Chapter 10 Powerpoint

Presentation
SOC 210, Ms. Fryar
Textbook: Ferris, K. and Stein, J. (2018). The
Real World: An Introduction to Sociology
(6th Edition). New York, NY: Norton.
 What are Social Institutions?
• Social institutions are systems and
structures that shape the activities of
groups and individuals in society.
 Social Institutions
• Chapter 10 encompasses politics, education,
and religion
• Why would all three be included in one
chapter?
 Politics and Government (1 of 2)
• Politics: the methods and tactics of
managing a nation or state, as well as
administering and controlling its internal
and external affairs
• Government: the formal, organized
agency that exercises power and control in
modern society, especially through the
creation and enforcement of laws
Theoretical Perspectives
 Politics and Government (2 of 2)
• Power is the ability to impose one’s will on
others.
• Authority is the legitimate exercise of
power.
– Positions in society that formalize the exercise
of power (elected individuals, job status, etc.)
 Political Systems
• Different societies are characterized by
differing political systems and levels of control
– Authoritarianism
– Totalitarianism (most extreme form of
authoritarianism)
– Monarchy…based on traditional power
– Democracy…based on legal-rational power
Political Systems: Authoritarian Government

• Authoritarianism: a system of
government by and for a small number of
elites that does not include representation
of ordinary citizens
• Totalitarianism is the most extreme and
modern form of authoritarianism, in which
the government seeks to control every
aspect of citizens’ lives.
– Propaganda, access to resources, information
Political Systems: Monarchic Government

• A monarchy is government by a king or

queen, with succession of rulers kept
within the family (traditional authority)
Political Systems: Democratic Government

• A democracy is a political system in which

all citizens have the right to participate.
– Philosophy as well: values basic human
rights, freedom, equality

• What factors may influence

participation in a democracy?
 Who Rules America?: Power Elite
• C. Wright Mills coined the term “power
elite,” a relatively small number of people
who control the economic, political, and
military institutions of a society.
 Mass Media
• In addition to special interest groups, the
mass media also impacts politics. For
instance, many people form their beliefs
based on information from opinion leaders.
• Opinion leaders are high-profile people
who interpret events and influence the
public.
 Media Influence
• Video: Opinion Leaders: Beyonce

• Petition to ban dihydrogen monoxide?

– Would you sign a petition to ban this? It sounds scary
right? It turns out that dihydrogen monoxide is just
water! H20
– A quick youtube search highlights videos where people
are willing to sign a petition against H20.
– This willingness highlights passive political participation
 What is Education?
• Education is the process by which a
society transmits knowledge, values, and
expectations to its members so they can
function in society
 What is Religion?
• Religion includes any institutionalized
system of shared:
– beliefs, propositions and ideas held on the
basis of faith.
– rituals, practices based on those beliefs that
identify a relationship between the sacred
(holy, divine, or supernatural) and the profane
(ordinary, mundane, or everyday).
 Functions of Religion
• Religion:
• What purposes does religion serve? The
structural-functionalist approach may
focus on how religion:
– shapes everyday behavior
– gives meaning to our lives
– provides the opportunity to come together
with others to share in group activities and
identity
 Religion: Societal Effects
• Conflict theory may focus on how:
– Religion can be made dysfunctional by
promoting inequality with sexist, racist, or
homophobic doctrines.
• On the other hand, religious organizations
have also been agents of social justice
and political change.
Symbolic Interaction Approach to Religion

• Religiosity is the regular practice of religious

beliefs, and the extent of a person’s commitment
to religion, often measured by worship
attendance.
• Extrinsic religiosity refers to a person’s public
display of commitment to a religious faith.
• Intrinsic religiosity refers to a person’s inner
religious life or personal relationship to the divine.
• What other ways can we measure religiosity?
 Religion in America
• Two groups have dramatically increased in
size in recent decades.
1. Fundamentalists: those who literally
interpret texts and want to “return” to a time
of greater religious purity
2. Unchurched: those who consider
themselves spiritual but not religious, and
who often adopt aspects of various religious
traditions