Carina Tenaglia SYG 2010 Reading Notes Week 1 Chapter 1 The Abortion Dilemma I What is the Sociological Imagination a Sociological Imagination also social perspective i Looking peoples behaviors attitudes in context of social forces that shape them ii Personal troubles problems related to social imagination b Applying the Sociological Imagination to Personal Troubles i Sociological Context 1 Broad 2 Narrow 3 Intimate ex war terror ex gender race ethnicity religion social class ex relationships shared w family friends etc c The Significance of Social Location i Social Location Where you re located in society 1 Physical personal characteristics 2 Female groups more likely to have abortions a African American 20 s single before 11th week d Predictions from Social Location The Group Not the Individual i Social location does NOT determine our actions II What IS a Social Problem a Social Problem Aspects of society that a large group of people are concerned about and would like changed b The Characteristics of Social Problems i Objective Conditions and Subjective Concerns 1 Objective Conditions can be measured experienced legal 2 Subjective Concerns concerns for example a Women must deliver unwanted children b Some women will terminate their pregnancies ii Social Problems are Dynamic iii Social Problems are Relative 1 Value belief about whether something is good or bad 2 Roe v Wade 1973 landmark decision making abortion legal 3 Power ability to get one s way despite resistance c A Global Glimpse i Female babies strategically aborted in India b c of culture III The Natural History of Social Problems Four Stages IV Issues In Social Problems a The Fetus is Not a Human Being b The Fetus is a Human Being V The First Stage Defining the Problem the Emergence of Leaders and Beginning to Organize a Defining the Problem b Emergence of Leaders i 1960 women s movement right to safe legal abortions i Vincent Yano of Hawaii repealed anti abortion law while maintaining religious pro life beliefs no abortion law better than abortion due to special circumstances law c Organizing around the Issue i Joan Hayes lobbyist pressing for women s choice to not have a baby VI The Second Stage Crafting an Official Response a Publicity in HI created bridge between public and elected officials VII The Third Stage Reacting to an Official Response a Retaliation from anti abortion groups VIII The Fourth Stage Developing Alternative Strategies a Alternative Strategies to Antiabortionists i Strategies of Moderates 1 Mild alternative strategies phoning e mailing friends newspaper ads posting blogs etc ii Strategies of Radicals 1 Extreme methods throwing blood on walls unplugging machinery gluing doors shut tormenting women who had abortions through phone messages b Alternative Strategies of the Pro abortionists i Campaigning lobbying lawmakers and publicizing position ii 6 states codified Roe legalize abortions even if Roe overturned c Making Mutual Accusations d The Controversy Continues The Supreme Court After Roe v Wade i Influencing president senate etc 1 Webster v Reproductive Services 1989 a States have no obligation to finance abortion 2 Casey v Planned Parenthood 1992 a Under 18 must get 1 parent s permission for abortion b Wife has no obligation to inform husband of abortion 3 FACE Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act 1994 a Picketing in front of clinics must be 300 feet away 4 Gonzales v Cahart 2007 a Partial birth abortion ban e The Controversy Continues RU486 i Drug used to chemically induce abortions f No Middle Ground IX The Role of Sociology in Social Problems a Sociology the systematic and objective study of human society X Sociology as a Tool for Gaining an Objective Understanding of Social Problems a Sociologists can i Measure objective conditions subjective concerns apply sociological imagination identify possible social policies evaluate consequences XI Sociology and Common Sense a Common Sense ideas common to a group in our society XII Methods for Studying Social Problems a Four Basic Research Designs i Case Studies gather in depth info on specific situation individual ii Surveys detail but more generalized i Sociology doesn t have the capacity to specify that one value s superior to the 1 Sample group being studied 2 Population target group 3 Generalizing apply findings to people in group but not sample 4 Random Sample everyone has equal chance of being included iii Experiments divide people based on characteristics 1 Experimental group those exposed to experience 2 Control group not exposed to experience iv Field Studies participant observation in actual setting observing b Four Methods of Gathering Information i Interviews 1 Structured ask everyone same questions 2 Unstructured allow participants to elaborate ii Questionnaires open or close ended iii Documents data from e mails to medical records iv Observation using senses technology to collect data from an area i Different ways positive negative no other choice future pregnancy XIII Thinking Critically About Social Problems a Coping With Guilt After an Abortion XIV Spotlight on Social Research XV Should Sociologists Take Sides a The Problem of Determining Morality other Week 2 Ch 2 Interpreting Social Problems Aging I Sociological Theories and Social Problems a Theory framework that organizes facts explains how concepts are related b How do we decide who gets euthanized Functionalism Conflict Theory A social system composed of parts that work together to benefit the whole Structure Function System Equilibrium Goals The failure of some part to fulfill its function which interferes with the smooth functioning of the system Some parts of the system fail usually because of rapid social change Groups competing with one another within the same social system Competition Conflict Special Interests Power Exploitation The inevitable outcome of interest groups competing for limited resources Authority and power are used by the powerful to exploit weaker groups Symbolic Interactionism People s patterns of behavior always changing Symbols Interaction Communication Meanings Definitions Whatever a group decides is a social problem is a social problem for that group One set of definitions become accepted competing views are rejected What is Society What re the Key Terms What is a Social Problem How Does Somethin g Become a Social Problem II Functionalism and Social Problems Introducing Functionalism a i Functionalism Functional Analysis compares society