Social Theory Final Exam Notes PDF

Notes for Social Theory Final Exam Race, Ethnicity & Racism Race vs. Ethnicity - Race: related to physical characteristics and geographical ancestry including skin color, facial features. (Ex: black, white, asian, hispanic) - Ethnicity: rel...

Notes for Social Theory Final Exam Race, Ethnicity & Racism Race vs. Ethnicity - Race: related to physical characteristics and geographical ancestry including skin color, facial features. (Ex: black, white, asian, hispanic) - Ethnicity: related to cultural characteristics including language, religion, traditions. It’s deeper than race (Ex: Mayan, Aztec, Hutu, Caucasian) What is Americanity? - Concept which implies a new world system based on a “new world” as different from the “old” European World. - Explanation: Americanity is about what makes America different. It’s the idea that America became the new world, wherein Europe is the old world. They introduced the concepts of “Newness” Newness 1. Coloniality - Implies that leaders of state hierarchies rule colonies. (This is traditional colonialism) - Top = World leaders, Empires, - Bottom = Colonies *Traditional Colonialism - where powerful countries (Europeans) colonize weaker colonies* - Decoloniality - breaking traditional colonialism - It didn’t break it fully, it just transformed its outer shape - Does the end of Traditional Colonialism end these Hierarchies? - No, but they rather continue in a form of socio-cultural hierarchy between Europeans and non-Europeans. - No, hierarchies of power still didn’t end when TC did. Instead of political control during colonial times, hierarchies are seen in culture and modern day society. Meaning; European countries are still seen as more superior than non-european countries (former colonies). This leads to non-eu countries being treated as lower classes.  - A subordination mindset based on stigmas and stereotypes that has been perpetuated over time and that we aren’t usually aware of. Residue of Colonialism. - People still have the “subordination mindset” (thinking of non-eu as lower classes) because of stigmas and stereotypes that were created during colonial times (residues). These ideas are so common that we barely take notice of them. - Do independences end coloniality? - No, because even after these colonies become independent, these stereotypes and socio-cultural inequalities still exist today. - Discourses perpetuate this stigma / Popular Misconceptions abt Ourselves - People's stigmas on groups continue based on the colonial past. Such as “Puerto Ricans are lazy”, “Colombians are drug dealers”. - People tend to believe these stigmas about their own identity and culture. - Frantz Fanon - Argued that the effects of colonization don't disappear with independence. - Why does the effort to move from the “bottom rank” leave states behind? - How does a state (former colony) move up? By adopting modern, European technologies and systems. This will end up in these states leaving their cultures behind to keep up with higher countries. Even though a state gains independence, they may also still depend on wealthy nations to remain economically stable. - Independences transform coloniality’s outer form - From the outside “outer form”, an independent state may seem stable/improving, but on the inside, coloniality may still be evident within its systems such as: cultural superiority, economic dependency, social hierarchies. 2. Ethnicity - Definition: related to cultural characteristics (Ex: Mayan, Aztec, Hutu, Caucasian) - In what way we are classified by others and ourselves (communal boundaries). In a way, this determines our identity and social hierarchy - Develops a collective identity, therefore creating a sense of belonging - Imposes Categorization - Categorizes people, which affects how we are treated - Contributes to Preserve Ranks - This categorization maintains social hierarchies and peoples positions  - In conflicts, has been used to reduce numbers - Such as in war, these “lower” ethnic groups can be targeted for harm or be used as a way to divide people. - In expansion, is used to fit groups into more elaborate divisions - Is it the Inevitable Consequence of Coloniality? - Yes, as coloniality created boundaries/inequalities between ethnic groups 3. Racism - It’s not a new concept. It’s implicit in ethnicity. segregation, justified, - Racism is the feeling of discrimination by others - What is new about racism in the construction of Americanity? - In Americanity, racism became more theorized and justified, therefore more explicit - The term “racism” was actualized, so racism was theorized into all these different ideas. It became a clearer concept rather than something that people couldn’t explain - It was Institutionalized (Segregation) - Racism was integrated into systems of societies like laws and organizations - Such as Segregation. America forced the blacks to receive completely different treatments as compared to whites. This made racism become a formal concept. - Post WW2 - USA as a superpower cannot arguably be racist after WWII - After WW2, the USA became so powerful. They promoted democracy under fascist countries so they couldn’t possibly be seen as a racist country. Though, it was hypocritical of them to do this as they still had segregation within America - - How to prevent upward mobility of non-white ethnicities? - Meritocracy - succeeding through hard work, not through physical characteristics