianism: Hybrid Regimes after the Cold War'?
What is the main focus of the book 'Competitive Authoritarianism: Hybrid Regimes after the Cold War'?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of these is NOT a key concept in the study of political regimes?
Which of these is NOT a key concept in the study of political regimes?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a hybrid regime?
What is a hybrid regime?
Signup and view all the answers
Which country serves as an example of a transition from democracy to authoritarianism due to the erosion of checks and balances?
Which country serves as an example of a transition from democracy to authoritarianism due to the erosion of checks and balances?
Signup and view all the answers
Who is the author of 'The End of History and the Last Man', which argues that liberal democracy represents the ultimate form of governance?
Who is the author of 'The End of History and the Last Man', which argues that liberal democracy represents the ultimate form of governance?
Signup and view all the answers
What real-world event illustrates the importance of rule of law and press freedom?
What real-world event illustrates the importance of rule of law and press freedom?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of these are key concepts in the study of liberal democracy and civil liberties?
Which of these are key concepts in the study of liberal democracy and civil liberties?
Signup and view all the answers
What are civil liberties?
What are civil liberties?
Signup and view all the answers
Which influential scholar is associated with the book 'How Russia Really Works', which provided a critique of oversimplified corruption indices?
Which influential scholar is associated with the book 'How Russia Really Works', which provided a critique of oversimplified corruption indices?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of these are categories of corruption?
Which of these are categories of corruption?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the Corruption Perception Index (CPI)?
What is the Corruption Perception Index (CPI)?
Signup and view all the answers
Provide an example of a corruption scandal that exposed widespread corruption among politicians and business leaders.
Provide an example of a corruption scandal that exposed widespread corruption among politicians and business leaders.
Signup and view all the answers
Who wrote the book 'Nations and Nationalism', arguing that nations emerged during industrialization to meet economic and political needs?
Who wrote the book 'Nations and Nationalism', arguing that nations emerged during industrialization to meet economic and political needs?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the central argument made by Benedict Anderson in his book 'Imagined Communities'?
What is the central argument made by Benedict Anderson in his book 'Imagined Communities'?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of these are types of nations based on their defining characteristics?
Which of these are types of nations based on their defining characteristics?
Signup and view all the answers
What is nation-building?
What is nation-building?
Signup and view all the answers
What is an example of a nation-building policy that ultimately contributed to a nation's collapse?
What is an example of a nation-building policy that ultimately contributed to a nation's collapse?
Signup and view all the answers
Who wrote 'The Revenge of the Past', which explored the rise of ethnic nationalism after the collapse of the Soviet Union?
Who wrote 'The Revenge of the Past', which explored the rise of ethnic nationalism after the collapse of the Soviet Union?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of these are key concepts related to sovereignty?
Which of these are key concepts related to sovereignty?
Signup and view all the answers
Globalization has no impact on traditional notions of sovereignty.
Globalization has no impact on traditional notions of sovereignty.
Signup and view all the answers
What is an example of a separatist movement that highlights the challenges to internal sovereignty?
What is an example of a separatist movement that highlights the challenges to internal sovereignty?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of these are key theoretical perspectives in the study of nation and national identity?
Which of these are key theoretical perspectives in the study of nation and national identity?
Signup and view all the answers
Fukuyama's 'End of History' argues that liberal democracy is the endpoint of ideological evolution.
Fukuyama's 'End of History' argues that liberal democracy is the endpoint of ideological evolution.
Signup and view all the answers
Global democracy indices only reveal declines in democratic governance.
Global democracy indices only reveal declines in democratic governance.
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Social Problems
-
Malcolm Spector and John Kitsuse's work (1977) introduced the social constructionist approach to understanding social problems. This approach emphasizes how societal definitions of problems are shaped by "claims-makers" rather than objective conditions.
-
Key concepts include claims-makers - individuals or groups who influence the understanding of issues like homelessness or climate change through media framing for example.
-
Objectivist approaches focus on measurable data like poverty rates and crime statistics.
-
Constructionist approaches examine how public perception and framing influence problem recognition.
-
Climate change is an example where subjectivists focus on rising temperatures while constructionists examine the role of political and cultural narratives in shaping public perception of the issue and its urgency.
Social Stratification, Poverty, and Inequality
- Key scholars and their work include Peter Townsend's work (1979), which defined relative poverty in the UK as lacking resources needed for societal participation.
- John Goldthorpe collaborated on the Erikson-Goldthorpe-Portocarero (EGP) schema in studies of occupational class categories.
- Wilkinson and Pickett (2009)'s research explored income inequality's negative effect on health, education, and social cohesion.
- Key terms include social mobility, which represents upward or downward movement within a social class.
Domestic Violence and Child Abuse
- Albert Bandura's (1977) work on Social Learning Theory explains how violent behavior is learned through observation, particularly within families.
- Key concepts include coercive control (non-physical abuse tactics like isolating victims or restricting finances), physical, emotional, sexual, and financial abuse.
- Victims may find it difficult to seek help due to stigma, fear, financial dependence, and cultural influences.
- Patriarchal societies may normalize abuse, making it harder for victims to seek help.
Political Regimes
- Juan José Linz (2000) developed a typology of regimes distinguishing between democracies, authoritarian, and totalitarian systems.
- Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way (2010)'s work examined "competitive authoritarianism"—systems that blend democratic institutions with authoritarian practices.
- Key concepts include democracy (free and fair elections, accountability), authoritarianism (centralized power, restricted freedoms), and totalitarianism (comprehensive control).
- Hybrid regimes exhibit characteristics of both democracy and authoritarianism.
- The collapse of the Soviet Union and associated rise of ethnic nationalism is an application of these theories.
- Venezuela demonstrates a transition from democracy to authoritarianism due to erosion of checks and balances.
Corruption
- Alena Ledeneva (2006) criticized simplifying indexes and revealed systemic, petty, and grand corruption.
- Key concepts include petty corruption (small bribes), grand corruption (large-scale scandals), and systemic corruption (institutionally embedded).
- Measurement tools like the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) are used to rank perceived corruption.
Nation and National Identity
- Ernest Gellner (1983) argued that industrialization led to the emergence of nations.
- Benedict Anderson (1983) described nations as socially constructed and imagined communities.
- Nations are formed by shared narratives, symbols, and citizenship, whether rooted in ancestry/ethnicity or shared values.
Sovereignty
- Key scholars and works include Roland Grigor Suny (1993), studying the rise of ethnic nationalism.
- Key concepts include internal and external sovereignty. Internal is the state's authority over domestic matters. External is the state's recognition by other states.
- Globalization and separatist movements can challenge sovereignty.
Primordialism vs. Constructionism
- Primordialism views nations as ancient and natural.
- Constructionism sees nations as modern political/economic constructs.
- Fukuyama's "End of History" suggests liberal democracy as the ultimate form of ideological evolution.
Measuring Democracy
- Global democracy indices track progress and setbacks in democracies across various regions. For example, some regions demonstrate improvement, while others face decline.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Related Documents
Description
Explore the social constructionist approach to understanding social problems as introduced by Malcolm Spector and John Kitsuse. This quiz covers key concepts such as claims-makers, objectivist vs. constructionist perspectives, and the implications of societal definitions on issues like climate change and poverty. Test your knowledge on how societal narratives shape our understanding of social issues.
