Soc 200 Worksheet Analyze Social Institutions Name: Alicia Schwahn

What is/are competency/ies of this learning Unit? (1 point) There are many competencies for this unit. We
are looking at socialization in human societies, the power of groups influencing behavior, and analyzing how
institutions function in society.
What is a social institution? (1 point) A social institution is a place in which we are socialized. In these places,
we learn what are values, beliefs, morals, etc. are. These institutions can be education, media, family, religion,
political systems, etc.

Major Social Institutions:

1. Economic & Work systems.. Chapter 16: ECONOMICS
2. Politics and Governments. Chapter 17: POLITICS
3. Families Chapter 18: FAMILY
4. Religion.Chapter 19: RELIGION
5. Education........... Chapter 20: EDUCATION
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Economics/Workplace
Definition: Select 5 the least familiar terms from the following list.
and do (1) type up the original definition (2) Select a visual element such as a cartoon, a picture, or a
video clip to relate to this definition. (5 points)

Postindustrial economy: A productive system based on service work and high economy.

Primary, secondary and tertiary sector: Primary Part of the economy that
draws from raw materials from the natural environment. Secondary Part of
the economy that transforms raw materials into manufactured goods. Tertiary
Part of the economy that involves services rather than goods.

Global economy: Economic activity that crosses national borders.

Welfare Capitalism: An economic and political system that combines a mostly

market-based economy with extensive welfare programs.

State Capitalism: An economic and political system in which companies are

privately owned but cooperate closely with the government.

Discussion/Questions: (Select 3 questions) Read the chapter mindfully, and then

quote or paraphrase from your textbook reading. You need to combine 50% of the textbook contents
(quotes with page numbers) plus the rest of 50% of your own interpretation or reflection. You need to
provide the 100+ word count at the end for each answer. (15 points)
1. Describe the characteristics of technologically simple, agrarian, industrial and postindustrial societies.
2. Compare Capitalism and Socialism regarding the advantages and disadvantages of each system.
What kind of system do you consider better for most people?
Capitalism is when an economic system uses natural resources to produce goods and services which
are privately owned. Socialism is system in which natural resources are used to produce goods and
services which are collectively owned. I would consider socialism to be better because it benefits the
majority of the population, and encourages collective growth rather than personal profit. Not only that,
but when the playing field is more level, more people will have chances to excel and achieve things such
as higher pay or better working conditions. WORD COUNT: 113
3. Describe the trends in the U.S labor force that might affect your career choice.
About 85% of the US labor force is service work, such as secretarial and clerical work. There are also
many jobs offered in food services, sales, law, healthcare, law enforcement, advertising, and
teaching. That is a majority of the jobs in the US, so that means that a service job is probably a good
career or work to go into as they are needed everywhere. We are also seeing that there is a decline in
agricultural work, which is s sad things for Wisconsin as we are so reliant on our farming. In 1900,
roughly 40% of US workers were farmers. In 2014, just 1.5 percent were in agriculture. This also goes
to show that machines and technology are taking over the areas of work which humans originally
provided service in. WORD COUNT: 131
4. Address the nature of the U.S. economy and corporations. What are the essential characteristics of
a corporation, a multination corporation, and a conglomerate? To what extent your job, family,
and community are affected by them?
The nature of the US economy is competitive, and an every-man-for-himself type of race. The US
economy has seen a decline in agricultural work but has seen a small resurgence of family farms due
to the high demand for locally and organically grown food. We have also seen a large transition from
factory work to service work, and in 2014, more than 80 percent of the labor force worked in the
service sector, and almost all of this countrys new jobs were being created in this sector. Thats a very
significant shift, and shows that the nature of the economy changes with the demands of the economy.
Corporations are the core of the US economy, as they are organizations with legal existence,
including rights and liabilities, separate from that of its members. A conglomerate is still a corporation,
but is instead composed of many smaller corporations. Many of them are often linked because they
own each others stock and create worldwide alliances of staggering size. Because of massive
growth, there is a massive need for training our future workforce how to use language and computer
skills that will be needed in the everyday field of future careers. WORD COUNT: 197

Politics/Government

Definition: do (1) type up the original definition (2) Select a visual element such as a cartoon, a picture,
or a video clip to relate to this definition. (5 points)

Monarchy: A political system in which a single family rules from generation to

generation.

Democracy: A political system that gives power to the people as a whole.

