SOC 300 Exam 1 PDF

Meaning of Macro-Micro-Meso-Sociology - Macrosociology: society as a whole, large-scale social process Examples: economy, government, class structure, globalization of culture, economic development - Microsociology: the individual in a social con...

Meaning of Macro-Micro-Meso-Sociology - Macrosociology: society as a whole, large-scale social process Examples: economy, government, class structure, globalization of culture, economic development - Microsociology: the individual in a social context Face-to-face conversations, group dynamics, facial expressions…etc. - Meso-sociology: social institutions (focuses on intermediate social structures like organizations, communities, and institutions) Corporations, religious institutions, education systems…etc. Who are Sociologists and what are they up to? Peter Berger’s Definition of Sociology C.Wright Mills’ Definition of Sociology ( Science +Human) (Biography + history) “Passionate curiosity, disciplined by Intersection of biography + history scientific methodology, it is about the (troubles/issues) interaction of people” Sociology provides insight into how social - Being a sociologist is kind of like structures (something that individual has no being a spy (no bias, prejudice, or control over) influence their people’s lives. discrimination, one needs to report - Always considering individuals in FACTS) larger context - Issues (bigger) vs. trouble (private) - Sociological imagination: thinking about individuals influenced by social structure 1. Berger, Peter. “What Are Sociologists and Why Are They Doing This?” REQ 2. Mills, C. Wright. “From The Sociological Imagination” REQ - McGinn’s Definition of Sociology His view: + Systemic study of human society + Patterns of behavior: social relationship, social interaction, and culture + Interconnection of micro and macro: It is important to understand how individual actions and social structure shape each other.  2 BUT… He asked: “ Why doesn’t the sociological perspective (focusing on the system rather than the individual) come naturally to us?” ANSWER: Because of individualism! - 18th century (Enlightenment) + As America was born of enlightenment thinking, individualism was a big thing - 19th century (Utilitarianism: maximal pleasure and the absence of pain) + taking care of yourself = will maximize pleasure!! (individualism) utilitarianism put extra emphasis on happiness of individuals + Darwin: survival of the fittest - 20th century: capitalism + sociology exchange theory: Everything we do is transactional) - Durkeim’s Understanding of Sociology The study of the group (sociology) = is more powerful in understanding human behavior than either biology or psychology Because biology and psychology tend to focus on individuals, but sociology considers social contexts and systems that shape people’s lives and behavior - Birth of Sociology Approximately at the end of the 18th century, the beginning of the 19th century. (Shit was so fucking hectic) How is Sociology done? 09/05 Best and Creswell readings Joel Best John Creswell - Statistics are necessary but some are - Five qualitative traditions: biography, born bad phenomenology, grounded theory, - We need to be aware of common ethnography, case study problems with stats - We need to be thoughtful/critical when  3 we encounter stats - Definitions and relationships among theory, research, and action Theory: we propose answers to the question- “Why is the world so chaotic? How does change occur?” The Theory(questions) we ask lead us to empirical research - Sometimes research proves/disapproves theory - Or gives birth to a new theory Action - Activists themselves also sometimes propose theory and engage in research - Theory v. social theory v. sociological theory Theory Social Theory Sociological Theory Abstract statements that Abstract statements that Abstract statements that offer unproven explanations offer unproven explanations offer unproven explanations or prediction or predictions about the way or predictions about the way people organize themselves people organize themselves socially socially, proposed by social scientists (Beginning with Marx) - Two basic types of social science research Quantitative Qualitative 1. Univariate (one variable) - Case study... - Descriptive stats (What can we say about the sample?) - Inferential stats (What can we  4 say about the population from which it was drawn?)- you are making a generalized assumption about the actual population based on sample 2. Multivariate - What can we say about the relationship between variables? - Praxis: practical application of theory OR an intentional effort to create change Knowledge or theory should not be just theoretical but should lead to action. (bridging theory and practice) MARX!!!! - Social movement: definition Organized group that acts with continuity and coordination to promote or resist change in society The most organized form of collective behavior (other types: riots, panics, crowds, fashion, scapegoating) - Relevance of U/M to social movement theory Mary Zald: Resource Mobilization theory + Explores how movements gain momentum by successfully garnering resources, competing with each other movements, and mobilizing their available resources” + Also, note how movements are connected to each other William Gamson: New Social Movement Theory + Stresses cultural factors rather than structural factors + The importance of meaning systems in mobilizing collective action + How new identities are formed