SOCY 122 Winter Midterm

social stratification

a system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy

social mobility

the ability of individuals or groups to move within the social hierarchy

horizontal shift

position change that does not involve a change in rank

vertical shift

a movement up or down the social hierarchy that results in a change of rank

what does Weber’s theory of inequality involve?

stratification by classes, status groups, and parties

class

a group of individuals sharing similar economic positions, typically defined by their wealth, income, and occupation

what are classes stratified by?

paper

status groups

collective group with varying degrees of social honour

what are status groups stratified by?

prestige

parties

an organized group seeking to gain power or influence

what are parties stratified by?

power

what does Bourdieu’s theory of inequality involve?

4 forms of capital

cultural capital

the things you have & the things you know

social capital

the networks and social relationships that you have

economic capital

the financial resources and assets you possess

symbolic capital

the ability to recognize the other 3 forms of capital

sex

anatomical and chromosomal characteristics that separate males & females

gender

behavioural and psychological characteristics that correspond to one’s sex

Richard Udry

argues that gender is rooted in biology, supports the biosocial model

Margaret Mead

believe that gender must be socially constructed as it changes from society to society

Arapesh

a cultural group studies by Margaret Mead, gentle and nurturing behaviours regardless of gender

Mundugumor

a cultural group studied by Margaret Mead, aggressive/strong behaviours regardless of gender

Tchambuli

a cultural group studied by Margaret Mead, men are gentle & women are aggressive/strong

Emily Martin

looked at medical perspectives of sex (egg thought of as passive, sperm thought of as strong), interrupts the idea that nature —> nurture

West & Zimmerman

argues that gender is something we “do”

doing gender

we are held socially accountable for the way we choose to present ourselves, and will be called out if it doesn’t align with our sex

sex category

claim to membership of a given sex (proxy for seeing genitals)

Barbara Risman

believes that gender is a social structure, not just an interaction

individual level

how we internalize our identities

interactional level

performing expectations, parental gender roles, judging others

institutional level

legal regulations (wage gap/washroom debate)

Cecelia Ridgeway

argues that sex and gender are primary categories of framing social relations (first we frame gender, then we base interactions around it)

compulsory heterosexuality

the idea that heterosexuality is normal, and people must conform

heteronormativity

cultural ideal that heterosexuality is the appropriate standard for sexuality, everything else is deviant

homonormativity

divides sexual minorities hierarchically according to race, gender, class etc

Gayle Rubin

uses the charmed circle, and advocates for sexual pluralism

the charmed circle

defines good/bad sex

sexual essentialism

having sex is a natural force and is essential to human society

Adrienne Rich

interested in the way that compulsory heterosexuality is a political institution that attempts to hinder lesbian existence

hegemonic masculinity

unquestioned gender practices that solidify the patriarchy (idea that men should dominate over women)

subordinate masculinity

opposition of masculinity, men who act/present with feminine qualities

complicit masculinities

men who aren’t actively adding to the patriarchy, but are gaining from it

patriarchal dividend

receiving privileges from the patriarchy

marginalized masculinity

men of differing privileges don’t receive the same patriarchal benefits as white/cis men

Michael Messner

research on boys in organized sport (found that roughness/toughness is actually fear, anxiety, and sadness disguised)

fag discourse

defined by CJ Pascoe

idea that gendered homophobia is instilled in boys, causing them to distance themselves from their idea of what being gay looks like

Eduardo Bonilla Silva

calls colour blind racism the new racism

abstract liberalism

assumes everyone has equal opportunity

naturalization

justifying racist behaviours as natural

cultural racism

cultural based arguments that justify inequality

minimization of racism

suggests that discrimination no longer affects minority life chances

Bell & Hartman

diversity is used to hide structural inequality and oppression

Peggy McIntosh

talks about white privilege

white people wear an invisible knapsack (of unearned advantages)

Robin DiAngelo

talks about white fragility

white fragility

idea that white people’s negative reaction to any from of racism is triggered by discomfort, but rooted in racism

biomedical model of health

• looks at disease as a breakdown within the human body that diverts from normal state of being

• treats the mind and body as separate

• trained medical specialists are the only experts in the treatment of disease

individual model of disability

focus on personal tragedy, looks as disability as an individual problem

social model of disability

looks at disability as a structural problem that needs to be addressed

difference between impairment and disability

• impairment - about a body’s function

• disability - the disadvantage/restriction of people with impairments

global stratification

global system of ranking countries hierarchically

GDP

all the goods & services produced by a country’s economy in a year

GDI

income earned by individuals/corporations

absolute poverty

lack of resources, leading to hunger/deprivation

relative poverty

deficiency in resources when compared to some other population

modernization theory

all countries can & should pass from traditional forms of social organization to post-industrialization

dependency theory

modernization theory will never happen because industrialized countries will continue to exploit developing countries for own gain (this leaves developing countries constantly dependent)

development

process through which countries go from being underdeveloped to developed

Arturo Escobar

• looks at poverty as a paradox

• poor countries are rich in natural resources which is what richer countries use to exploit them

Bretton Woods Agreement

post WWII countries formed an agreement to increase trade in order to promote economic growth

what are the 3 main concerns regarding the environment?

1. air pollution

2. water pollution

3. global warming

Pellow & Brehm

1. human and non-human natures are highly linked

2. attention to the role that power and social inequality play in shaping interaction between human and non-human natures

political economy

how political power dynamics impact environment

world systems

the world exists as a single socio-economic system made up of core, periphery, and semi-periphery regions

world polity

emphasis on how culture impacts the environment

environmental justice approach

• social justice & the idea that Indigeneity is a core issue/focus

• this idea is opposed by Indigenous people

decolonial perspective

way of thinking that critiques colonialism and seeks to create more just and equitable societies