SY103 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Bourgeoisie, Class Consciousness, Social Forces
Document Summary
Social structure: the most basic, enduring, relative, stable and determinative patterns of social relations. Examples: patriarchy, kinship, economy, politics, culture, sexuality, racism. Sociologists explain and identify the connection between personal troubles and the social structures in which people are imbedded. Microstructures: patterns of social relations on the small scale (one-on-one interactions, intimacy, local, etc) Macrostructures: patterns of social relations on a larger scale, above and beyond individual relations. Examples: patriarchy, socio-economic class, racism, gender and sexuality. Global structures: structures that encompass, crisscross, and permeate all societies. Examples: international economic organizations, global communications, and international political organizations. 4 main theoretical traditions in sociology: symbolic interactionism. Explanations of social behavior requires understanding the subjective meanings people attach to their social circumstances. Social reality is constructed through the daily interaction of individuals. Human agency: people do not just react to social circumstances; they actively create subjective meanings.
