Soc 100 Terry McGinn Exam 3

Assertions about research made by Babbie

-important to gain empirical data this data is observed and can't be seen as just numbers, ---value of research

Assertions about research made by Best

-don't trust statistics 100%-always be skeptical about statistics

Positivism

the application of the scientific approach to the social world

-"objective"; uncovering natural laws

Verstehen

"subjective"; understanding the experience of the participants

Important dates in the history of Sociological Research

-1850: Martineau-descriptive ("empirically grounded, narratively vivid")

-1900: Quantitative: Durkheim, Du Bois

-1930: Chicago, participant/observer

-1950: Statistics

-1975: Combinations and secondary analyses

Quantitative vs Qualitative

quantitative- information that can be measured and written down with numbers

qualitative- information that cannot be measured

Examples of quantitative research

surveys and experiments

surveys:

-quality depends on having right people, right questions

-can describe or explain or both

-what they do well...(size)

-what they do poorly...(depth)

examples of qualitative research

ethnography (participant observer):

-roots in anthropology

-limits:

*hard to repeat precisely

*may not be representative

*The researcher's focus is selective

*researcher may "go native"

other examples: life history/oral story, case study

examples of where and why sociological research is used

1. Public Sector (government): to understand social problems and formulate policy

2. Private Sector (business): To understand groups for better marketing and public relations

3. Education Sector (research U's): to advance knowledge

4. Non-profit Sector (NGOs): to improve society

Activism

an intentional effort to make change

-comes from theory and research which go hand-in-hand (3-point triangle)

-one type of "collective behavior"

Praxis

-what Marx calls activism

-the application of theory to practical action in an effort to improve aspects of society

Physical world activism

Consciousness Raising

Community Building

Lobbying

Media activism

Propaganda

Economic Activism (Boycott, Divestment)

Protest

Strike Action

Non-Violent Confrontation

Violent Confrontation

Revolution

(least aggressive to most aggressive)

Milbrath's Hierarchy

Spectator activities, transitional activities, and gladiator activities

Spectator Activities

the lowest level of political activism in Milbrath's typology:

- include voting

-wearing a campaign button

- displaying a political bumper sticker

-initiating a political discussion

-attempting to convince others

Transitional Activities

the mid-range of political activism in Milbrath's typology:

- writing to public officials

-making campaign contributions and attending rallies or political meetings

Gladiator Activities

the highest level of political activism in Milbrath's typology:

-working on a political campaign

- taking an active role in a political party

-running for public office

-soliciting political funds

Milbrath adapted to digital activism

Digital Spectator activities:

-Clicktivism

-Metavoicing

-Assertion

Digital Transitional Activities:

-Political consumerism

-Digital petitions

-Botivism

-E-funding

Digital Gladiator activities:

-data activism

-exposure

-hacktivism

Social movement

an organized group that acts with continuity and coordination to promote or resist change in society

Types of Social Movements (Aberle)

-Alternative

-Redemptive

-Reform

-Revolutionary

Alternative

change some people's behavior in a specific way

Redemptive

personal transformation movements-hipper, new age, religions

Reform

social change movements-environmental, civil rights movement

Revolutionary

completely change society- reactionary movements, e.g. Ayran Nation

Resource Mobilization Theory (don't need to know what it is)

Mayer Zald (U/M)

-explores how movements "gain momentum by successfully garnering resources, competing with other movements, and mobilizing their available resources".

Key social movement theories

-Mass Society theory: non-elite individuals most likely to take extreme action against elites

-Relative Deprivation Theory: ppl will join social movements to obtain things that they feel they are being deprived of that are considered essential in their society

- New Social Movement Theory: stresses cultural factors rather than structural factors (importance of meaning systems in mobilizing action; how new identities are formed within social movements)

Addams

-1860-1935

-social activist; founded Hull-House (founded 1899)

-founded "Chicago Women's School of Sociology"

-Became the most prominent woman in America

-hands-on activist (working with the poor of Chicago, especially immigrants and women)

Democracy and Social Ethics (1902)

-Jane Addams

America must raise our moral concerns from the personal level to the social (ethics). This requires a better understanding of others' experiences: sociology can help.

Our ethics are reflected in the way we provide for the disadvantaged. We need to improve in this area.

Economic deprivation in childhood skews the individual's perspective.

Our current mode of government is intended to enforce individual compliance with 18th century ideals. Instead, we need to examine the social factors that produce deviance.

Alinsky

1909-1972, organized Chicago neighborhoods for political action, as well as stockholders.

