Term
| How do sociologists define religion |
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Definition
| •“beliefs and practices that center around sacred things. A set of shared stories that guide belief and action.”- people share beliefs over something more important, doesn’t have to be a god, the way people make sense of the world |
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Term
| How and why do sociologists study religion? |
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Definition
| •It’s a basic function of society and drives people to act and interact in a certain way |
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Term
| Why is cultural relativism important for sociologists of religion? |
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Definition
•Taking into account the differences across cultures with without judging
•So that we aren’t biased.
•Helps them understand better why they believe what they believe, what makes them believe |
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Term
| How did Marx, Weber and Durkheim approach the study of religion |
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Definition
•Marx: conflict theorist. The powerful use to keep the less powerful down. Caste system- class of people based on their religion. “Religion is the opening of the masses” the powerful use it uses to drive different functions within society, like the economy. Function of class oppression.
•Weber: Social activism, when enough people hold something important, a certain set of values, they are bound to act on it. Religion a source of social movement
I. Protestant work ethic: successful in this life, your chosen for salvation
•Durkheim: religions is a major driver of the ‘skeleton of thought’ foundation of the collective consciousness: shared beliefs and ideas and ways of thinking and knowing |
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Term
| What parts of the world (or of the country) are the most religious? Least religious? |
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Definition
•Third world countries are more religious: rely on religion for comfort, it sustains them. less education, less tendency to doubt.
•Developed countries are less religious |
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Term
| What are the largest religions in the world? In the United States? |
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Definition
| •Christianity, islam, hindu, non-denom |
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Term
| How has religious affiliation and church attendance changed in recent years in the United States? |
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Definition
| •Affiliation has gone up but attendance has gone down. ¼ Americans attend church each week |
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Term
| According to Robert Bellah et al., what is the relationship between American individualism and religious belonging? |
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Definition
| •People in a community will join a church social aspects and community, but hold their own, individual beliefs. |
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Term
| How does religious affiliation affect family structure? Marriage choices? Educational investments? |
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Definition
| •Dictate who you get to marry, how you marry, when you marry, how educated you are. Religious convictions displace values like education |
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Term
| What factors explain the rise of “megachurches |
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Definition
| •Mega church is a gathering of more than 2,000 people, they appeal to the masses. Geared towards younger people. Revamped the bible |
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Term
| What factors explain the recent growth of more conservative denominations, including evangelicalism and fundamentalism in the United States? |
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Definition
| •Converting. Stricter the church, the stronger it is. Tighter knit community. Entry fee, if a church requires more of you, you don’t get as many free loaders, people take it really seriously |
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Term
| Why do sociologists study economic change? |
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Definition
| •See the effect of how the economy effects people in either positive or negative manner. |
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Term
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Definition
| •economic system in which property and goods are owned privately; investment are determined by private decisions; and prices, production, and the distribution of goods are determined primarily by competition in a free market.- privately owned |
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Term
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Definition
| Economic system in which most or all the needs of the population are provided for through nonmarket methods of distribution.- needs provided for everyone. Public, non market |
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Term
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Definition
| a political ideology of classless society, in which the means of production are shared through state ownership and in which rewards are not tied to productivity but need.- Rewarded according to your need rather than your ability |
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Term
| What characterizes the so-called New Economy |
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Definition
•Dominated by service sector jobs
•Manufacturing dropped due to outsourcing
•Rise of flexible production: new technology |
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Term
| What factors have led to recent economic changes? |
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Definition
•Decline in US manufacturing and trade dominance
•Recessions
•Increased interest rates and unemployment
•Globalization
•Rise of OPEC and the oil crisis
•Declining wages
•Champagne glass: richest people on top, poorer on bottom |
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Term
| What are the social consequences of the New Economy for families? Women? Service workers? Manufacturing workers |
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Definition
•Families: both parents work, latch key kids
•Women work more and earn less
•Service: longer hours but don’t earn more for their efforts
•Manufacturing workers: lose jobs |
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Term
| What role do corporations play in the global economy? How have workers been impacted by the rise of the global economy? |
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Definition
•Defining Institution, more powerful than governments
•Workers: pay ratio is off, don’t make any money compared to CEOs
•More work required from worker for less pay |
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Term
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Definition
| •Three or more basic labor laws broken |
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Term
| What factors have led to the growth of sweatshops in the United States in the past three decades? |
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Definition
•Union losses
•Deregulation (cops off the beat)
•Globalization
•Contractors setting prices. WALMART |
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Term
