Chapter 1 The Sociological Imagination

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Chapter 1The Sociological Imagination

• Key Terms

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• troublesPersonal needs, problems and
  difficulties that can be explained in terms of
  individual shortcomings related to motivation,
  attitude, ability, character or judgments.
• issues A matter than can be explained only by
  factors outside an individuals control and
  immediate environment.

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• institutionA relatively stable and predictable
  arrangement among people that has emerged over
  time with the purpose of coordinating human
  interaction and behavior in ways that meet some
  social need.
• sociological ImaginationAbility to connect
  seemingly impersonal and remote historical forces
  to the most basic incidents of an individuals
  life.

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• conflictMajor force that drives social change.
• means of production The resources essential to
  the production and distribution of goods and
  services.

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• bourgeoisieOwners of the means of production.
• proletariatIndividuals who must sell their labor
  to the bourgeoisie.

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• solidarity Ties that bind people to one another
  in a society.
• mechanical solidaritySocial order and cohesion
  based on a common conscience or uniform thinking
  and behavior.

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• organic solidaritySocial order based on
  interdependence and cooperation among people
  performing a wide range of diverse and special
  tasks.
• rationalizationProcess whereby thought and
  action motivated by emotion, superstition,
  respect of mysterious forces and tradition are
  replaced by thought and action grounded in the
  logical assessment of the most efficient ways to
  achieve a valued goal.

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• value-rational actionThought and action grounded
  in the logical assessment of the most efficient
  ways to achieve a valued goal or end.
• double consciousnessAccording to Dubois, the
  sense of always looking at ones self through
  the eyes of others, of measuring ones soul by
  the tape of a world that looks on in amused
  contempt and pity.

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• society Large complex of human relationships, a
  system of interaction.
• social interactionEveryday events in which
  people communicate and respond to affect one
  anothers behavior and thinking. In the process,
  the parties involved define, interpret, and
  attach meaning to the encounter.

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• socialA quality of interaction that involves the
  ways of seeing, thinking, acting and responding
  to others.
• social factsIdeas, feelings and ways of behavior
  that exist outside the consciousness of the
  individual.

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• Globalization-from- aboveConnects people from
  around the world with educational, economic and
  political advantages, excluding or pushing to the
  side-lines those who are not so advantaged.
• Globalization-from-belowInvolves interdependence
  at the grassroots level that aims to protect,
  restore, and nurture the environment and to
  enhance ordinary peoples access to the basic
  resources they need to live a dignified existence.