SOC401 Final Term Subjective by VSC

Soc401 Final Term short notes by VSC

Most important questions

 Describe the negative impact of biased gender ideologies on societies?

Answer: Answer: In some societies, gender ideologies become so extreme that females suffer serious negative consequences such as female infanticide, female nutritional deprivation, honor killings and domestic violence. These atrocities are due to the negative impact of gender ideologies as well as due to the disempowerment of females which is another simultaneous consequence of these ideologies.

 Define feminization of poverty?

Answer: Answer : There has been a trend in recent decades toward the feminization of poverty. Being disempowered, women fall victims to poverty much more easily then men. They also have less access to resources with which to fight against poverty. Women often are responsible for looking after their children, and their poverty results in declining health standards of both women and their children.

 What is women employment? Describe in your own words?

Answer: Answer: Although the words ‘breadwinner’ and ‘housewife’ accurately described the middle-class western household around the beginning of the twentieth century, the separate gender roles implied by these two terms have become more myth than reality. Over the past four decades the number of women in working outside the home has increased dramatically. This is true for not only industrialized but also developing countries, due to the ongoing phenomenon of globalization, which has led more and more women into the workforce.

 Briefly define the term “stratification” ?

Answer: Answer: Individuals in different cultures and societies have varying amounts of access to wealth, power and prestige. This evident inequality leads to stratification, whereby groups or categories of people are ranked hierarchically relative to one another

 Write the types of societies?

Answer: Answer: Stratified societies, which are associated with the rise of civilization, range from open class societies, which permit high social mobility, to more rigid caste societies, which allow for little or no social mobility Class societies are associated with achieved status, the positions that the individual can choose or at least have some control over. Caste societies, on the other hand, are based on ascribed statuses into which one is born and cannot change. The United States is often cited as a prime example of a class society with maximum mobility Although its national credo includes a belief in the possibility of going from rags to riches, most people in the United States remain in the class into which they are born because social environment has an appreciable effect on a person’s life chances.

 Define dimensions of inequality proposed by Max Weber?

Answer: Answer: According to Max Weber, stratification takes place on the basis of three reasons People are distinguished from each other on the basis of wealth or economic resources they posses .Secondly, stratification takes place on the basis of differing levels of power .Power is the ability to achieve one’s goals and objectives, even against the will of others. The amount of power often correlates to amount of wealth individuals possess.

 Write down the functional theory about social stratification?

Answer: Answer: Functionalists adopt a conservative position and maintain that social inequality exists because it is necessary for the functioning of society. Functionalists emphasize the integrative nature of stratification, which results in stability and social order. They point out that class systems contribute to the overall well-being of a society and encourage constructive endeavour. Functionalists argue that differential awards are necessary if societies are to recruit the best trained and most highly skilled people for highly valued positions. They maintain that highly skilled people need to be given greater rewards to act as an inventive for them to acquire the required skills. For example, a brain surgeon needs to spend enormous amounts of time and energy to develop his skills and help society and society must in turn reward him more than it does other people who do not have to make a similar investment in obtaining a skill. Functionalists cannot account for non-functional success of pop icons for example. Famous personalities are often given enormous amounts of money to make public appearances due to their popularity rather than their exceptional amount of skill. Functionalists ignore the barriers to participation of certain segments of society.

 What conflict theorists assumes about stratification?

Answer: Answer: Conflict theorists assume that the natural tendency of all societies is toward change and conflict. Conflict theorists believe that stratification exists because the upper classes strive to maintain their superior position at the expense of the lower classes. Conflict theorists do not view stratification systems as enviable or desirable. Lack of social mobility leads to exploitation, crime, revitalization, reform and even to revolution. Conflict theory is influenced by the wirings of Karl Marx.

 How cultures change?

Answer: Answer: The two principal ways that cultures change are internally through the processes of invention and innovation and externally through the process of diffusion. It is generally recognized that the majority of cultural features (things, ideas, and behavior patterns) found in any society got there by diffusion rather than invention.

 Describe the generalization about the process of diffusion?

Answer: Answer: Cultural diffusion is selective in nature (selectivity) – not all things diffuse from one culture to another at the same rate Diffusion is a two-way process (reciprocity) – both cultures change as a result of diffusion Cultural elements are likely to involve changes in form or function (modification) – a diffused cultural item will not remain exactly the same as it is to be found in its original culture. Consider for example the case of Chinese food or pizza, which are modified according to the taste of different countries. The idea of chicken tikka topping is an example of cultural modification.

 What is meant by “Inventions” in culture?

Answer: Answer: Inventions can be either deliberate or unintentional. Although intentional inventors usually receive the most recognition and praise, over the long run, unintentional inventors have probably had the greatest impact on