Intro to Sociology - Test 3 Outlines and Essay Questions

RACE

- What does it mean to call race a social construct?

- According to functionalists, what are the negative consequences of racial discrimination?

- What is the symbolic interactionist perspective on race?

- What does Steele mean by the term “stereotype vulnerability”?

- With respect to race, what are the two primary types of conflict theorists?

- How do Asian, Black, Latino and White rank with respect to median household income in 2005?

- What has been the trend in the racial gap (between Blacks and Whites) in income since 1973?

- What was the median wealth of Blacks in 2002? Of Latinos? Of Whites?

- According to conflict theorists, what are the main explanations for Black-White economic inequalities?

- According to Massey and Denton, what are the reasons for the high levels of racial segregation in the U.S.?

- What do Massey and Denton cite as the consequences of racial segregation?

- What does Lind mean when he says that American society is becoming “Beige and Black”? What are the explanations for this development?

- What 2 groups have experienced the greatest increase in immigration to the U.S. over the last 30 years?

- What is the difference between assimilation and pluralism?

Outline: Class and Religion

- What is the structural functionalist view of class inequality?

- What is the conflict view of class inequality?

- According to the conflict theorist Marx:

1) What is a person's class status based on?

2) How many classes are there?

- What are the 3 basic determinants of a person's class position today?

- What happens to class-based income inequalities from 1946 to 1973? What happens to class-based income inequalities from 1973 through 2007?

- Which particular income group has seen its income increase the most since 1979?

- Approximately, what percentage of total wealth is held by the top 1%? Approximately, what

percentage of total income goes to the top 1%?

- What do conflict theorists cite as the main reasons for the increase in class based economic inequality over the last 30 years?

- What are generally recognized as the key aspects of an upper-class upbringing?

- According to Veblen, why did the upper class engage in “conspicuous consumption” in the early 1900s?

- What are Steinhauer’s main arguments about social status and contemporary “consumer culture?

- What does de Botton mean when he talks about “status anxiety”?

- According to Gans, what functions do the poor serve for the nonpoor?

- According to functionalists, what are the positive and negative functions of religion?

- What is the Marxist/Enlightenment critique of religion?

- How does the participation of Americans in religious activities compare to Europeans?

- What are the views about how to achieve a “good society” of 1) Religious Conservatives 2) Libertarians and 3) Communitarians?

- What does Durkheim mean by the term “conscience collective”? What are the positive functions of the “conscience collective”?

- What does Putnam mean by the term “civic engagement”? What has happened to civic engagement in the U.S. since the early 1960s?

- According to Putnam, what are the negative aspects of the decline of civil society?

ESSAY QUESTIONS FOR 3rd TEST

1. Explain both the functionalist and symbolic interactionist perspective on race. What are Steele’s arguments about “stereotype vulnerability”? Be sure to talk specifically about his research findings discussed in Watters’ article. Briefly describe the nature of the experiment(s) conducted by Jane Elliott in the video A Class Divided. Do you think she would get the same findings if she conducted her experiment today? Moreover, do you think that there is still significant “stereotype vulnerability”? Defend your answer.

2. What are the respective views of 1) religious conservatives, 2) libertarians and 3) communitarians when it comes to fostering a “good society”? Briefly describe what Durkheim meant when he talked about the “conscience collective”. According to Putnam (and Ryan), what has happened as a result of the decline of American “civil society”? Do you agree with their arguments? In your opinion, is there anything that can be done to increase the level of civic engagement in American communities? Explain.

3. Compare the structural functionalist and conflict theorist’s views about class inequality. Summarize both Veblen and Steinhauer’s assertions about status and consumption as well as de Botton’s claim about status anxiety. Be sure to include an example from Steinhauer’s article in your answer. In your opinion, is there a significant amount of conspicuous consumption (and status anxiety) in contemporary America? Does it exist in all classes? Explain.

Responsible for: Schaefer: Chapter 5 (pages 124-144); Chapter 6 (pages 159-180);

Chapter 8 (pages 203- 208, 215-219)

Watters: (pp. 47-49); Lind (pp. 38-39); Steinhauer (pps. 1-6); Traub: (pp. 21-22);

Ryan: (pp. 47-50)