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Sociology
The systematic study of human groups and their social interactions, interested in how external forces impact individual behaviour and choices.
Sociological Perspective
A unique way that sociologists view the world, dissecting the dynamic relationships between individuals and the larger social network.
Macrosociology
An approach that attempts to understand society as a whole.
Microsociology
An approach that attempts to understand individual or small group dynamics.
Sociological Imagination
An appreciation of how individual challenges are influenced by larger social forces; understanding how personal troubles may be due to larger social issues.
Personal Troubles
Individual challenges.
Social Issues
Problems caused by larger social factors.
Quality of Mind
One's ability to look beyond personal circumstances and into the social context.
Seeing the General in the Particular
The ability to look at seemingly unique events and recognize the larger features involved.
Agency
The ability each individual has to alter their socially constructed lives to some extent.
Structure
The network of relatively stable opportunities and constraints influencing individual behaviours.
Positivism
A theoretical approach that considers all understanding to be based on science; there exists an objective knowable reality.
Anti-Positivism
A theoretical approach that considers knowledge and understanding to be the result of human subjectivity; rejects positivist assumptions.
Quantitative Sociology
Sociology that tends to be positivist, using measurable behaviours such as crime, poverty, or marriage rates.
Qualitative Sociology
Sociology that tends to be anti-positivist, using non-measurable, subjective behaviours such as experiences of poverty and emotions.
Globalization
A worldwide process involving the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, with capitalism as a defining feature of the global economy.
Theological Stage
A religious outlook where the world is understood as an expression of God (early ancestors to middle ages).
Metaphysical Stage
A period of questioning and challenging authority and traditions, promoting science (Renaissance and Enlightenment).
Positive Stage
An approach based on observation, experimentation and logical observation.
Theory
A statement that tries to explain how facts or events are related, in order to predict future events.
The Enlightenment
An era in which Christian teachings and the church were challenged; critical thinking, science and practical knowledge were advocated.
Functionalism
The social world is a dynamic system of interrelated and interdependent parts.
Social Solidarity
Cohesion of social groups, sense of connection and shared purpose that binds people together.
Emile Durkheim
French social scientist, known as the founder of modern sociology.
Anomie
State of normlessness that results from lack of norm regulation.
Mechanical Solidarity
Solidarity that is characterized by feelings of likeness, based on the idea of everyone doing the same thing.
Organic Solidarity
Solidarity that is based on interdependence; each person is interdependent with/on others.
Rules of Sociological Method
Sociology is a distinct field of study; 2. Methods of natural sciences can be applied to social sciences; 3. The social field is distinct from the psychological realm.
Suicide
Classification by the nature of an individual's level of integration, including attachment to social groups and regulation by the collective conscience.
Egoistic suicide
Type of suicide characterized by a lack of integration in social groups.
Altruistic suicide
Type of suicide characterized by excessive integration into social groups.
Anomic suicide
Type of suicide occurring due to a lack of norm regulation.
Fatalistic suicide
Type of suicide that occurs in conditions of excessive regulation.
Bourgeoisie
The wealthy, business owners, often exploit the workers/lower class.
Proletariat
The working class, those who do not own private property yet work the means of production.
Historical materialism
A theory by Karl Marx explaining how material conditions shape society, culture, and politics.
Alienation
Workers being disconnected from what they produce.
Exploitation
Difference between how much workers are paid and the wealth they create for owners.
Class consciousness
Recognizing domination and oppression and the collective action that arises in response.
Dialectics
The view of society as a result of oppositions, contradictions, and tensions from which new ideas and social change emerge.
Base/Superstructure
Base: material and economic foundation for society; Superstructure: all of the things that society values and aspires to once its material needs are met.
Petty bourgeoisie
Members of society who meet the definition for the bourgeoisie but lack sufficient capital to dominate society.
Lumpen proletariat
Social scum, or the underclass that are not interested in attaining class consciousness.
Ideology
A set of beliefs and values that support and justify the ruling class of society.
False consciousness
Belief in and support of the system that oppresses you.
The Communist Manifesto
A political tract written by Marx and Engels outlining the program of the Communist League.
Symbolic interactionism
Theory that suggests people act toward things based on the meanings those things have for them, derived from social interaction.
Verstehen
A deep understanding and interpretation of subjective social meanings.
Social action
Action categorized into instrumental-rational, value-rational, affective, and traditional.
Looking glass self
Concept that we develop our self-image through cues received from others.
Dramaturgical analysis
The view of the self as emerging from the performances we play and how other actors relate to us.
Marginalized voices
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