Rules for Radicals

-Saul Alinsky

-the most effective means are whatever will achieve the desired ends

-create mass organizations to seize power

-take hot, impulsive passions and turn them to calculated, purposeful, effective actions

-use power for a more equitable distribution of the means of life

-the core truth of the activist: ppl have the power to act and will ultimately reach the right decisions

-all other truths are relative and changing

the world in an arena of power politics moved primarily by self-interest

Addams & Alinsky Key Difference

Alinsky way more radical

Sociologist/activist that's a balance between Addams and Alinsky (per Terry)

Martin Luter King, Jr

-non-violent confrontation

key trend in US economy over the past 30 years (Stiglitz)

For the past 30 years, we have been growing apart to worst level since the Great Depression

trickle down economic theory

-investing in the upper class causes them to increase business and create benefits/jobs for lower classes

-Stiglitz DISAGREES

Key ideas about US economic inequality

1. in the last few decades, the rich have gotten richer at a much faster rate than anyone else

2. The black-white income gap in the U.S. has persisted over time

3. Majority of Americans know economic inequality is a problem

role of education in opportunity for Americans

-education does help to provide opportunity but the rich get a better education

-wealthy kids without degrees still do better than poor kids with degrees

Gini Coefficient

Everyone's income is =0. One person gets all the money =1.

-Below 0.3 is good; above 0.5 is bad

-current US coefficient=0.41

most important factor for women in analyzing income differences

Mainly due to industry and occupation, accounting for 51%, but also experience and other discrimination (other 40%)

most important factor for African Americans in analyzing income differences

Mainly due to education and workforce experience (52%)

Effect of sexuality on pay

1. Gay and bisexual women: earn approximately the same as other women

2. Gay men: earn 10-32% less than similarly qualified heterosexual men

3. Transgender women: earnings fell by 30%

4. Transgender men: earnings rose slightly

How does Stiglitz blame US economics inequality on societies response to market-based inequalities

our society and government COULD work to reduce the inequalities that result from market forces. BUT instead...

- We have taken away power from the unions, which work to protect workers

- Taxes have been reduced for the rich, especially capital gains taxes. As a result, the rich pay a lower percent of taxes on new wealth than average citizens

- Corporate taxes as a percentage of GDP have decreased

- "Expenditure programs" have not been increased to help the poor; they are being decreased

The CATEGORIES of action Stiglitz would take to reduce US economic inequality

-Curb excess at the top

-help the rest (99%)

-Political reform

Economic reform: Curb excess at the top

- Level the playing field: Curb the financial sector (banks), strengthen anti-monopoly laws, improve corporate governance, make bankruptcy laws easier on borrowers, end government giveaways, end corporate welfare, reduce lobbying

- Tax reform

Economic reform: Help the Rest

-improve access to education

-provide savings incentives (e.g. assistance in purchasing homes)

-healthcare for all

-strengthen other programs that help those out of work or in poverty

Economic Reform: Political Reform

-Campaign finance reform

-Require voting

-Make registration/voting easier

-Reduce gerrymandering

Two scenarios that Stiglitz describes as the alternative futures of the US

1. Reform: moving closer to "Liberty & Justice for all"

-the 99% will realize they have been duped, OR

-the 1% will realize that reform benefits them too

2. Current trend worsens

-dual economy

-possible popular violence

Frequently used measures of health (US)

- Amenable Mortality

- Life Expectancy at Birth

- Infant mortality

- Heart disease

US last among developed nations

Structural Inequalities

The systematic disadvantage of one social group over another (racism, sexism, etc)

Social Determinants of Health

Conditions in social environments that affect health risks, health outcomes, and quality of life outcomes

connection between structural inequities and social determinants

Structural inequities use policy, law, and cultural norms to sort people...into social environments that are rich or poor in the social determinants of health

3 current examples of government provided health care in the US

-Medicaid

-Medicare

-Tricare

Factors that contribute to unequal distribution of healthcare

-imbalance of primary care and specialist physicians

-health insurance attached to employment

-unequal distribution by identity groups and region

Key issues that contribute to high cost of US healthcare.

The soaring cost of hospital care and the rise in fees for the services of physicians

8 practices that experts say would improve and help reduce US healthcare cost

1. emphasize primary care

2. stick to what works ("standard of care")

3. emphasize prevention

4. IM efficiencies through IT

5. manage chronic disease

6. import/negotiate for cheaper drugs

7. pay providers less

8. consumer-directed health care

What were the key provisions of the Massachusetts Plan?

private-market based; all must have coverage; employers must help; "broker" agencies will help match people to plans, government will subsidize the poor in purchasing health care

What did Obamacare (Affordable Care Act) try to do for the whole US BEYOND what the Massachusetts plan provided in its state?

strengthen the healthcare workforce

what did Pres.Trump and Pres. Biden do with ACA? What was uninsured rate before ACA? Now?

