SOCI 1160 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Political Spectrum, Class Conflict
Document Summary
Sociology is the systematic study of human societies. Society are people who live within a territory and share many patterns of behavior. Culture refers to a way of life including widespread values, beliefs, and behaviors. Sociological imagination is a point of view that highlights how society affects the experiences we have and the choices we make. Mills changed personal problems into social issues using the sociological imagination. People can improve their lives as they change society. Social problem is a condition that undermines the well-being of some or all members of society and is usually a matter of public controversy. Social constructionist approach- social problems arise as people define conditions as undesirable and or in need of change. (subjective foundation). Claims making is the process of convincing the public that a particular issue or situation should be defined as a social problem. (aids, madd). The mass media is important in the process of claims making.