and class. Though this can be good, it can overlook those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds and lacking opportunities ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Patriarchy - A society where men have domination over women  - The oldest man is the leader - Control over economy, production, environment Gerda Lerner - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_PJwMpAgtQ&ab_channel=ThinkingAllowedTV - We would learn that women did not do this and that. It was only until recently (1920s) In text, women did not contribute to anything, nor to making history (when they actually did). Women are given a totally wrong impression of their work to the world. Women hardly have any heroin to look up to. - The effect on men is bad too. Men have been given an impression that they are more important to the world than they actually are. They think tha civilization was made by men, naturally making them look down on women. - Women were subordinated yet realized it very late. While other minorities had all these theories and concepts created based on their subordination which helped them realize it very quickly. Intersectionality - How someones characteristics combined determines how they are treated - A person that is black and a woman is treated worse than someone that is black BUT a man Gender Role Socialization - Learning gender roles through family, media, and schooling. - Like how we give girls dolls and boys cars Social Role Construction - How gender roles are constructed - Design of Gender Roles: what is considered appropriate per gender - Socialization: These roles are taught to children through family, schools, media, and other institutions. - Designed by the moral standards of whoever is in a position of power: The roles are often designed to maintain the interests and control of those in power, whether through political, cultural, or economic systems. Hegemonic (Toxic) Masculinity - Social norms of “men have to be strong, they can’t cry and be emotional”, Otherwise you are not a man Biological Essentialism - The view that gender differences between men and women are natural, that men are meant to do more aggressive jobs while women are meant to deal with domestic tasks - Used to justify unequal treatment. Used to explain why women are “meant to be” in caregiving roles. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----------- Feminism - A sociological perspective focusing on how gender affects society, particularly women's experiences Types of Feminism: 1. Liberal - gender inequality is produced by lack of rights and access to resources - Liberal feminists seek change through changing laws to change indiv. Rights 2. Radical - gender inequality is produced by the patriarchy/ men domination - Radical feminists seek change through calling for radical change in the system 3. Ecofeminism - connecting fighting for women's rights and protecting the environment - Both nature and women are degraded by the patriarchy ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----------- Global Inequality - Systematic differences in wealth and power among countries - Micro : within the country, based on wealth and power. - Macro : global , Higher/lower ranked countries based on wealth and power. World Bank - Wealth produced by each country for its average citizen using the GDP - Mission/Job - reduce poverty by lending money to governments of poorer countries to help them develop Classifications 1. High income - Generally, these countries industrialized first - Began in England –> Europe, USA, Canada –> Japan → Rich asian countries 2. Upper + Lower middle - Primarily East & Southeast Asia, Oil rich countries in Middle east & N. Africa 3. Low income - Mostly africa, Eastern & Southern Asia Theories 1. Market Oriented Theory  - Markets should be free to make their own decisions without government intervention, and rather the private sector (“Laissez Faire”) - With this, economic development will happen best Modernization Theory - Low-income societies can develop only if they adopt to the tech of industrialized countries (emphasized on savings and investments) 4 Economic Growth Stages: 1. Traditional : low saving rates, low work ethics, fatalistic value system 2. Economic Growth: Country begins to change values and invests in the future 3. Economical Maturity: the “economic plane” will be airborne (steady) 4. High Mass Consumption: people mature to enjoy high standards of living. 2. Dependency Theory - Poverty in low-income countries stems from exploitation from wealthy countries Dependent Development - Wealthier countries help poor countries develop (ofc comes with conditions) 3. World Systems Theory - WALLERSTEIN - Argues the world system is not a collection of independent countries, but rather one global, capitalist economic system Overlapping Elements that shape system: - World Market for goods - Division of population into diff. economic classes - International system of political relations - Division of world -> 3 economic zones: 1. Core - most advanced countries profiting from Peripheri 2. Semi-Periphery - semi-industrializied. Profits from peripheries and yields it to the cores. 3. Periphery - low income. Natural resources flow to higher countries. Cores sell goods back to peripheries. Notes: - World Systems change very slowly. The world is more “multipolar” (powerful) today than it was before. Even though famine is still a problem, numbers have gone down.