Sociology Review Flashcards

Flashcards for reviewing lecture notes on poverty, family & education, state & work, religion & environment, migration & urbanization, social movements and foreign aid.

What is absolute poverty?

Not meeting the minimal requirements necessary to sustain a healthy existence; defined using a universal baseline.

What is relative poverty?

One's standard of living falls short of what is generally considered normal or acceptable in society; defined in comparison to other people's standing in society.

What are some individual explanations for poverty?

Cultural (lack of values/motivation), Biogenetic (low IQ), Human Capital (lack of knowledge/skills).

What are some structural explanations for poverty?

Deindustrialization, Automation, Globalization.

What is the Hypothesis of Persistent Inequalities?

The idea that educational systems tend to reproduce existing social inequalities over time, rather than eliminate them—even as access to education expands.

Name 4 functions of schooling.

Learning/Knowledge, Socialization/Assimilation, Credentialism, Hidden Curriculum

Define 'nation'.

People with a common identity that includes a shared culture, language, and feelings of belonging.

Define 'state'.

A political apparatus (government institutions plus civil service officials) ruling over a given territorial order, whose authority is backed by law and the ability to use force.

Why is the distinction between nation and state important?

States can exercise sovereignty, but nations on their own cannot. This impacts influence within political systems.

Give examples of nations without their own state.

Kurds, Palestinians, Romani, Indigenous nations, etc.

Give examples of states with sovereignty over more than one nation.

Colonial powers like the U.S. (e.g., Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa).

What is the difference between power and authority?

Power is the ability to carry out one’s will despite resistance, while authority refers to the right to exercise power.

What are the three types of legitimate authority?

Charismatic, traditional, and rational-legal.

What are Stephen Lukes' three dimensions of power?

One-dimensional (open conflict), Two-dimensional (suppressing conflict), Three-dimensional (influencing preferences).

Describe one-dimensional power.

The ability to get people to do something that you want through open conflict.

Describe two-dimensional power.

The ability to get what you want through suppressing conflict and limiting the scope of debate.

Describe three-dimensional power.

The ability to get what you want by influencing the preferences of others.

How does social, cultural, and economic capital influence an individual’s ability to exert power?

It can either increase their power or make them susceptible to having others' desires forced onto them.

Define 'bureaucracy'.

A legal-rational organization that governs with formal rules, roles, and emphasizes merit-based advancement.

List characteristics of bureaucracy.

Specialized roles/division of labor, hierarchy of authority, formal rules/regulations, technical competence/merit-based hiring, impersonality, written communication.

What are some disadvantages of bureaucracy?

Red tape/inflexibility, alienation, goal displacement, limited innovation, dehumanization.

What are the four schools of thought relating to the informal economy?

Dualists, Structuralists, Legalists, and Voluntarists

What do Dualists argue causes the rise of the informal economy?

Workers are excluded from the formal economy and move to the informal economy for work, lacking qualifications, for example.

What do Structuralists argue causes the rise of the informal economy?

Capitalist efforts reduce labor costs, avoid state regulations, and the changing availability of jobs (due to offshoring and outsourcing).

What do Legalists argue causes the rise of the informal economy?

Cumbersome government rules, especially regarding the expenses of being formally recognized.

What do Voluntarists argue causes the rise of the informal economy?

Individuals make informed decisions to participate in the informal economy because of its potential benefits compared to the formal economy.

What policies do Dualists suggest in response to the informal economy?

The government should bring informal workers and firms into the formal economy by creating more formal jobs and providing development services to informal firms.

What policies do Structuralists suggest in response to the informal economy?

The government should regulate employment relations to diminish the difference in the power/influence of businesses versus their workers.

What policies do Legalists suggest in response to the informal economy?

The government should lower legal costs and simplify bureaucratic procedures to encourage informal firms to enter the formal economy.

What policies do Voluntarists suggest in response to the informal economy?

The government should bring informal firms into the formal economy to reduce unfair competition between formal and informal companies.

What are some examples of links between the formal and informal economies?

Day laborers for construction, individuals involved in both formal and informal work.

Which three theorists' approaches to religion were discussed in the lecture?

Durkheim, Weber, & Marx.

How did Durkheim define religion?

A unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things where there is a separation between the sacred and the profane.