within social movement Sandra Levitsky + Social movements and their impact on law  5 Mayer Zald Article - Why did sociology identify with science more than humanities Science was intellectually attractive and it facilitated the legimization of sociology within the academy and society Identifying itself as a science enhanced sociology’s prestige and access to funds Humanities were not ascending in academic status Philosophy = normative and armchair, literature was textual and aesthetic, history was focused on single events, not generalization. - What are the problems in identifying with science? Sociology cut self off from its ties to social reform and social work Science is typically “high consensus” but sociology is very low consensus (there is no core knowledge that all sociologists agree) sociology= more about explaining loosely coupled components of the social world Sociology depends on “society as lived” (our evolving everyday world) as a source of its topics and methods science generally does not. We need to keep the science-based emphasis on the empirical. But we still need to bring in some cross-cultural perspectives from the humanities. - What can be gained from a greater identification with humanities Sociology = is more tied to living civilization than science is and living civilization is the focus of the humanities + Enrich the understanding of social life and human experience + Better understanding of how individuals and groups construct meaning in their social world + enriching, better forms of history through narratives and stories.  6 - How can we connect humanities + sociology? Tie to the grand questions and interpretations of the classic authors Draw upon the literature (knowledge bases of those disciplines) Introduction to Macro Sociology - Factors that led to the Emergence of sociology (AT THE END OF 18th TO BEGINNING OF 19th CENTURY) INTELLECTUAL + The Enlightenment + The Counter-Enlightenment (we should go back to how it was, look at the French revolution everyone died, is this really the right way?) + Differentiation of social sciences within the university Before the Enlightenment After the Enlightenment - Wholistic, unchanging (the - Science (rational thought, world=static and we are born empiricism) replaces into it) supernatural world theology view - Individualism - Religion! - Progress (“perfectability”): the belief that the world will get better ECONOMIC + Expansion of commerce and markets (1700s-1800s): colonialism--europeans took stuff from other countries and sold it to another + Industrialization SOCIAL + Urbanization: cities getting dangerous and popular + Decline of local communities POLITICAL + Rise of bureaucratic nation states ( small units to states) + Decline of the church + Feminism >>> Basically, the world was going to a shit hole so we needed a way to explain the social chaos (sociological thinking needed!)  7 Hamilton Peter “From the enlightenment and the birth of social science” + Lee D and Newby “Sociology and the growth of industrial society” Hamilton Lee D and Newby - Enlightenment ideas heavily affected - Three economic features of the era social structure. > Philosophers were 1) Industrialism: It divided people upset of change since they were the into classes, relationships were beneficiaries of the status quo de-personalized - Everyone can learn!! (but knowledge (working-middle-high class) becomes too specialized to be learned 2) Capitalism: profit-driven system by individuals + often inaccessible) of production (everything became more transactional) 3) Urbanism: people began to move to the cities for work! 4) Liberal democracy: “Sanctity of the individual” (emphasis on the individuals in US founding documents) 5) Utilitarianism (happiness of individuals) *** Utopian socialism(happiness obtained by the group) opposed utilitarianism 6) There were a lot of conservative reaction to liberal democracy (people arguing back that we should go back to the traditional way of living. (like Comte, Durkheim, Weber, and Marx argued) - Robert Nisbet He focused on the following revolutions as the cause of enlightenment 1) French Revolution + Why French? Not American? :because the french revolution focuses on the individual a lot more (throwing away the monarchy) 2) Industrial Revolution + Degradation of labor (craftmanship to factory work) + Private property (shared lands (communal ownership) + farming disappeared) + Industrial city, technology, factory…  8 - Saint-Simon [18th century] Founder of French sociology The evolution of society is the progressive triumph of association over antagonism (active hostility or opposition between forces, individuals, or groups. ) ~ more cooperation, and fewer conflicts are needed! 