Sociology Midterm 3 Notes Jimmy Elli Social Institutions Family Education Religion Politics Economy Medicine Healthcare Education o What role does higher education play in a democratic capitalist society o Key Debate Job skills vs intellectual growth What is the purpose of college higher education History of Education in the U S The industrial revolution again was an important influence Mass education emphasized work related skills but expanded to include abstract learning like math science literature and critical thinking Education at all levels particularly college is being pressured to revert back to a focus on skills and away from broader education that teaches students critical thinking and how to learn new information o Employers emphasize broad soft skills vs hard skills with a specialization Emphasis on critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills Functionalism Functions of Education Education The social institution through which society provides its members with important knowledge including basic facts analytical skills job skills and cultural norms and values o Manifest functions formal overt curriculum To educate students Education is an agent of socialization o Latent function informal hidden curriculum Socialization child care promoting marriage college social integration cultural innovation universities Conflict Theory View of Education Social Reproduction Educational systems can replicate systems of inequality across generations Tracking dividing students into groups according to ability or future plans o Intention tailor a student s educational experience to his or her particular goals o Frequent Consequence reinforces and perpetuates stratification Tracking in Germany starts in 4th grade o Low SES and minority students less likely to be tracked into advanced classes than high SES socioeconomic status o Most qualified teachers assigned to advanced classes o Lower tracks More emphasis on behavior obedience than critical thinking and independent learning College prep tracks have less structure compared to government run schooling Self fulfilling prophecy Pygmalion effect Behavior is modified to meet pre existing expectations School Funding and Savage Inequalities Schools in more affluent areas offer better schooling than poor communities 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 The family and SES matters more than school environment funding to academic success Family educational resources money help with homework Cultural capital and concerted cultivation cultural knowledge o If in some ideal world where money was equal would the poor kids equal the success of Money to buy extra tutoring could help richer students poorer SES hear fewer words in their We don t have a clear understanding of what all of these roles play many other factors involved the rich kids homes compared to wealthier families In the success of children Neighborhood Poverty Crime and Education The Case of Harper High South Chicago 27 Kids shot in 1 year at Harper Educational inequality is a symptom of broader levels of inequality and high rates of poverty in the U S Infusion of money into schools without more broadly addressing poverty and lack of economic opportunity in poor communities will not solve educational inequality Families matter too concerted cultivation But inequalities in family process are also likely influenced by poverty This American Life Harper High in Chicago Difficult for even well funded high quality schools with committed staff to overcome effects of poverty and crime School resources funding not panacea for broader inequality but it would likely be much worse if not for schools Doug Downey s research on summer vs school year SES achievement gaps Power and authority o Power is the ability to exercise one s will over others Weber At the social level it is exercised through the state o Authority is the legitimate accepted use of power Types of Authority Weber Traditional Authority exercise of power accepted because of tradition ex British monarchy Kennedy family o Often shaped by race class and gender Charismatic authority exercise of power accepted because of personality of the leader Rational legal authority exercise of power accepted because of laws or rules Power legitimized on the basis of a leader s personal qualities called charismatic authority Approaches to studying power and authority Political science how power is distributed in different systems Sociology how government power affects society conflict and inequality Forms of Government Political Systems Anarchy no organized government Dictatorship rule by a single individual Totalitarianism dictator controls most aspects of life Oligarchy rule by a small group ex Communism small military groups in Africa Plutocracy rule by the wealthy including corporations is the US a plutocracy Democracy rule by the people and citizens can participate as legal equals in decision making Representative Democracy Certain individuals are selected to speak for the people Political participation is necessary for democracy o In 1996 37 of youth voters voted in 2012 50 but large amount of population haven t voted Political Participation U S has lowest voter turnout compared to all industrialized nations o About 50 60 for presidential elections and less than 50 for congressional elections U S has lower voter turnout than most other similar nations Why o Registration and voting easier in countries and compulsory o Some countries have compulsory voting o Two party system people feel they don t have a choice voice o Lots of elections Who rules in Democracy Power Elite Theory conflict Mills Domhoff Small networks of individuals hold concentrated power in modern societies Iron law of oligarchy elite rule is inevitable especially in large groups and complex organizations o Both formal and informal mechanisms through which this happens o Power elite theorists feel that elite rule is inevitable even in a democracy The Economy Capitalism o Capitalism o Socialism Economy The social institution that organizes a society s production distribution and consumption of services Two general economic models on a continuum no nation in the world is completely capitalist or socialist Natural resources and means of producing goods and services are privately owned o Private