List some of the functions of religion Durkheim demonstrated.

Social cohesion, collective conscience, reinforce group identity, sense of meaning.

What major socio-historical development did Weber connect to what he called the Protestant ethic?

The development of capitalism in Europe.

What functions of religion does Marx invoke to demonstrate how religion serves to perpetuate class inequality?

Religion legitimizes social stratification and inequality (linking social positions to a sacred order) and encourages the poor to accept inequality.

What did Marx mean when he described religion as the "opium of the people"?

Religion dulls the pain of socioeconomic oppression.

What does 'secularization' refer to?

A general decrease in the religiosity of a society.

What were the two main theories in environmental sociology discussed in lecture?

Ecological Modernization and the Treadmill of Production.

How would you describe ecological modernization theory?

Environmental protection can be achieved through technological innovation and institutional reform within capitalist systems

How would you describe the treadmill of production theory?

Environmental degradation is a result of continuous economic growth driven by capitalist systems.

What social factors do environmental justice scholars look at to analyze the distribution of environmental dangers and protections?

Race, class, and gender.

Which communities typically bear the brunt of environmental dangers in the United States?

People of color and those living in poverty.

Are environmental justice movements typically grassroots or large-scale?

Typically grassroots movements.

How would you describe sustainable development?

Meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, by balancing economic, social, and environmental considerations.

What is the push-pull model of migration?

Migration results from a combination of negative conditions that push people from their home country and positive conditions that pull them to a new one

What is the historical-structural theory of migration?

Migration is shaped by historical and global economic structures creating inequality between countries

What is the dual labor market theory of migration?

Migration is driven by structural demand for low-wage labor in developed countries

What is the new economics of labor migration?

Migration is a household strategy to manage risk and secure income through remittances

How would you describe remittances?

A private international monetary transfer that migrants make, individually or collectively

What are the key indicators of global cities?

Economics, human capital, quality of life, environment, governance

What are informal settlements?

Residential areas where housing has been constructed without official approval, often lacking legal land tenure, basic infrastructure, and access to essential services such as water, sanitation, and electricity.

What are slums?

A household or group of individuals living under the same roof in an urban area who lack one or more of the following: Housing; Space; Water; Sanitation; Security

What are the two descriptive theories of collective action discussed in lecture?

Crowd Collective Action and Mass Collective Action

Describe Crowd Collective Action.

Spontaneous action carried out by a group that is physically near to each other; highly emotive

Describe Mass Collective Action.

Pre-planned and organized action where participants are not necessarily physically proximate

What are the three explanatory theories of collective action discussed in lecture?

Convergence Theory, Contagion Theory, and Emergent Norm Theory

Describe Convergence Theory.

Collective action happens when people with similar ideas and tendencies gather in the same place

Describe Contagion Theory.

Collective action arises because of people's tendency to conform to the behavior of others with whom they are in close contact; group behaviors are contagious

Describe Emergent Norm Theory.

Emphasizes the influence of “keynoters” in promoting new behavioral norms; Keynoters are not necessarily a group’s pre-determined leaders, but the individuals whose actions become the behaviors copied by the rest of the group

How would you describe Social Movements?

Collective behavior that is purposeful and organized and that seeks to challenge or change one or more aspects of society through institutionalized and extra-institutional means

What are the three main elements of social movements?

Campaign, repertoire, and WUNC displays

What are the three core framing tasks discussed in lecture, and what do they seek to demonstrate to bystanders?

Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Motivational

What does the Diagnostic Frame seek to do?

Clearly present the issue at hand to bystanders and answer the question “What is the problem?”

What does the Prognostic Frame seek to do?

Bring supporters in line with the movement’s means and goal and answer the question “How can we solve the problem?”

What does the Motivational Frame seek to do?

Motivate people to take action and answer the question “What action should we take?”

What are the constraints that frames must meet?

Empirical Credibility, Narrative Fidelity, and Experiential Commensurability

Define Empirical Credibility.

Frames must be consistent with existing evidence

Define Narrative Fidelity.

Frames must resonate with society’s values

Define Experiential Commensurability.

Frames must match with everyday, first-hand experiences

What is foreign aid?

The voluntary transfer of public resources from a government to another independent government, NGO, or international organization, with at least a 25 percent grant element, and given to better the human condition in the receiving country.