Sociology Now, Census Update

36 CHAPTER 1WHAT IS SOCIOLOGY?

should be educated the same as men or society would

never progress. Frederick Douglass, a former slave and

prolific author, was very influential in the abolitionist

movement, while W. E. B. Du Bois founded the NAACP

and wrote 19 books on race. He is now considered one

of the greatest sociologists in history.

6.What are the major contemporary sociological perspec-

tives? Three main paradigms, or ways of thinking,

have dominated sociological inquiry. Symbolic interac-

tionists explain how interactions with the environment

help people develop a sense of self. Structural function-

alists stress equilibrium in society and examine how

institutions function to reproduce social life. Conflict

theorists believe that society evolves from conflict

among groups. Today, sociologists increasingly view the

world through the lenses of globalism and multicultur-

alism. Globalization, or the economic, political, cul-

tural, and social interconnectedness among people

around the world, spreads culture and values and has

both positive and negative consequences. Using the mul-

ticultural lens, sociologists understand the different

ways that people see the world, construct selves, and

create institutions. Today’s sociologists understand that

race, class, gender, and sexuality are intersections of

identity, and one cannot be studied without taking the

others into account.

KeyTerms

Canon (p. 21)
Conflict theory (p. 26)
Generalized other (p. 21)
Globalization (p. 27)
Latent functions (p. 25)
Macrolevel analysis (p. 27)
Manifest functions (p. 25)

McDonaldization (p. 31)

Mechanical solidarity (p. 18)

Microlevel analysis (p. 27)

Modernism (p. 32)

Multiculturalism (p. 27)

Organic solidarity (p. 18)

Paradigm (p. 24)

Postmodernism (p. 33)

Social Darwinism (p. 20)

Sociological imagination (p. 5)

Sociology (p. 5)

Structural functionalism (p. 24)

Symbolic interactionism (p. 24)

What

does

America

think

?

1.1 How Religious Are People?

This is actual survey data from the General Social Survey, 2004.

About how often do you pray?Almost 60 percent of respondents reported praying

at least once a day. Women were more likely than men to pray several times a day

or once a day. Results for examining by race were also striking, with 55 percent of

Black respondents praying several times a day as compared to 27 percent of White

respondents.

CRITICAL THINKING|DISCUSSION QUESTION

1. What social and cultural factors do you think account for the gender differences in reports of
   prayer frequency? What about the race difference?

1.2 Your Outlook on Life: Are People Basically Fair?

This is actual survey data from the General Social Survey, 2004.

Do you think most people would try to take advantage of you if they got a

chance, or would they try to be fair?Half of all respondents thought most people