3 stages: polytheism=slavery, theism-feudalism, positivism-industrialism He was a socialist: the whole of society ought to strive towards amelioration(improvement) of the poorest class. Full equality for women is needed! - Auguste Comte Coined the term sociology >> The FIRST SOCIOLOGIST? He said: “When sociology becomes science It will be the Queen of the sciences” 3 Stages: Evolution of world views and societies- + theological/primitive (life is controlled by supernatural things) + metaphysical/intermediary (life is controlled by karma, luck)> + positive/scientific!! Through the division of labor, society becomes more complex Studied the function of institutions in the social order He was trying to study sociology empirically! - Harriet Martineau Examined class, religion, suicide, national character, domestic relations, women’s status, criminology, and interrelations between institutions and individuals Wrote society in America: a critique of America’s failure to fulfill its promise How to observe morals and manners: the principles and methods of empirical social research! Translated, some of Comte’s work - Herbert Spencer Social Darwinism: Darwin’s evolution + utilitarian individualism= = survival of the fittest = those who adapt will survive! Society = a living organism that grows and develops a more complex structure Society - combined action of mutually dependent parts Competition eventually evolves to cooperation KARL MARX: Production, materialism created capitalism  9 - Historical materialism History progresses Change is driven by conflicts related to production (economic/material conflict) - Understanding of society in german ideology (hegel’s ideas that marx opposes) George Hegel (U of Berlin)’s Conflict theory: Conflict is what drives change + Marx agreed with Hegel on this, but Marx said it is material conflict that drives change. + Hegel ( conflict of ideas) vs. Marx (conflict of materialism) German Ideology + Ideas of the ruling class are the ruling ideas: people with power make rules = that becomes the society’s rule - Key concepts from communist manifesto “ The History of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles” >> Marx agrees with Hegel that conflict = the basis of social change but Hegel = conflict of ideas vs. Marx = conflict over production and materials - “ Society as a whole is more and more split up into two great hostile camps: Bourgeoisie and Proletariats” >> In this era, class conflict means that those who own the means of production and dominate the workers “The modern bourgeoisie is itself the product of the long course of development ” >> Tribal > communal> Feudal … one economic era gives birth to the next - capitalism (current) arose naturally from feudalism - communism will naturally arise from capitalism - “ Owning to the extensive use of machinery and the division of labour, the work of the proletarians has lost all individual character, and consequently, all charm for the workman. He becomes an appendage of the machine, and it is only the most simple, most monotonous and most easily acquired knack that is required of him”  10 >> Explicit: alienation of labor- working class loosing personal connection to their work. economic globalization: capitalism spreads to the world - “The execution of the modern state is but a committee for managing the common affairs the whole bourgeoisie ” >> Marx believes that all social institutions arise from the sake of the material or economic base. (religion, education…etc.) - “The proletariat alone is a really revolutionary class ” >> proletarians(working class) develop class consciousness (being aware of their disposition - being exploited by the higher up…etc.) “What the bourgeoisie therefore produces, above all, are its own grave diggers. Its fall and the victory of the proletariat are equally inevitable” >> The working class will rise up and seize control of production [communism] - Is this economic determinism? : the idea that the future will happen in a particular way?? - Kapital theater “Use” Labor: expresses self and true human identity + Crafts from individuals  11 + It is like ART, the extension of themselves, their products are more individualized The commodification of labor: making stuff to sell it (commodity=products) + Labor becomes alienated from products, process, and itself + Commodity fetishism (to give human attributes): we as human are dehumanized, and products are humanized Exchange value: making stuff to sell only!! Labor time x productivity power = value produced + Maximum productivity in the same time = more labour so they can make more money + This unfairly enriches the bourgeoise - Key concepts: the power of money in bourgeois society Money perverts/dehumanizes by changing the nature of individuals “ Money is the pimp between one’s life and one’s means of life” - imperialism in India “Bourgeois industry and commerce create the material conditions of a new world… in which the mass of people will be emancipated and their social condition mended” - Capitalism will increase the standard of living - The barbarism (extreme cruelty) of bourgeois society is more apparent when viewed in the colonies than at home === rich getting much richer at the expense of workers - The centralization of capital = destructive influence upon world markets (bc of monopoly, overproduction,,,etc,) MAX WEBER: Religion created capitalism - What does this phrase refer to: “debating with the ghost of Marx Capitalism + Marx: It is a class struggle based on materialism + Weber: religious ideas play a significant role in the development of capitalist behavior = your econoic determinism is wrong! Since capitalism is not just about the economic system, rather it is a cultural process.  