-Obamacare wounded during Trump: uninsured rate rose to 12%

-Biden brought uninsured rate down to 7-8%

-before ACA, uninsured rate around 16%, now about 8%

Explanation of how a single payer system differs from the current US system and from the English system

-single payer=Canadian system =proposed US "Medicare for All": Hospital/Doctor bills first go to government, which pays basic coverage for everyone. Unpaid balance returned to patient

-England: government owns almost the entire healthcare system (70-80 mins on avg. to be seen)

-US: 145 mins avg. to be seen

Differences between migrant-sending and migrant-receiving nations (per Michele Wucker)

-migrant-sending: developing nations who export workers, hoping they all send money home. offering these migrant dual citizenship is one way to retain their loyalty

-migrant-receiving: developed nations with older populations who need to fill their work force and tax base. offering these migrants voting rights is one way to reward their participation

Law of soil

If you're born in the U.S you are automatically a citizen

Law of blood

Born to qualified parents

Major US policies about immigration from 1882-1986

-Chinese exclusion act (1882): targeted Chinese individuals (effectively ended all Chinese immigration for more than 60 years)

-National Origin System (1921): targeted Southern European individuals (reduced overall immigration and significantly reduced likely immigration from Greece and Italy)

-Immigration and Nationality Act/ Hart-Cellar Act (1965): targeted individuals from the Western Hemisphere and the less skilled (facilitated entry of skilled workers and relatives of US residents)

-Immigration Reform and Control Act (1986): targeted illegal immigrants (modest reduction of illegal immigration)

Percentage of the US population that is currently foreign born

Approximately 15% of the population is foreign-born which is not much higher than it was in 1850 and is no greater than it was in 1900

Region with the highest percentage of foreign-born Americans

Mexico

Region with the highest percentage of new immigrants to the US

China

Chain immigration

When one family member becomes an initial immigrant, then petitions for their family members to become immigrants, then these members can sponsor more family members (chain)

-immigrants move based on stories from relatives and friends who have gone ahead

nativism

discrimination against the foreign-born

xenophobia

fear of strangers and foreigners

Sinophobia

Fear of Chinese, Chinese culture.

islamophobia

dislike of or prejudice against Islam or Muslims, especially as a political force.

acculturation

acquire language and cultural fluency, but retain key elements of the immigrants' culture

two approaches/goals of intransigent nativism

Attempts to exclude (immigration laws) or force assimilation (attempts to Americanize as quickly as possible)

-self-defeating policies (e.g., border crossing becomes permanent because seasonal migration is made so difficult)

Zeke Hernandez's argument on why immigration is a plus

-immigration produces investments which creates jobs

-skilled immigrants contribute to innovation

-the short-term costs of welcoming newcomers are an investment more than pays for itself

-newcomers w/ less education make it possible for natives to upgrade skills and get better jobs

-preserving, rather an abandoning, their culture helps immigrants assimilate and strengthens our culture

-the real national security and crime problems arise from keeping immigrants out

-there are scientific ways to overcome our psychological difficulties welcoming newcomers

-there are ways to fix our immigration system

3 major issues about immigration that are addressed in recent legislative attempts and presidential actions

1. Find ways to regularize undocumented immigrants: adults and children

2. Improve current system for legal immigration: help temporary worker flow

3. Enforcement: workplace and border security

-Enforcement (3) was emphasized heavily by Pres. Trump

-Legalizing the undocumented (1) was emphasized heavily by Pres. Biden

Currently under Trump:

-mass deportations

-using the military for immigration

-workplace raids

-expanding the wall

-returning to the "Remain in Mexico" policy for asylees

-more border patrol agents

-ending birthright citizenship

-ideological screenings for immigrants (Muslim countries)

DACA (deferred action for childhood arrivals) and its current status

The policy by the US Department of Homeland Security that allows young immigrants who do not have lawful immigration status, but came to the US as children, to remain in the US without fear of deportation.

-it is still in court, but for not DACA-approved can stay and work

Zeke Hernandez's key proposals for fixing the system

1. see immigration as economically and socially positive

2. increase the legal flow of immigration

3. especially increase numbers related to US economic needs (but not narrow skill-based)

4. Continually update the system

Key proposals of other experts

-be pro-immigration: it's an economic plus

-the problem isn't lack of solutions: it's political dysfunction in adopting the solutions

-Focus effort on creating easier ways for immigrants to be legal on a temporary basis

-focus effort on creating legal pathways to permanent residence and citizenship