sociology mid term sociologists

Peter Berger

General in the particular Recognizing how personal experiences reflect broader social patterns; seeing the “general” in individual events. Personal troubles often reveal larger social forces.

Emile Durkheim

Social facts Norms, values, and social structures that exist outside the individual but constrain and guide behavior. Society exists beyond individual actions.

Emile Durkheim

What is society? A cluster of institutionalized norms, values, and behaviors that maintain order and cohesion; exists independently of individuals.

C. Wright Mills

Sociological imagination The ability to link personal experiences (“private troubles”) with broader social and historical forces (“public issues”).

C. Wright Mills

History and biography Understanding personal life stories (biography) in the context of historical and societal structures (history).

Erving Goffman

Dramaturgy / Presentation of self Everyday social life is like a stage; individuals perform roles to manage others’ impressions. Includes front-stage (public) and back-stage (private) behavior.

George Herbert Mead

Taking the role of the other The self develops by understanding and internalizing others’ perspectives; crucial for identity formation and social interaction.

Charles Horton Cooley

Looking-glass self Our self-image is shaped by how we believe others see us; the self is inherently social.

West & Zimmerman

Doing gender Gender is not innate; it is performed and socially accountable in everyday interactions. Gender inequalities are reproduced through routine behavior.

Westbrook & Schilt

Gender anchors / Penis Panics Society uses institutional and social cues (anchors) like bathrooms, genitals, and clothing to verify gender. Panic occurs when these cues are challenged, maintaining the gender binary.

Brubaker

Trans & transracial identities Identity categories (race, gender) are socially constructed. Trans and transracial identities challenge fixed categories, but society treats them differently.

Ijeoma Oluo

Critique of Rachel Dolezal Race carries structural power; claiming an oppressed racial identity while benefiting from privilege ignores systemic inequalities.

Silva

Bud Sex Sexual behavior can exist without defining identity. Highlights the fluidity of sexual practices versus rigid identity labels.

Social Institutions

Childbirth and Marriage Organize roles, norms, and expectations to maintain social stability and reproduce life-sustaining resources.

Environmental Racism

Policies or practices that disproportionately expose marginalized communities to environmental hazards, like pollution or proximity to factories.