Meme Project
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topics.docxWeek 1 - The Sociological Perspective
Week 1 - The Sociological Perspective
Chapter 1 introduces you to the scientific and systematic study of society, which we call sociology. Sociologists use the "sociological imagination" to consider how outside forces shape our lives. By using the sociological imagination, sociologists are able to "see" society from a different perspective that serves as a framework for thinking about, describing, and explaining how society is organized and how that organization affects our interactions.
The sociological imagination is not your opinion. The sociological perspective is not as well. Both are informed by your observations of society and by testing those observations using the scientific method. When you respond to your short answer assignments, you need to make sure to utilize the concepts you read about in the chapter. That is the point of the questions: to assess your ability to apply what you have read.
Chapter 5 introduces you to the process that helps us make sense of the world. We call this the social construction of reality. The meanings we attach to the "things" in our society becomes real and we act accordingly as a result.
Week 2 - Culture and Socialization
Week 2 - Culture and Socialization
Week 2 is all about how we come to be and know how to be in society. The family plays an important role in teaching us about culture as well as socializing us how to behave in the society in which we live.
Chapter 2 explains the sociological view of culture which can be easily defined as the way of life of a people. However, explaining culture is much more complicated than that short definition, as described in the chapter. Because of the various meanings the term culture, there are challenges to defining a culture’s boundaries. Culture consists of two components: material and nonmaterial. Cultural diversity captures the cultural variety that exists among people. We have varying reactions to foreign cultures when we are exposed to them. Being exposed to other cultures can highlight the fact that many of the items and ideas we take for granted in our daily lives originated in foreign settings.
Chapter 3 describes the concepts of nature and nurture and how they have a significant role in our physical and social development. The social development is called socialization, which is an interactive process that prepares us to live with others in a society. This process begins when we are young. Primary and secondary agents of socialization shape our behavior, thinking, and social identities.
Chapter 11 describes and explains the importance of the family as a social institution that binds people together through blood, marriage, law, and/or social norms. Because social norms change, and the larger social context influences the structure of family, defining it and what being part of a family means is challenging. For example, the economy shapes relationships among family members, but especially between men and women.
Week 3 is all about social structures and their impact on our lives.
Chapter 4 introduces you to social structures, which are the invisible systems and institutions that coordinate our activities in predictable ways while meeting our needs. Social structures shape people’s sense of themselves and their relationships and opportunities to connect to others. The core institutions are the family, education, economy/work, religion, government, and medicine. When sociologists study an institution, we are interested in the social structure that supports the institution and the statuses and roles of the individuals and groups affected.
Chapter 10 explains how economics and politics affect social life as core institutions. Economic systems coordinate our activity to produce, distribute, and consume goods and services. Political systems distribute power over resources and decision-making. Power is the likelihood that an individual can achieve his or her will, even against opposition.
Chapter 12 continues the explanation of two more core social institutions: education and religion. When sociologists study education, we focus on the way we learn specific skills and information; and, how formal and hidden curriculum convey shared meanings and work to maintain order and stability in society. Religion has essential functions that shape behavior and belief systems about how the world operates. When sociologists study religion as a social institution, we don’t study the existence of God or place a value judgement on any religious form or practice. We investigate the social aspects of religion and the ways it is intertwined with economic and political issues.
Week 4 - Deviance and Social Change
Week 4 - Deviance and Social Change
Chapter 6 introduced us to deviance and the role it has in society as a form of social control. Will we deviate or conform? Deviance is not about the behavior itself but whether someone notices the “different” behavior and responds to it. When sociologists study deviance, we don’t just look at the individuals. We also look at the context and the conditions that are involved in calling something deviant. To understand the context, sociologists use theories such as labeling theory, structural strain, and stigma to describe how one chooses to deviate from the social norm.It is important to note that some behaviors that were once thought to be deviant are now considered "normal." This occurs as a result of social change.
Chapter 13 explains how sociologists study social change. By asking specific questions such as: What has changed? What triggered the change? Who benefits from the change? and What are the consequences of the change? we can describe the ways in which society has changed and is changing. Some changes occur as a result of innovation, conflict, globalization, and social movements. There are three current specific areas of social change that your textbook examines: the aging of the world’s population, the environment, and healthcare.
Chapter 7 describes social inequality, which contributes to many of the contexts and conditions that can cause an individual to commit a crime. Sociologists describe a person’s status in a system of social stratification in terms of social class and their ability to access opportunities and resources. Four theories are used to explain inequality and how it operates in daily life: functionalism, conflict, symbolic interaction, and feminism.
Chapter 8 describes the difference between race and ethnicity. Sociologists define race as a social construct, meaning that humans created the categories that we use to classify people based on physical traits such as hair texture and skin shade. These categories have major social, economic, and political significance in our lived experience. Ethnicity describes a group of people who share a national origin, common ancestry, a place of birth, or distinctive cultural traits. Ethnicity assumes social and personal significance. Race as well as ethnicity is a product of chance, choice, and context. Racism, which is a set of beliefs that use biological factors to explain and justify differences and inequalities between racial and ethnic groups relies on flawed logic. The chapter explains four theoretical perspectives to help us think about the meaning and purpose of racial classification.
Chapter 9 explains the difference between sex and gender. Sex is the biological distinction based on the presence of a vagina or penis. Gender is the socially created and learned behavior that describes how males and females are to behave. Sex and gender expectations affect our lives’ choices and chances. When sociologists study inequality between males, females, and trans folks, we seek to identify the social factors that put one gender at a disadvantage relative to another.
