Society

Any relatively self-contained and self-sufficient group united by social relationships.

Two central components of society: Social Structure and Culture

Social Structures

Any characteristics of a group rather than of individuals.

% No Religion, Mobility, Population density, % Female, Age composition are all characteristics of the group

E.g., Age composition a predictor of crime – % teens and young adults a social structural explanation of crime.

Most common, most important is stratification

Stratification: “To be layered”

To say that all societies are stratified is to say that people are ranked depending on which categories they belong to

Unequal distribution of rewards associated with these ranks (power, status, $, etc.)

Societies might be stratified along any of a number of continuums (class, caste, gender, religion)

Some ranks assigned at birth (ascribed status), some on merits/accomplishments (achieved status)

Culture

The pattern of living that directs human social life.

Everything that humans learn and the things they learn to use.– language, religions, science, art, notions of

right and wrong, explanations of the meaning of life

Cultural Concepts

Values - standards for assessing good and bad

Norms – behavioral expectations Role – norms associated with a

particular position Prejudice and Discrimination Assimilation and Accommodation Multicultural / subculture

Example: Immigration of Jews and Italians

Great way to illustrate the sociological imagination

1880 to 1920 time of high immigration rates % foreign born around 15% by 1920 (today it

is about 10%) Fear of “inferior racial stock” led to laws in the

1920s All but eliminate immigration from Southern

and Eastern Europe and Asia.

Fears not realized

No doubt many of you had ancestors who came during this time

Assimilation… Cultural differences subsided, intermarriage rates high

declining prejudice Cultural accommodation – mainstream

culture became more accepting Jew and Italians eventually gained economic

equality - probably the key issue in the decline in prejudice

But close look at the upward mobility of Jews and Italians tells us what???? Both came poor Both came to the cities of the northeast Both came at about the same time Both experienced prejudice and

discrimination But Jews achieved economic success

much more rapidly

Why?

Racial (racist) explanations common But sociologists focus on two factors

– Cultural factors – values and norms explain upward mobility

– Social structural – structure of opportunities available

Cultural Theory

Jewish culture – values of learning and norms of educational

achievement– seen link between education and success – seen

industrial revolution Italian culture

– valued family loyalty over learning – Rural farmers – no examples of link between

education and success– Came from more of a caste system

Famous Covello Quote

If our children don’t go to school, no harm will come. But if the sheep don’t eat, they will die. The school can wait but not our sheep

Social (Structural) Theory of Ethnic Mobility

Jews brought their experience, training, technical skills with them to the US

Jews a concentrated population in Russia and Poland – factories, professionals, etc.

A group’s average status in a new society will reflect their average status in the old society.

Cubans a contemporary example

One final factor….

Italians slow to learn English – slow to assimilate

Why? Because most planed to return to Italy (and over 55% did return)

Jews, fleeing persecution, planed to stay (only 8% returned)

Reference group for Italians was relatives back home

Another example: Link between parent education and child education Link far from perfect but impossible to

question Cultural Theory

– Status aspirations of the poor– Socialized leaves them ill equipped to compete in

middle-class schools– M-C values education… e.g., M-C parents more

likely to read to kids– Essentially lower level of educational attainment

explained by their values – a “culture of poverty”

Social Structural Theory

Educational opportunities equally distributed? – Malibu High raised about 1 million last year

Parental resources provide opportunities? Computers, tutors, …

E.g., SAT scores important in college entrance?– But well-to-do can take classes– Big issue right now is Learning Disabilities and extra

time on SAT (about 1 in 10 at elite private schools, but in 10 inner-city schools 0 or 1,500 got extra time)