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Chapter 1: Introduction – Understanding Sociology

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Sociological Perspective: the process of understanding and explaining how individuals and groups interact within society

Social Structure: the distinctive and stable arrangement of social patterns that form the society as a whole

Social Problems:societal conditions that harm segments of society.

Sociological Imagination: the ability to see the details of our own lives in the context of larger social structures as opposed to merely personal choices or personal trouble

Social Change: the social forces that change the organization and social structure

Sociology theory: a set of interrelated ideas that provide a systematic understanding of the social world. 

Macro sociology: a level of analysis focusing on social systems and populations on a larger scale. 

Micro sociology: a level of analysis focusing on individuals and small groups within the larger social system. 

Proletariat: the majority, who were the poor, property less industrial working class

Bourgeois: the land and business owners, the small minority who were the wealthy class

conflict theory: a sociology perspective emphasizing the role of political and economic power and oppression as contributing to the existing social order

Fuctionalist theory: a macro view of how the parts of society serve to maintain stability

Manifest theory: intentional and formally sanctioned functions of social institutions and society

Latent functions, unintentional and informally sanctioned functions of social institutions and society

Manifest function: intentional and formally sanctioned functions of social institutions and society

Dysfunction: the undesirable disruptions for social patterns and resulting negative consequences within society

social facts: social patterns that are external to individuals and greatly influence our way of thinking and behaving in society

Verstehen: an empathetic approach to understanding human behavior

Feminist theory: a view on anti-oppression, gender relations and gender inequality

Applied sociology: the use of sociological theory, research, and methodologies to find solutions to problems in society

Queer theory: a critical view that rejects the traditional categories of gender, sex and sexuality in contemporary society.

Postmodern social theory: a critical view rejecting the historical, scientific and structured means of investigating and interpreting the social world

Social structures: the distinctive and stable arrangements of social patterns that form the society as a whole

Rationalization of society: the replacement of traditional values and personal connections with bureaucracy, efficiently, and a means-end approach

Social problems: the societal conditions that harm segments of society

Objective conditions: the scope of a problem

Subjective concerns: people\’s feelings about a problem

Social change: the forces that change the organization and the social structures of society

Globalization:the worldwide integration of our cultural, economic and political lives that results from ever increasing levels of business, trade and technology