Exam 1: Sociology and the Real World

In 2007, the richest 1% of the American population owned 35% of the country's wealth, and the bottom 80% of the population owned 14%. Karl Marx would call this

The most significant criticism of structural functionalism is that it

Why might Karl Marx and Émile Durkheim be placed far apart on sociology's family tree?

What do feminist theory and conflict theory have in common?

If someone makes money exclusively by selling their own labor, then they must be a member of what social group?

C. Wright Mills described a process by which biography (individual lives) and history (larger social forces) are related. He argued that this process works in two ways: individual lives influence society, while society also influences individuals.

________ is the economic system that emerged during the Industrial Revolution.

Which social theory focuses on micro-level interactions?

Regardless of their various approaches to social phenomena, what are all sociologists aiming to accomplish with their work?

Identify and describe the most essential elements of the theories of the classical sociological thinkers-Marx, Durkheim, and Weber. How do their visions of modernity differ?

How does taking the sociological perspective enable sociologists to understand human life in society?

Researcher Pam Fishman studied the conversations of heterosexual couples to determine how power is created and maintained through everyday, face-to-face interactions. How would you describe her approach?

What was Marx criticizing when he said that religion is "the opiate of the masses"?

In what ways does queer theory suggest that no category of sexual identity is fundamentally deviant or normal?

Metaphorically, what part of sociology is most like a zoom lens on a camera?

A postmodernist writes an essay arguing that the "factual" history of a Native American tribe in a textbook is no more accurate than a collection of short oral stories about the tribe. The postmodernist is engaging in what type of critical analysis?

According to conflict theory, how do most major social institutions remain integrated into the economy and therefore reinforce the class structure?

What are we failing to see, according to C. Wright Mills, when we think of our personal problems as character flaws?

What was probably Harriet Martineau's MOST important contribution to the development of sociology as a discipline?

Émile Durkheim's study on suicide found that not only did suicide rates increase when the economy slumped; they also increased when the economy boomed. Which of Durkheim's concepts explains why both positive and negative economic conditions could increase suicide rates?