Part 1: Weeks 6–7 — Social Structure, Organizations, and Economic Inequality

social structure

The organized pattern of relationships and institutions that shape society and guide individual behavior.

social organization

A group created to achieve specific goals through structured relationships and roles.

bureaucracy

A formal organization with hierarchical authority

Max Weber

German sociologist who analyzed bureaucracy and rationalization as defining features of modern society.

Weber’s “ideal type” bureaucracy

A model bureaucracy characterized by hierarchy

rationalization

The process by which traditional thinking is replaced with efficiency

division of labor

The specialization of work tasks to improve efficiency within organizations or societies.

gig work

A flexible labor system where workers take short-term or freelance jobs

social institution

Organized systems that meet basic societal needs like family

ideology

A set of shared beliefs that justify social arrangements and inequalities.

institutional discrimination

Unequal treatment embedded within institutional practices and policies.

social stratification

The ranking of people or groups based on wealth

structural position

A person’s location in the social hierarchy that shapes their opportunities and worldview.

groupthink

A phenomenon where group members prioritize agreement over critical analysis

nation-state

A political entity with defined borders and a shared sense of identity under one government.

Jewish-American and Black-American experiences in basketball and education

Illustrates how structural barriers limited access to higher education

Diane Vaughan – normalization of deviance

The process by which deviant practices become accepted in organizations

organizational structure

The arrangement of authority and tasks that determine how organizations function.

organizational culture

The shared values and norms guiding behavior within an organization.

Armstrong et al. – sexual assault on college campuses

Found that party culture and institutional priorities reinforce gender inequality and risk of assault.

Armstrong et al. – research question

Examined how college social and institutional arrangements perpetuate sexual assault.

Armstrong et al. – methods

Ethnographic research at a Midwestern university examining dorm life and social dynamics.

Armstrong et al. – findings

Campus party culture fosters gendered power imbalances and protects university image.

Armstrong et al. – theoretical implications

Demonstrated how institutional structures reproduce inequality and shape behavior.

hunting and gathering societies

Small egalitarian groups dependent on hunting

horticultural societies

Societies relying on small-scale gardening that develop modest social hierarchies.

agricultural societies

Societies using plows and animals for farming

industrial societies

Societies organized around mechanized production

post-industrial societies

Economies based on information

surplus

The excess production of goods that allows for wealth accumulation and class divisions.

income vs. wealth

Income is earnings from work; wealth is total assets minus debts

capital

Money or assets used to generate more wealth.

economic capital

Material resources like income

economic elite

A small group controlling disproportionate economic and political power.

wage

Monetary payment for labor or services.

capitalism

An economic system where private owners control production and seek profit.

Karl Marx

Sociologist who analyzed class struggle and the exploitation inherent in capitalism.

proletariat

The working class who sell their labor to survive.

bourgeoisie

The capitalist class who own the means of production.

means of production

The physical and social tools

alienation

The separation of workers from their labor

crisis of capitalism

Periodic economic instability caused by overproduction

class consciousness

Awareness by a social class of its shared interests and opposition to others.

socialism

An economic system emphasizing collective ownership and distribution of resources.

free market capitalism

An economic model with minimal government intervention and private competition.

labor unions

Organizations formed by workers to advocate for better wages

social safety net

Government programs designed to reduce poverty and economic insecurity.

living wage

A wage sufficient to meet basic living needs without relying on public assistance.

welfare capitalism

A system where businesses provide welfare-like benefits to reduce worker unrest.

service and information economy

A post-industrial economy focused on providing services and managing data.

precariat

A social class experiencing precarious employment and lack of stability.

working poor

Individuals who hold jobs but still live in poverty due to low wages.

comparative sociology

The study of social processes across different societies to identify patterns.

social mobility

The movement of individuals or groups within a social hierarchy.

glass ceiling

Invisible barriers preventing women and minorities from reaching top positions.

glass floor

Barriers that protect privileged groups from downward mobility.

wealth gaps

The unequal distribution of assets across different social groups.

wage gaps

Differences in earnings based on gender

legitimation

The process of justifying and maintaining social inequalities through ideology.

Gilded Age comparison

Wealth inequality in the late 1800s mirrored today’s concentration of wealth among elites.

exploitation in corporations

Global firms like McDonald’s and Walmart profit from low-wage labor and weak protections.