Social Theory and Society Exam Flashcards

A collection of key terms and concepts from Social Theory and Society, designed to aid in exam preparation.

Structural Functionalism

A paradigm in sociology that views society as a stable system.

Conflict Theory

A sociological theory focusing on power struggles that shape society.

Symbolic Interactionism

A sociological perspective that emphasizes everyday interactions.

Epistemology

The study of knowledge and how it is constructed.

Colonialism

A system where a powerful country establishes control over a less powerful one, impacting the colonized socially and mentally.

Mode of Production

The way goods are produced, including systems like feudalism and capitalism.

Forces of Production

The labor, tools, and technology used in creating goods.

Relations of Production

The social relationships in production, such as those between bourgeoisie and proletariat.

Capitalism

An economic system characterized by private ownership and the profit motive.

Surplus Value

The extra value produced by laborers that is appropriated by capitalists.

Labor Theory of Value

The idea that a product's value is determined by the labor invested in it.

Worldly Asceticism

Weber's term for a disciplined lifestyle that aided the rise of capitalism.

Verstehen

Weber’s concept of interpretive understanding in studying social behavior.

Talented Tenth

Du Bois's concept of an elite leadership class among Black individuals.

Psychological Wage

Du Bois's term referring to the emotional benefits white individuals derive from racism.

Neo-Colonialism

The practice of using economic, political, or cultural pressures to control countries, especially former colonies.

Intersectionality

A theoretical framework for understanding how various forms of identity and social oppression overlap.

Matix of Domination

Collins's concept explaining interlocking systems of power that shape oppression.

Genealogy

Foucault’s method for tracing the historical development of concepts.

Triple Oppression

A concept by Claudia Jones identifying the intersecting oppressions faced by Black women.

Social Myth of Black Business

The belief that Black businesses alone can resolve racial inequality.

Colonized Intellectuals

Fanon’s term for individuals from colonized backgrounds who adopt colonial perspectives.

Aristocracy/Peasantry

The social classes in feudal systems consisting of landowners and laborers.

Communism

A political and economic ideology advocating for a classless and stateless society.

Socialism

A transitional phase between capitalism and communism in which production is state-controlled.

Bourgeoisie

The capitalist class who own the means of production.

Proletariat

The working class who sell their labor.

Use Value & Exchange Value

The utility of a product versus its value in trade.

Micro Systems

Local social systems that exist within a larger social context.

Core/Periphery/Semi-Periphery

Zones in the world-system that categorize regions based on wealth and exploitation.

Subjugated Knowledges

Foucault’s term for marginalized perspectives that challenge dominant knowledge.