SOCIOLOGY 1101 EXAM 3 STUDY GUIDE EDUCATION Social Institutions Social institution o Organized social structures that direct the essential tasks of living to meet basic social needs Family Education Religion Politics Economy Medicine Heath Care What role does higher education play in a democratic capitalist Higher Education society History of Education in U S The industrial revolution was an important influence on modern educational systems As education at first emphasized specialized work related skills but gradually expanded to include more generalist abstract learning like math science literature and critical thinking Education at all levels particularly college is being pressured to revert back to a more skills bases education and away from broader education that teaches students critical thinking and how to learn new information Functionalism Functions of Education Education o Social institution through which society provides its members with important knowledge including basic facts analytic skills job skills and cultural norms and values SOCIOLOGY 1101 EXAM 3 STUDY GUIDE The main function of school are to educate students overt curriculum Latent functions o Socialization hidden curriculum child care promoting marriage college social integration cultural innovation universities Conflict Theory View of Education Social reproduction across generations Tracking plans Intention o Educational system can replicate systems of inequality o Dividing students into groups according to ability or future Tailor a student s educational experience to his or her particular goals Frequent consequence Reinforced and perpetuated stratification o Self fulfilling prophecy Pygmalion effect Behavior is modified to meet preexisting expectations o Tracking and Inequality Low SES and minority students less likely to be tracked into advanced classes than high SES Most qualified teachers assigned to advanced classes Lower Tracks More emphasis on behavior obedience than critical thinking and independent learning School funding and Savage Inequalities Schools in more affluent areas offer better schooling than poor communities SOCIOLOGY 1101 EXAM 3 STUDY GUIDE How schools are funded in the U S o Mainly state and local funds not federal o Property taxes o Creates inequality Answers o State equalize funding o Vouchers EdChoice Ohio The family and Educational Inequality Coleman report o The family and SES matters more than school environment funding to academic success Family educational resources money help with homework Family Cultural Capital o Cultural resources associated with social class parental involvement and interaction with schools verbal ability breadth of experience with the world Doug Downey s research on summer vs school year academic skill acquisition Neighborhood Poverty Crime and Education The American Life Harper High in Chicago It is difficult for even well funded high quality schools with committed staff to overcome the consequences of urban poverty and the social disorganization and crime that accompanies it School resources themselves are not panacea for socioeconomic and educational inequality but it would likely be much worse if not for schools Doug Downey s research on summer vs school year SES achievement gaps RELIGION SOCIOLOGY 1101 EXAM 3 STUDY GUIDE Sociological Perspectives on Religion Religion o A cultural system of beliefs symbols and ritual practices about the sacred that provides a sense of purpose Sociologists don t focus on whether religious beliefs are true or not Sociologist see religion as a part of culture and argue that diversity of religious beliefs around the world shows how religion is a social construction Focus on social organization of religion Influence of social forces and change on religious belief and participation Functionalist Perspective on Religion Durkheim o Religion provides social solidarity unifies groups by bringing people together to reaffirm their common beliefs and values Sacred Profane o Something that inspires awe or reverence o Everyday mundane things Conflict Perspective on Religion Religion reinforces and exacerbates inequality Religion creates alienation attributing human abilities values and norms to divine forces or gods Religion as the opium of the people Marx o Delay rewards happiness to next life Sexism racism heterosexuality SOCIOLOGY 1101 EXAM 3 STUDY GUIDE But it can also be an agent of social change liberation theology see text definition Religion in the Modern U S Secularism Secularism o General decline in influence of religion in favor of a rational scientific orientation o Separation of church and state but many exceptions o Religious attendance and affiliation declining those with no religious belief increasing 20 o But high level of religiosity compared to other countries Pluralism and Religious Economy Pluralism o More than 280 denomination in the U S encourages high participation something for everyone Does this undermine legitimacy of religion Religious Economy o Theoretical framework that argues that religion consists of organizations in competition with one another for followers o Each group tries harder to win followers Evidence Evidence that some people shop around for the brand of faith that suits them Nearly 1 3 of Americans change religious affiliation and nearly 1 3 of those do so more than once Evidence of marketing religion More secular activities and pop culture Quick convenience worship services Mega churches More practical that spiritual Biblezines messages Important U S trends in affiliation since 1990 SOCIOLOGY 1101 EXAM 3 STUDY GUIDE Increase in conservative Protestants but decline in other protestants Growth in Catholics but much disagreement with core teaching of the hierarchy Huge growth in Unaffiliated Atheist Agnostic POWER AND AUTHORITY Power and Authority Power o The ability to achieve aims or further interests even in the face of resistance At the social level it is exercised through the state political system and the economy Authority o The legitimate use of power VERSUS Coercion force SOCIOLOGY 1101 EXAM 3 STUDY GUIDE The economy Economy o The social institution that organizes a society s production distribution and consumption of goods and services o Two general economic models on a continuum Capitalism Socialism o No nation in the world is completely one or the other Socialism Natural resources and the means of producing goods and services are collectively owned Three opposite features to