Notes:
Social facts: social patterns that are external to individuals and greatly influence our way of thinking and behaving in society. (Durkheim)
Weber:
– Verstehen: an empathetic approach to understanding human behavior
– Put yourself in their shoes and consider the meanings they attribute to their actions and environment.
Feminist theory: a view of anti-oppression, gender relations, and gender inequality. Concentrated on issues such as sexism in education, politics, and the workplace.
Applied sociology: the use of sociological theory, research, and methodologies to find solutions to problems in society.
Queer theory: rejects traditional categories of gender, sex, and sexuality in contemporary society. Addresses both macro and micro issues
Postmodern social theory: rejects the historical, scientific, and structured means of investigating and interpreting the social world.
– Faded in popularity in the 1990s
Social Structures:
Rationalization of Society: the replacement of traditional values and personal connections with bureaucracy, efficiency, and a means-end approach.
- organizes behaviors of large groups of people
- capable of coercing individuals and groups
- provides norms, rules, and practices
- assigns roles and powers to individuals and groups
- encompasses large geographical areas
Social Problems:
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
Human trafficking: A situation in which a person is smuggled, abused, and forced to work against their will for the economic gain of another.
Fair Trade: an organizational movement and certification process to help producers in developing countries receive a fair price for their products with the goals of reducing poverty, providing for the ethical treatment of workers, and promoting environmentally sustainable practices.
Sustainability: idea that current and future gens should have = or greater access to social, economic, and env. resources
Sustainable development: development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future gens to meet their own needs
Social inequality: the unequal distribution of power, property, or prestige in society
Functionalist Theory: A theoretical perspective that is concerned with how the parts of the social system work to maintain stability in society.
Conflict Theory: Looks at the issue of competition and change and who benefits from structural inequalities.
Symbolic Interactionism: Contends that our understanding of everyday social behavior is based on our lived experiences.