Sociology

• Because of the unequal capitalist system


  The people in power are able to maintain a complex system of unequal power relations to exploit poor people which is what keeps them poor
• Other types of inequalities in society


  • Race
  • Gender
• Class consciousness


  Where economic means (which he called the substructure) determines the superstructure, which is the ideologies, beliefs in the society religion etc
• Marx believes that the reason the system continues is a lack of class consciousness
• Marx claims people are under a false consciousness about their conditions they're blinded from moving out of their situation
• The substructure the economic conditions determine what the superstructure or the ideology in any society would be
• Marx noted that whilst theorists are able to talk about the world and how and what it is the point should be too change it making conflict more revolutionary
• Class struggle will exist until people gain class consciousness
• Interactionist theorist


  May look at the household and the events and conditions that landed the particular household into poverty
• George Herbert Mead


  Developed theories on how people acquire their ideas about themselves by watching and deciphering the actions of those around them
• Interactionalist theorists drew their inspiration from George Herbert Mead
• Mead would say that we are constantly learning from one another as we attach meaning to social actions in the context of a relationship
• Human internalize expectations and act accordingly
• Herbert Blumer


  Saw interaction as the most important part of society
• Blumer argued that theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of human behaviour must recognise human being as thinking acting and interacting entities
• Blumer's symbolic interactionalist sociological perspective influenced analysis of multiple studies, his focus of reflective and interacting human behaviour within communities and societies critiques analysis of social life that rely on more stereotypical factor orientated approaches
• The interactionalist and symbolic interactionalist theories were instrumental in social psychological strategies on the Development of self and realisation of the social construction of reality
• The three major sociological paradigms

  • Structural-functional
  • Symbolic-interaction
  • Social-conflict
• Quantitative


  Deals with numerical data points or variables that can be quantified
• Qualitative


  Research questions are more subjective and often based on observation
• Because of the unequal capitalist system


  The people in power are able to maintain a complex system of unequal power relations to exploit poor people which is what keeps them poor
• Quantitative research might look at

  • Student success by comparing test scores
  • Racial inequalities within reports on income, health, education access, employment
• Qualitative research might look at


  • Student success by collecting personal reports from teachers or students
  • The specific experiences of people facing racial inequalities in a population
• Experiment


  A research method for investigating cause and effect under highly controlled conditions, typically used to test hypotheses
• Survey


  A research method in which subjects respond to a series of items in a questionnaire or an interview, usually descriptive rather than explanatory
• Other types of inequalities in society

  • Race
  • Gender
• Participant observation


  A method in which researchers systematically observe people while joining in their routine activities
• Using existing sources


  A research method in which a researcher utilizes data collected by others
• Deductive methods


  Start by looking at a general theoretical proposition, investigate it and end in the specific conclusion that confirms, rejects or modifies the original theory
• Inductive methods


  Start with specific empirical observations and generate broad generalizations from these
• Class consciousness


  (According to Marx) Where economic means (the substructure) determines the superstructure, which is the ideologies, beliefs in the society, religion etc.
• The scientific method is governed by two principles: 1) Knowledge about the world is acquired through a collection of data by different means, such as surveys or observations. 2) Verifiable knowledge and empirical evidence contributes to the building of theories
• Most important steps in research

  • Define topic of research/identifying the problem
  • Review of literature
  • Define core concepts
  • Choose research design and collect data
  • Analyze data and interpret results
  • Publish research
• Culture


  The way of life of a particular group of people, including the way people interact with each other and with their environment. It can be material or non-material.
• Marx believes that the reason the system continues is a lack of class consciousness
• Ethnocentrism


  The belief that one's culture, ideas or group practices are superior to those of others and the tendency to judge others based on one's own practices
• Ethnocentrism was rooted in 19th century theories of human linear development and the theological justification that non-Westerners did not have souls, thus were not human and needed them to save them
• The ideology of racism still dominates societies that actually are multicultural, but people still struggle with unequal power relations, both economic and political
• Subcultures


  Smaller portions of a culture in which people ascribe to a set of ideas that the larger culture may not and may also seek to challenge the mainstream culture, which is often considered a counterculture
• Marx claims people are under a false consciousness about their conditions, they're blinded from moving out of their situation