12 Social stratification + Marx: economic class = fundamental axis of the society + Weber: status (social prestige) + party (political power): people’s social standing is determined not only by economic position but also like honor, prestige, politics…ec. Historical development + Marx: historical materialism + Ideas, beliefs, and institutions also play a crucial role in changing history - Method Positivism vs. Historicism Positivism Historicism : natural method applied to social : nothing can be generalized science (every member of a set (history= set of discreet events, is identical) unique individual experiences) All O2 molecule is the same Verstehen: process of understanding social action + German word for weber’s approach >> positivism and historicism neither is right, you can use science but be sure to look for the meaning to participants! (empathetic understanding+science) Ideal type= theoretical, conceptual tool (reference point) + Analytic construct that serves as a measuring rod to ascertain similarities and deviations in concrete cases. + Basic method for comparative studies (putting people in groups based on shared characteristics then studying each group_) Ideal does not mean morally desirable Not statistical mean It Accentuates the distinguishing features of a group - Example: protestant ethic, scientist, politician, the prophet Subjective vs objective research + Value relevant subject choice (we should not be subjective when we do research =in context of finding what I want to find– like no bias) vs. value neutral research (the scientists does not say “should)  13 - Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism Observation: protestants rule capitalism + Economic traditionalism: people worked only to the level of need + Spirit of capitalism: labor performed as an end in itself (they work for the sake of working and there is no end) Worldly Ascenticism (detached from the world)-- NOT WORDLY + Rationalization of conduct in this world, for the sake of the world beyond + Wasting time is bad: unwillingness to work suggest lack of grace (working to be good enough to get into heaven) my work is connected to heaven!! + Spending earnings for own pleasure = bad. So wealth accumulates >> Therefore it becomes ok protestant to become wealthy and becomes part of american culture. - Iron cage (steel hard casing) “Our concern for external goods sho uld lie on the shoulders of the faithful like a shell as hard as steel” + This was poorly translated to “an Iron Cage”. > The phrase is stuck and now became standard… - Rationalization The tendency to focus on the most efficient means for achieving an end (becoming more mathematical for maximum efficiency) TSA, business? Everything became rationalized - Disenchantement “There are no mysterious incalculable forces that become into play, but rather than one can, in principle, master all things by calculaion” Niceness about our society left the chat because now everything is about the efficiency - summary of argument of Protestant ethic Modern capitalism arose only in the west because calvinist protestant considered the acquisition of wealth to be a vocation - a duty and end in itself, not a means to happiness or pleasure Worldy asceticism still exist without its attatchment to protestant roots Rationalization drives our world forward but disenchants it Materialism = endanger trap like an iron cage  14 - Bureaucracy and its relationship to democracy and rationalization Bureaucracy: an organization with formal procedures and standard- division of labor, rules, hierarchy of authority + Weber sees bureaucracy as the rationalization of work As work gets more complex, work needs to be more specialized Example of disenchantmentt and retionalization + Bureaucrician of work: look at factories! Democracy vs. Bureaucracy tension + Democracy: works best with short terms of office and official who do not need to be specialists + Bureaucracy: work best with permanence and specialization >> producing autocracy of those at the top. Once Bureaucracy established = difficult to dislodge Marx views Bureaucracy as a bad thing that Weber… thinks partly failed the french revolution - Bureaucracy is essential in democracy! (cuz it makes sure everyone is treated the same way) - It supports democracy by leveling differences among the governed (like you still need to go get DMV to get drivers licsence even if you are the president) - (legitimate domination) Three types of domination A. Rational basis: there is a legal authority (law enforcement, military, parents) B. Traditional basis: the authority has always been there (king/queen, parents, church) C. Charismatic basis: it is authorized by a compelling individual (MLK Jr, Trump, cult leaders) *** NOT ALL POWER IS AUTHORITY *** NOT ALL DOMINATION RELIES ON LIGITIMACY  15 - Class status party Class: those with the same situation in relationship to the labor or commodities market i.e. the same possession of good or opportunity to make money [ ABOUT MONEY] + Four classes: capitalists, property owners ,those who hold copyrights (intellectual properties), laborers + Revolt will happen only when there is under certain cultural condition (arguing with MARX) Status: A group whose members share a characteristic or lifestyle that is honored or dishonored in society [ ABOUT PRESTIEGE] + Positive status groups find dignity in their present, negative status groups find dignity in their future + Status may or may not be linked to class (Low class, high status= veterans/ High class, low status=lawyers) + Status groups tend toward exclusiveness, avoid intermarriage, they monopolize jobs + If economic circumstances are stable (we all poor or we all rich) then status will drive social realities Party: a self selected group that seeks to influence a particular social issue or action + The party will have a specific program aimed at causing a particular action (climate change group, religious group) + The party’s issue may or may not be related to a specific class or status group - Robert michels and the iron law of oligarchy Student