SOCI 001 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Malcolm Gladwell, The Sociological Imagination, Altruistic Suicide
Document Summary
Society: the many social forces that affect our lives. How do individuals affect society and how does society affect individuals. Structure-agency debate: tension between agency (what individuals control) and structure (social constraints and opportunities that are beyond the individual"s control: nature vs. nurture, how group membership influences how much agency you have. Sociology: the scientific study of human social life, groups, and societies. Examples: women being fired for being too sexy , obesity in america, what are these examples saying about society in general, not just the specific situation. Readings: textbook chapter 1, marx, durkheim, weber: marx: the main dynamic of modern development is the expansion of capitalism. He focused on the importance of cultural ideas and values of social change. Main concepts: the rise of factory based industrial economy, the growth of cities, and new ideas about democracy and political rights were important in the development of sociology. Unless a measure is reliable, it cannot be valid.
