Test One Study GuideAgency/ Agents:- Individuals, but can also be groups and organizations.- Made more of a sum of individual economy, sociology existing outside society due tothe type of choices individuals will make. - Free will and determination: how much we do/choose is pre-shaped by our circumstances - In sociology we refer to “agency” and “structure”o Who are the agents?o What makes the “structure” of societyAgents- Makes change in society, takes action- The freedom individuals have to choose and to act. Social/ Structure- Law, economy, social norms- Consists of a series of predictable relationships composed of various positions people occupy; made up of: Institutions  Statuses Social roles Groups,  Social networks Virtual worlds Global Structure- Enduring institutions: economy, education, family, government, and religiono How does social structure change?o How bout our place in society? We create them, but they don’t depend on individuals actionso Enduring actions of society that will reoccur. Social Inequalities:- Key issue in societyA condition in which members of society have different amounts of wealth, prestige, and power- Location is the social structure determining relative privilege- Access to education, social safety net, etc. o Who is anyone, has the power to maintain the social structure or existing power?o Sociology offers a few different perspectives on the question, each perspective contains many “sub theories”Dominant Ideologies: - Cultural beliefs that legitimate existing power relationships Functionalism- Idea that society is like organisms - Inequality, product of some disorder or have functions (good for a whole)- No person, group, or institution maintains social order, order is maintained “naturally” as living organisms- Social problems indicate breakdown of social orderTheorist1. Auguste Comte: Founding theorist, distinguish social statistics, versus social dynamics- What maintained in order- What creates change?2. Emilie Durkheim: Classical Theorist, founded first undergrad: sociology- Division of labor- being something that creates order in society - Social solidity Suicide and Anomie -(the loss of direction felt in a society when social control of individual behavior has become ineffective)o Theory of suicide: People experience disconnectedness or “anomie” in modern societies with an advanced division of labor & fewer shared values- He believed that when people become disconnected from society the suicide rate would go up3. Karl Marx- Founding theorist, ownership class vs. working class4. Max Weber- believed you could divide society with people who had power vs people who didn’tConflicts“Fault lines” are found within countries & between countries (haves/have nots)- Society can continue with out social problems being solved (atleast in short term)- Consensus is based on misunderstanding: dominant ideologies, justify inequality- Social order is fundamentally unequalo Based on access to resourceso Based power on economic systemo Groups/organizations with power maintain order for their benefit in societyI. Macro-sociology a. Looks at “big time, big space:” broad social processes and outcomes b. Functionalist and conflict perspectives on social order are macro.II. Micro-sociologya. Looks at “small time, small space;” everyday social interactions and behaviorsb. Interactionismi. Erving Goffman- Creating meaning together- Dramaturgical approach and impression managementii. People behavior is influenced iii. Social structures exist only because we believe they exist - Ex.: Authority, norms, disapproval - Gender considered a type of performanceSociological Imagination:a. Relationship between “private troubles”(obstacles that individuals face as individuals) and“public issues” (obstacles that individuals face in similar positions face)b. Individuals problems are not from perspective of sociology c. Point=empowermentd. The sociological imagination involves our recognition of the significance of our social location- Material culture refers to the physical or technological aspects of our daily lives: (including food, houses, factories)-Nonmaterial Culture refers to ways of using material objects and to custom ideas, expressions, beliefs, knowledge, government, and patterns of communication. Social order: maintained- French philosopher (Auguste Comte) believed that knowing the “laws of society” would help us to understand 2 key principles:o Social statics principles by which societies hold together and order is maintainedo Social dynamics the factors that bring about change and shape the nature and direction of that change- Emile Durkheim: emphasized significance of social ordero He was concerned about what happens when the influence of society declines, resulting in weakened social integration- What is the role of institutions in society?o Mitchell Duneier (sociologist) believed that such approaches to viewing life in the context of social institutions allow us to better understand what it means to live in the world as it is structured todayThe Enlightenment: - Rise of reason & individualism- Reason: Knowledge based on logic and evidence Social Contract: People give up some of their own rights in exchange for protection & fair rules- Theory: set of statements that seek to explain actions, behaviors or problemsSociology as a Science:a. Understanding different types of society: b. Analyzing sources of order & stabilityc. Making distinction between facts and valuesI. Social science: study of social features of humans and in ways in which they interact and changeLatent functions- Often hidden functions - Unacknowledged- UnexpectedManifest Functions- Accepted functions- Acknowledged- Expected Gans’ theory of “The use of Poverty”:i. Suggest that the latent function of poverty is to benefit more powerful groups in societyNegative Freedom“Freedom from” - Government interventions- Obstacles to free marketsPositive Freedom“ Freedom to”- Access opportunities- Reach one’s potentialIdeologies1. Offer simplified image of society2. Often described the relationship between the government and society3. Offer a vision of the “good society” 4. Are important source of identity5. Are linked to voting behavior Ideal Type: an abstract example based on the essential characteristics of something - A note on methodology: Not every bureaucracy has every one these elements-