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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 

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

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Social Problems: societal conditions that harm segments of society 

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Sociological imagination: the ability to see the details of our won lives in the context of larger social structures as opposed to merely personal choices or personal troubles 

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Social Change: the forces that change society\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\’s organization and social structures 

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

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

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

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Proletariat: the poor, property-less industrial working class 

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Bourgeois: the small minority who were the wealthy class 

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Conflict theory: a sociological perspective emphasizing the role of political and economic power and oppression as contributing to the existing order 

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Functionalist Theory: a macro view of how parts of society serve to maintain stability 

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

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Latent Functions: unintentional and informally sanctioned functions of social institutions and society 

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Dysfunction: the undesirable disruptions of social patterns resulting in negative consequences within society

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Socialized self: the self cannot develop apart from society – you are who you are due to your social interactions and environment 

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Symbolic interaction: a micro view of how society is the product of interactions between people 

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People: 

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– German Karl Marx (vineyard)

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– Emile Durkheim (village)

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– George Herbert Mead (meadow)

– Max Weber 

Social Facts 

Feminist Theory