Sociology Exam 3 Study Guide Flashcards

This set of flashcards covers key terms and concepts from Sociology Exam 3, including definitions and significant theories.

Nation

People who share common language, identity, culture, and belonging within a bounded territory.

State

A political structure ruling over a given territorial order, backed by law and ability to use force.

Nation-states

Particular states where governments have sovereign power within defined territorial areas.

Sovereignty

The authority of a state to govern itself without external interference.

Political Independence

Right to make laws, policies, and decisions.

Territorial integrity

Control over a defined geographic area and the ability to defend a nation's borders.

Failed states

States that have lost authority and retain power through deadly force.

Hobbes’ State of Nature

Before modern civil society, governance was done by the most powerful.

Hobbes' Social Contract

Agreement between government and citizens, with people giving up certain rights in exchange for protection.

Traditional Authority

Legitimacy of power based on custom or tradition (e.g. kings, queens, religious leaders).

Charismatic Authority

Legitimacy from the devotion of followers and a belief that a leader is special.

Rational Legal Authority

Power from occupying a legally defined position, abiding by time-honored processes like elections.

Monarchy

Government where a single person holds power, passing it down hereditarily.

Democracy

Citizens of a nation having an active role in political initiatives.

Direct democracy

The people directly vote on political initiatives.

Representative democracy

The people elect representatives to act in their best interests.

Autocracy

A singular person ruling with absolute power.

Totalitarianism

Extreme form of autocracy where the government controls every aspect of life and eliminates aggression.

Pluralism

A political system that consists of multiple differing groups, preventing a single group from dominating.

C. Wright Mills’ Power Elite Theory

Power is concentrated in the hands of a few white Anglo-Saxons.

Interest groups

Groups that fight for a certain cause to be recognized by the government.

Lobbying

Attempting to influence government officials to get certain policies recognized.

Revolving door

The practice of public officials or government employees becoming lobbyists after leaving public positions.

Two functions of the economy

Providing employment and goods.

Capitalism

Competitive market-based economic system to generate profit.

Industrialization

Systematic transformation from agricultural production to manufacturing, with efficient production.

Fordism

Mass production system including standardization and quicker assembly lines.

Taylorism

Scientific management of work maximizing efficiency by breaking production into simple jobs.

Post-Fordism Characteristics

Production made according to demand, with flexible and customizable goods.

Outsourcing

Business practice of producing materials in another part of the world.

Deindustrialization

Shift from manufacturing to services, with a decrease in manual labor and an increase in white-collar work.

Neoliberalization

Privatization of businesses and lack of government regulation, leading to lower business taxes.

Oligopoly

Dominance of a small number of firms in an industry, reducing innovation and increasing prices.

Automation

Production processes monitored by machines with minimal human supervision.

Knowledge economy

Society based on the production of knowledge rather than material goods.

Private contract

People consume private services offered by private companies.

Conspicuous consumption

Spending money to demonstrate social prestige by buying expensive items.

Role of education

Teaches skills that contribute to the economy and socializes students.

Assimilation

The process in which individuals adopt the dominant culture of a society.

Education funding

Most K-12 funding comes from property taxes, leading to inequalities in education quality.

Achievement gap

Disparity in academic performances of students, often due to social class.

Public policy and education

Refers to aspects such as vouchers and charter schools that impact education.

Standardized testing

Scores impacted by social class, where wealthier families typically perform better.

Higher education trends in the U.S.

More women attend college than men due to greater career benefits for educated women.

Student debt

Increasing levels of debt due to rising costs of tuition and easier access to loans.

Environmental justice

A movement for equal protection from environmental hazards and access to decision-making.

Climate injustice

Unequal impacts of climate change on marginalized populations.

Planned obsolescence

Goods strategically designed not to last, ensuring ongoing consumer purchases.

Mitigation

Strategies to reduce or prevent greenhouse gas emissions.

Adaptation

Adjusting systems and practices to minimize climate change's negative impacts.

Environmental racism

Disproportionate burden of environmental hazards faced by marginalized communities.