Introduction to Sociology Sociology 101

1
Soc 101 Prof. Townsand Price-SpratlenMonday,
February 27th - Today in Brief

• Review Points
• What does stratification do? Theory?
• How might the open/closed system matter?
• For Today
• Global Stratification, Theories
• Gender Stratification, Theoretical perspectives
• Gender Strat, Workplace and income
• WED Ch. 10, 13 Race/Ethnicity, Religion

2
And just as we are not likely to have good
cities without good nations, we are not likely to
have good nations except in a good world. I
believe we have some shared values and goals even
at the global level, though there is enormous
conflict over what they are and what they mean.
Creating a good world is an intimidating
challenge, but our problems are so interrelated
that change for the better at the global level
has become essential, in spite of all
difficulties. -- Robert N. Bellah
(1997) The Necessity of Opportunity and
Community in a Good Society International
Sociology
3
Global Stratification Inequality Ranking
societies by power rewards

• Which forms of power are important?
• Economic power is dominant
• Political power is secondary
• Social honor not important
• Positions in global system defined by levels of
  development productivity

• High Income (Core)
• Middle Income (Semi-Periphery)
• Low Income (Periphery)

4

• Income Poverty

• Highly concentrated between societies
• Absolute Poverty highest in Low Income set
• Education Health

School Enrollment 93 74 51
Life Expectancy 78 years 69 years 59 years
Adult Literacy 99 86 62
High Income Middle Income Low Income
5
Two Theories Modernization Dependency/World
Systems

• Modernization Theory importance of
  culture/values, technology capital accumulation
• Prerequisites
• Shift from traditional to modern values
• Shift to industrial technology physical
  social
• Accumulating distributing capital

• Rostows four Stages
• Traditional
• Take-off
• Technological Maturity
• Mass Consumption
• Inequality due to development stage internal
  problems

6

• Dependency (World Systems) Theory past
  current exploitation of poorer countries by
  richer countries
• Rethinking the sets of countries
• Core Countries
• Highly diverse, industrial independent economy
• Periphery Countries
• Economy narrow, little industrialization,
  dependent
• Semi-Periphery Countries
• Uneven diversification industrialization,
  dependent

• Differing initial conditions
• Competition in world markets
• Colonial status
• Population growth access to modern health
  technology

7

• Current Exploitation by the Core
• Core as supplier of basic equipment machinery
• Core as buyer from single product / narrow
  export economy
• Unequal trade creates high foreign debt
• Multinational corporations disrupt local
  economies

8
Understanding Gender
Sex biological distinction between females
males Gender social meaning of being female
male as defined by society culture

• Gender shaped by both biology culture
• Margaret Meads research
• Murdocks research
• Men hunt fight, women cook care for children
• Other tasks variable
• Three approaches to understanding gender
• Functionalist, Conflict (Class), Patriarchy

9

• Functionalist Approach
• Gender differences create efficient division of
  labor
• Explains Murdocks findings
• Becker, specialization in modern families

• Conflict Approach
• Arises from unequal power within families
• Unequal economic contribution of women
• Unpaid devalued

• Patriarchy Approach
• Patriarchy inter-related system of structures
  practices by which men dominate, oppress
  exploit women
• Walbys realms of patriarchy
• Family Paid Work Cultural Institutions
• State Sexuality Sexual Violence