images and symbols refer, but
instead a simulated version of
reality that seems more real
than anything that exists in
the physical world.
Iatrogenesis The danger that
arises from a medical system that
harms more people than it heals.
Identity The ways that individuals
see and define themselves, and
how other people define them.
Ideology A framework of ideas
that provides a viewpoint or set
of beliefs for a social group.
Industrial Revolution A stage of
development, originating in the UK
in the 18th century, during which
the economy was transformed by
new forms of mechanization from
a mainly agricultural economy to
an urban, industrialized one.
Interpretive The subjective
approach to examining society,
which contrasts with the objective
and scientific positivist approach.
Left-wing In the political
spectrum, the ideas of those who
favor reforming or socialist ideas.
Marginalization The process by
which a person or group of people is
pushed outside a powerful or ruling
group, with a consequent loss of
power, status, and influence.
Marxism A structural theory
of society developed by Karl Marx
and Friedrich Engels that claims
that history consists of epochs and
that social change arises out of
conflict between social classes—
the owners of the means of
production and the exploited
working masses.
Mass culture Products (books,
TV shows, and so on) that are
created as entertainment for
sale to the general public.Material culture The history and
philosophy of objects; relationships
between people and things.Means of production The key
resources (such as land, factories,
raw materials, and machinery)
needed to produce society’s goods.Mode of production A Marxist
concept about the way a society is
organized to produce goods and
services; this includes the means
of production and the relations
among the labor force.Modernity The condition of
society from the 17th century
onward, especially the social
change created by the Industrial
Revolution and urbanization.Nation A body of people united
by culture, history, or language,
and usually sharing a particular
geographical area.Nationalism A shared sense
of identification that is attached
to a nation and stems from
a commitment to a common
ideology and culture.Neo-liberalism Political and
economic philosophies rooted in
a belief that free markets, limited
government, and the responses of
individuals provide better solutions
to problems than action by the
state can.Neo-tribalism Short-lived, flexible,
and fluid groupings that people, in
a world of rapid change, seek out
to provide meaning in their lives.Norms Social rules that define
what is expected behavior
(“normal”) for an individual in
a particular society or situation.Nuclear family A two-generation
household of parents and children—
a prime agent of socialization.Other, the A concept introduced
by Simone de Beauvoir to explain
how a group (men, in her example)
sees itself as the norm, and judges
anyone outside the group (women)
in terms of its own standards and
attributes, rather than seeing that
group independently, with the
attributes it actually has.Patriarchy A social stratification
system in which men dominate,
exploit, and oppress women.Positivism Within sociology, the
idea, pioneered by Auguste Comte,
that it is possible to observe social
life in a measurable, verifiable,
scientific way and establish truths
about a society. This belief gave
rise to the “positivist” opinion that
science could build a better world.Postmodernism A perspective
that denies there can be a defining
“truth” about anything, instead
suggesting that a text, person,
or society can be deconstructed
according to many different
perspectives into many different
“truths.” By its nature, postmodern
social theory rejects being defined
and it is difficult to define.Poverty Seebohm Rowntree
defined poverty as a state in which
earnings are insufficient to provide
a person’s bare necessities, which
is a subsistence level of poverty.
The term absolute poverty refers
to a living standard based upon342 GLOSSARY