Sociology and Social Structures Practice Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering key sociological concepts, theories, and scholars including racial formation, gender construction, family structures, and systemic inequality.

Racial formation (Omi & Winant)

The process through which racial categories are created, transformed, and given meaning over time; race is socially constructed but has real effects on power, identity, and inequality.

Racial project

An effort that links ideas about race to social structures such as laws, policies, and institutions, shaping how race operates in society.

Pager’s study on hiring

A study showing that both race and criminal record affect hiring, with Black applicants being disadvantaged even without records, indicating labor market discrimination.

Conversations about racism (Feagin)

Difficult interactions caused by differing understandings where many Black Americans see racism as ongoing, while many white Americans see it as mostly over, leading to denial and conflict.

Symbolic ethnicity (Waters)

A voluntary and occasional expression of ethnic identity, such as celebrating holidays, that does not impact daily life functionality.

Privilege of symbolic ethnicity

The ability for some individuals to choose when to express their identity, unlike others whose identity is forced and tied to systemic inequality and discrimination.

Segmented assimilation

The theory that immigrants follow diverse paths—upward mobility, downward mobility, or selective acculturation—depending on specific social conditions.

Social construction of gender (Lorber)

The concept that gender is created through social expectations and daily interactions/performances rather than being solely based on biology.

“Doing gender”

Acting in ways that align with social expectations of masculinity or femininity during everyday interactions.

Hegemonic masculinity

The dominant ideal of masculinity that supports male power and establishes a hierarchy among different men.

Complicit masculinity

A category of men who do not fully embody the hegemonic ideal but still benefit from the overall gender system.

Media reinforcement of inequality (Anderson)

The use of subtle framing and selective details in media that shape perception and can imply bias, such as victim-blaming.

1950s family (Coontz)

A unique historical moment shaped by specific postwar economic conditions rather than being a timeless or "traditional" norm.

Post-1970s family changes (Cherlin)

Shifts caused by economic factors such as job loss, wage decline, and the increase in female labor participation.

“Daddy hierarchy” (Hochschild)

The variation in emotional labor among fathers, ranging from highly engaged to absent.

Incarceration inequality (Western & Pettit)

The process through which imprisonment reduces employment, weakens family structures, and creates long-term intergenerational disadvantage.

Mass incarceration (Clegg & Usmani)

A complex phenomenon resulting from a combination of racial politics and legitimate concerns regarding crime.

Medicalization (Conrad)

The process of defining non-medical problems as medical issues, which expands the reach of medical authority.

SES

Socioeconomic status; a measure based on an individual's income, education, and occupation.

Structural violence (Farmer)

Harm caused by social systems, such as poverty and racism, that limit the opportunities and well-being of individuals.

Disenchantment (Kolbert)

The loss of meaning and purpose in life due to rationalization and capitalism, resulting in a mechanical and empty existence.

Busyness (Kreider)

A self-imposed state used to avoid confronting emptiness and to signal personal importance to others.

Rothman’s view on college

The argument that college cannot provide a complete sense of purpose or solve the deeper problems associated with modern life.

Positive thinking and capitalism (Ehrenreich)

A mindset that shifts blame for failure onto individuals, promotes consumption through optimism, and obscures structural inequality.