ISS what is social science

Social science

a collection of academic disciplines and practices that study human society and interaction

Sociology

the scientific study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior

soft science

a term sometimed used to describe social sciences

theory

an abstract proposition that explains the social world and makes predictions about the future

Theoretical perspective

a basic view of society that guides research and helps explain social behavior and social patterns

micro level approach

studies individuals and small group interactions

meso level approach

studies groups, organizations, and communities

macro level approach

studies large scale social structures and society as a whole

three major sociological theoretical perspectives

conflict theory, structural functionalism, and symbolic interactionism

conflict theroy

a perspective that focuses on power, inequality, and competition over resources

key concepts of conflict theory

conflict underlies social relations, powerful groups impose their values on weaker groups, inequality causes conflict, and social change toward equality is desirable

karl marx

a conflict theorist who focused on capitalism, class divisions, and control over material resources

capitalism

an economic system in which the means of production are privately owned and resources are distributed through the market

forces of production

the equipment and resources used to produce goods

division of labor

the way work and tasks are divided among people

class

a group of people who share a similar economic position

bourgeoisie

the wealthy capitalist class that owns the means of production

proletariat

the working class that sells its labor for wages

class consciousness

awareness of ones social class interests and shared experiences

max weber

a theorist who argued that society is more complex than conflict between economic classes alone

weberian conflict theory

a perspective that examines power through class, bureaucracy, social institutions, and rationality

bureaucracy

an organization with rules, hierarchy, and specialized roles that can help preserve power

rationality

the increasing use of rules, calculation, and effciency, which can privilege those in power

critical race theory

examines race, racism and power to help end racial oppression

feminist theory

examines gender inequality and unequal power relations

queer theory

examines how sexual categories are socially constructed

structural functionalism

a perspective that views society as interconnected parts working together to maintain stability.

key idea of structural functionalism

every social institution serves a function or meets a need in society

emily durkheim

a sociologist who viewed society as a whole made up of necessary, interconnected parts

collective conscience

shared beliefs and values that people internalize and that help maintain social order

symbolic interactionism

a perspective that studies how people create and interpret meanings through everyday interactions

key idea of symbolic interactionism

people act toward people and things based on the meanings they assign to them

socially constructed meaning

meaning created and negotiated through interactions with others

symbols

things such as language, words, and gestures that communicate shared meanings

human agency

peoples ability to make choices and take action

george herbert mead

a thinker whose work helped establish symbolic interactionism

herbert blumer

a sociologist who developed symbolic interactionism

conflict perspective

examines power, resource distribution, inequality, and who benefits or suffers from the status quo

functionalist perspective

views society as an interconnected system that works to maintain stability

interactionist perspective

studies everyday interactions at the micro level to understand society.