PUBPOL 2250: Midterm Units 1 and 2

Society (collective)

collective but more than the sum of its parts

Society (interdependent)

interdependent but not necessarily harmonious

unwritten rules

cultural norms, customs, or behavioral constraints never explicitly stated

explicit rules

guidelines, laws, or instruction that have been clearly stated

objectivist definition

social problem is a harmful condition (racism, drug abuse)

subjectivist definition

conditions are social problems if people in a society think they are problems

social construction

how people assign meaning to the world through shared assumptions (race, sexuality)

“deep story”

feels emotionally true, feeds political identity, based on personal experiences

sociological imagination

examining “common sense” ideas, evaluating position in historical context, seeking misconceptions

social problems marketplace

ideas are contested and so are the problems we agree to address or ignore

rhetoric

persuading and appealing to values to ensure social problem is addressed

resources

power and status can affect who sets the social problem agenda

rhetoric of claims

grounds, warrants, conclusions

grounds

descriptive information and evidence about the troubling condition (pollution leads to 8 million deaths annually)

warrants

reasons something must be done (the gov’t has a duty to protect public health and prevent pollution)

conclusions

recommended changes, ideally based on a accurate understanding of what causes the problem (the gov’t must implement stricter emission controls on vehicles)

descriptive claim

what is the scale and scope of the problem? is it common or rare? do all people experience it similarly?

causal claim

what factors contribute to the problem? what are the historical roots of the problem? how does the problem affect others?

normative claims

what should be done about the problem? who’s deserving of help, and who should take responsibility? what is fair or just?

normative dilemmas

when a person faces conflicting moral duties and performing one action means violating another (three chidren and a flute)

welfare state perspective

focus on addressing insecurity, inequality, and instability of market capitalism through government interventions, programs, and top-down redistribution efforts

neoliberal perspective

focus on promoting individual agency by limiting the involvement of government except in ways that ensure healthy market conditions conducive to competition

Success Sequence

1. graduated from high school

2. work full-time

3. get married before having kids

Success Sequence potential confounders

racial discrimination, poor job market, economic downturn

social structure

the patterened set of constraints and opportunities that operate on multiple levels to shape social life

micro level

individual identities, behaviors, internalized beliefs

meso level

social settings or groups, like families, neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, religious communities

macro level

norms and institutions, like economic and political systems, school systems, ideologies, policy contexts, religious traditions

DIY Society

people are expected to solve their own problems, rather than count on the government to support them

targeted programs (means-tested)

provide assistance specifically to individuals or groups who meet defined critera, such as low income (SNAP, SSI)

universal programs

identical benefits or access to all residents within a jurisdiction, regardless of their income, wealth, or social status (Social Security, public K-12 education)

in-kind programs

delivers specifc goods or services directly to recipients (housing, SNAP)

cash programs

provides liquid money or digital currency directly to individuals to spend as they choose (SSI, TANF)

discretionary programs

not mandatory; Congress chooses to fund it each year through the annual appropriations process

entitlement programs

mandatory; spending required by existing permanent laws, must pay benefits to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria

Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act

replaced AFDC with TANF, created work requirements and limits on assistance

asymmetric change

women’s entrance to careers came more readily than changes in men’s role at home

gender roles

the roles prescribed to men and women by social norms and constraints

gendered division of labor

women are expected to do all the unpaid labor at home like cooking, cleaning, and childcare whereas men are supposed to work and provide for the family

sex

classifcation based on biological criteria

sex category

assumed biological category of an individual based on their social display and its conformance to sex classification

gender

system of social organization that assigns unequal status to men and women

social identity

group membership to a certain aspect of society (social, political, religious)

three big organizing social identities

race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, and class

social identity - class

capitalism, neoliberalism

social identity - race

racism, white supremacy

social identity - gender

sexism, patriarchy, heteronormativity

formal culture

beliefs, ritual practices, art forms, ceremonies

informal culture

language, gossip, stories, daily life

cultural toolkits

habits or skills that people navigate their place in the world

socialization

the social processes that bring people in line with the social structure (social norms, roles)

socialization reproduces gender

child development, reinforcing power hierarchies and providing a cultural schema

essentialism

belief that social categories (gender, race) possess and underlying aspect that defines everyone in the group

reification

the process by which socially constructed norms are treated as if they are fixed and biological

freedom from exploitation

not being forced to sacrifice for other things

individualism

worth of the individual is greater than that of the group

meritocracy

skill and effort and rewarded in society

meritocracy and inidividualism

people are responsible for their own economic conditions; prevents us from developing the social safety net

“doing gender”

concept that gender is not a fixed trait but an ongoing process reinforced through everyday social interactions

mars/venus myth

men and women possess fundamentally different psychological, biological, emotional systems; hardwired by nature

super mom myth

the idea that a mother should effortlessly balance a career, domestic labor, childrearing, and a polished appearance while always being emotionally stable and sacrificial

ideologies

systems of ideas and beliefs

Conversation One

narrow solutions proposed to eradicate problems that may be a manifestation of a bigger issue

Conversation Two

wider scope about what large-scale changes are needed

Key Elements of Housing Insecurity

affordability, credit, availability, residential instability, gentrification and displacement

Mechanisms of Housing Insecurity

social networks, landlords, real estate intermediaries

Role of Policy

public housing, housing voucher programs, tenant protections

Gentrification and Displacement

gentrification does not lead to direct displacement, evictions are typically the cause

internal validity

requires a logical and reliable study that supports claims with evidence

external validity

whether the claims generalize beyond the specific case being studied

cost burden

when housing costs take up a large share of someone’s income, leaving them unable to spend money on other necessities

redlining

practice where mortgages/loans are denied to residents of a specific neighborhood based on race

disinvestment

withdrawal of public or private capital from residential properties, public infrastructure, and specific neighborhoods

macrolevel housing factors

labor market conditions, residential segregation, housing supply, housing laws

mesolevel hosuing factors

Cleveland Municipal Housing Court, Cleveland Tenants Organization, Cleveland Building and Housing Dept.

microlevel housing factors

fear of landlord retaliation, administrative burden, legal cynicism

ostensive

expressed values and goals; whats on paperpe

performative

how tasks are actually performed and its social impact; what gaps emerge

unintended policy consequences

increased informal evictions, discriminatory screening, elevated rents and market divestment

Criminal Activity Nuisances Ordances (CANOs)

discourage criminal activity on private properties by penalizing owners who fail to reduce nuisances

proposed tenant behavior policy

reducing administrative burden, expanding access to information about tenant rights, proactive information about tenant financial assistance programs, legal counsel for tenants

proposed landlord behavior policy

mentor landlords on how to manage businesses effectively, educate landlords on legal responsibilities and “best practices” with certification programs

institutional and organization change

enforce codes proactively, reform CANOs, enforce anti-discrimination protections, improve housing voucher programs

theory of change

reflects causal claims about the sources of the problem

equity

which groups should be included, which method of distribution, how to balance interventionse

efficiency

use the least resources to produce the same objective

welfare

collective standard of well-being and the minimum resources necessary for individuals to participate fully in society

liberty

protecting and expanding personal freedom and individual autonomy

security

mitigating threat, managing systemic risk, and providing safety so people can live without fear