of Weber All complex organizations into oligarchies (power in hands of a few) because leaders pursue their own interests + Weber disagreed tho, he said people can have power and not use it for themselves  16 DURKEHIM: FUNCTIONALISM - Unlike Marx, who believed that class structure of society causes conflict, Durkheim believed that the structure of society are functional : they help give society cohesion - Key question: What hold society together in the modern era? Answer: Values (collective conscience- shared beliefs and moral attitudes) + Religion plays an important role in reinforcing these beliefs and attitudes - The Division of labor in Society- What holds society together? OLD DAYS(mechanical solidarity) : Social order in traditional societies is mechanical: cohesion occurs because everyone is similar and shares common norms But modernity has eroded (crumbled) the power of the institutions that helped provide mechanical cohesion (“anomie”=lack of social standards) so… NOW(organic solidarity) : social order in modern society = organic (stable). Different specializtation in work and social roles create interdependencies Key biographical facts (discipline before sociology, motivation to conduct sociology) He was a philosopher Cuz he wanted scientific rigor in social studies , french positivism (comte) - Definition of functionalism Society = more than the sum of its parts + Larger society controls the small pieces. + Organism controls the organs !!! + Social realities are not a consequence of the actions of individuals. Instead, the action of individuals is the consequence of social realities >>> LIKE SUICIDE? - Principles of later functionalism: Structural functionalism Society has a tendency toward equilibrium For a society to survive, certain functions must occur Social institutions and practices exist because they provide those functions for the larger society. Latent function/latency + Social activities/functions may accomplish or support some other social activity/ functions  17 (teen christian group moving around from place to place to celebrate their religion >> latent function would be them finding their potential partners) - Method : determination of function Determination of function is necessary for the complete explanation of the phenomena. To explain a social fact it is ot enough to show the cause on which it depends; we must also at least in most cases, show its function in the establishment of social orders. + Analyzing what role a particular social fact plays within the social structure=necessary - Function of deviance: function of religion Deviance: it gives us the opportunity to look at ourselves and improve Religion is useful because it elevates the society’s norms + Religious values we love is actually our values that is projected onto divide figures + It reinforces the value of a group and glues the group together - Social facts (social realities) Something outside of you that puts pressure on you to behave in certain ways - Arguments of suicide [ earliest quantitative work] extra -social explanations that are disqualified + Psychopathic states, heredity/race (biological) , cosmic factors (environment/weather) Statistical observation + Suicide rate in each country is very stable + Rates between countries vary widely + Certain groups in society was more prone to suicide (protestant had the highest) Conclusion + Suicide rate is a distinct social factor we can study + Each society has a collective,structurally determined inclination toward suicide + Individual inclination explainable only in relation to the collective inclination Types of suicide + Integration  18 1) Egoistic (not integrated enough into the group) [ people comitting suicide after stock market crash because they care about themselves not their familes?[ 2) Altruistic (too integrated into the group) [cult] + Control 1) Anomic (socially disoriented, lack of structure) : being in jail then getting out [protestant tend to have higher suicide rate because of lack of “structure’ 2) Fatalistic (being overly controlled) : ppl in abusive relationship, prison, military Mead: individual is where the power is !!Society = collective individuals interacting with each other (from allan G Johnson’s the forest and the trees) - Institution is kind of like just there… it is just a place where people interact - Relevance of william james (psychologist) William James (Concept of Self) Mead (The social self, which includes all the interactions you make with others) - Five key ideas about interaction 1. The social development of self 2. The self as object 3. The “I” and “Me” + I: subject, consciousness, pure ego + Me: object: material self, social self, spiritual self 4. Even thinking is social (society is shaped as we interact) 5. Beyond behaviorism (only considers stimulus and reaction) and structuralism - Concept of social construction Through the interaction , social meanings are shaped over time.  19 Blumer - Two key difference between symbolic interaction from traditional (structural) sociology( answer more agency, different approach to sociology) Traditional sociology Symbolic interaction - More emphasis on individuals Individuals are the media through which Individuals have a self and are intentional outside forces operate Social behaviors are based on individuals’ Social behaviors are not constructed, they interpretation of the situation are reactions Social action is lodged in the individual Social actions is lodged(stuck) in society or some unit of society