| What are the social consequences of the growth of sweatshops in the apparel industry? |
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Definition
| •Young women the victims. All profits go to the company and the workers get just a fraction |
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Term
| What are some examples of ways citizens have tried to limit the growth of sweatshops in the U.S. and around the globe? |
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Definition
| •Boycotting clothes, labor unions, boycotting companies until they set standards for contractors |
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Term
| How has Nike responded to pressure to improve its global labor practices |
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Definition
•Nike raised the pay, but not by much in Asia by 6 cents
•Programs to monitor standards |
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Term
| What are EPZs? How has the growth of EPZs impacted the global apparel industry? |
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Definition
•Export Processing Zone
•Area of a country where labor laws not applied to workers. Good for companies, bad for workers
•Many go here because local labor laws do not apply here |
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Term
| According to Isbister, how do policies and practices of wealthy nations impact the well-being of poorer nations? |
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Definition
| •Wealthier nations keep the poorer nations into poverty. Turning 3rd world countries into producing cotton and only cotton |
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Term
| Why do sociologists study politics?( |
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Definition
| •Who has the power. Why they choose to follow the leader or those in power. |
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Term
| What is a state? What is democracy? What is the welfare state? |
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Definition
•State: established law system. Reserved right to use physical force if necessary
•Democracy: gov in which power lies with people. Individual freedom
•Welfare state: gov provided for its people |
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Term
| Which country has the largest military budget in the world? Why? |
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Definition
| •US! Need for a sense of security. Border patrol. We’re a wealthy nation in general. Worlds police/babysitter. We have the means and resources to do so. |
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Term
| How have voting patterns changed in recent years? |
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Definition
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Term
| What factors explain the decline of political participation in the U.S |
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Definition
•People aren’t interested
•Don’t have time
•Prison system can’t vote
•Difficult to know individual they are voting for
•Don’t really have an effect
•Party politics and lobbyist: special interest groups
•Policy and candidates are more accessible |
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Term
| How has the influence of private corporations on the political process grown in recent years? |
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Definition
| •Give money to candidates in an election, don’t care who wins as long as they have some influence. Money= power |
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Term
| What do sociologists mean by the “denationalization” of state functions? By the “renationalization” of state borders? How are these processes competing? |
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Definition
•Denationalization: deregulation of the economy, decline of the welfare state and the voluntary regulation of capital
•Renationalization: command economy. Free movement of capital and the restriction of labor. Regulated |
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Term
| How does Doug Massey propose to address the growing immigration crisis in the U.S. causes by the “renationalization” of state borders? |
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Definition
•How if we have a work program where we could have work exchange for a ew years and go back , that would help regulate it. They could come and leave rather than staying illegally
•Don’t kick out children because they were born in America |
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Term
| Why do sociologists study gender?( |
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Definition
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Term
| What is gender? What is sex? What is sexuality? What does it mean when sociologists say that gender and sexuality are “socially constructed”? |
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Definition
•Gender: social
•Sex: biological
•Sexuality: how we express our gender. Changes from place to place depending on culture. Its ‘what’s hot’
•Socially constructed: not born with a gender, you gain it through being socialized. Cultures have different genders and sexuality |
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Term
| How does the sociological approach to gender and sexuality differ from “essentialist” or “biologically deterministic” arguments? |
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Definition
•Biological says its natural
•Sociological says its social |
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Term
| How and where do we learn to “do” gender in our everyday lives? |
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Definition
•Influence by social institution or the structure of our environment
•Examples from friends and family of what’s sociall accepted
•Media. |
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Term
| How do we actively construct our bodies to be gendered? |
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Definition
| •How we work out, food we eat, personal hygiene, what we wear |
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Term
| How does gender (and sexuality) differ across cultures? How has gender (and sexuality) differed throughout history? |
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Definition
•17th century it was acceptable for women to be large because they were healthy and could eats lots of food
•Chinese women have own versions of feminism as do we |
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Term
| What are the social consequences of “hegemonic masculinity” and “hegemonic femininity” in today’s society? |
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Definition
•When you’re not portraying your role, you are being less than expected. Less of man for wearing a skirt
•Social sanctions
•Hegemonic masculinity dominant and rewarded. Alpha Male |
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Term
| What types of gender inequality exist today in paid work? In educational institutions? In the military?( |
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Definition
•paid work: Women earn less
•Education: more women in college
•Military: don’t let women in combat. Victims of assault/harassment |
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Term
| According to Michael Messner, how do organized sports teach boys to be “real” men? What lessons about masculinity do boys learn through sports? |
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Definition
| •Real men don’t cry, competitive, taught to win, strong, don’t show weakness |
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