 Authoritarianism: A political system that denies the people participation in
government.

Totalitarianism: A highly centralized political system that extensively

regulates peoples lives.

Welfare state: A system of government agencies and programs that offers

benefits to the population.

Discussion/Questions: Read the chapter mindfully, and then quote or paraphrase from your textbook
reading. You need to combine 50% of the textbook contents (quotes with page numbers) plus the rest of
50% of your own interpretation or reflection. You need to provide the 100+ word count at the end for
each answer. (15 points). Do all the 3 questions. 5 points per question.
1. Summarize the central arguments of the three models of political power. The first model is the pluralist
model the people rule. Its an analysis of politics that sees power as spread among many competing
interest groups. They claim that politics are an area where people must negotiate, however, not all may achieve
what they would like to. The power elite model a few people rule, is the second political power model. This is
an analysis of politics that sees power as concentrated among the rich. This followed an argument which
said that the small upper class holds a majority of wealth, power, and prestige. The power elite specifically held
three major sectors of power: government, military, and economy. These people at the top have so much power
that they face almost no opposition. The third and final model is the Marxist model the system is biased. This
model is an analysis that explains politics in terms of the operation of a societys economic system. This
idea rejects the notion that the US is a democracy, and sees deep rooted biases in the nations institutions, such
as the economy. The problem does not lie within the people, but rather the system. As long as the US is
capitalist, the majority of people will not be able to have their voices heard. WORD COUNT: 209
Which model do you feel most accurately describes politics in the U.S.? I think that the power elite model
most accurately describes the US because we are so unfair when it comes to the economy and politics. The fact
that the rich are the most well-off and respected goes hand in hand with Americas obsession with self-reliance
and working hard to get to the top. All these people look at the billionaires and believe they can become that
rich but the truth is that its very hard to come by that much money if it was handed down to you. In America,
$=POWER. WORD COUNT: 91
2. Describe the political platforms/agenda (including social issues, economic issues) of Democratic,
Republican, Green, and Independent parties. Democrats focus on these main social issues: Education,
Civil Rights, Abortion, Families & Children, Welfare & Poverty, the Environment, and Principles & Values.
Conservatives focus on many of the same issues, but take the opposite stance. For example, they are probably
anti-abortion, want to cut the EPA for big business, and want to bring religion into education. They also worry
about their right to bear arms a lot. The Green party is very similar to the Democratic party. They all want to
attain a balanced level of humanity. They believe in womens rights to their own bodies, they are strong
advocates for the environment, and they also really pushed for the legalization of marijuana. The
Libertarian/Independent party is kind of a mix of all of the three previously mentioned parties. They are firm
believers in each human having their own rights. They are also advocates for ending the war on drugs and
making college affordable for all. I personally am a mix of Democratic, Libertarian/Independent, and the Green
party. WORD COUNT: 169
3. According to the texts in the book, what causes war? How to promote world peace? There are five
different events that can cause war. The first is a perceives threat, and in this case nations mobilize in
response to perceived threat to their people, territory, or culture. So, just like animals, when we feel we are
threatened, we have defense mechanisms, and one of them happens to be war. The second is social problems. As
a form of scapegoating, we may attack an external enemy. This is basically another defense mechanism,
but in this case, it is to protect the way that we outwardly present ourselves. The third is political objectives.
This is when countries use war to end foreign domination. Many countries will use this tactic in order to
increase their political standing. The fourth is moral objectives. Moral objectives are when leaders use moral
urgency. They make it sound as though what they are doing is moral, as it will create a greater cause for the
greater good. Finally, the last reason for was is the absence of alternatives. This is used when there are no other
options in preventing conflict. In terms of peace, there are several options for trying to stray away from war.
Deterrence is a mentioned option, and was used to keep peace for 50 years during the cold war. This is an
understanding that if one side decides to attack another, that the retaliation will be even more brutal than the
initial attack. The second mention is high-technology defense. This is a strategy which uses advanced
technology which would destroy weapons that an attacker has used. A third option is diplomacy and disbarment.
Some have argued that the best way to reduce chances of war is to also reduce the number of weapons we have.
However, this has its downfalls as most countries to not want to decrease or get rid of their defense. The last
way to promote people is to resolve underlying conflict. We must promote a more just world, and strive to do
better in fixing poverty, hunger, and illiteracy. WORD COUNT: 335

Family

Definition : Select 5 the least familiar terms from the following list.
and do (1) type up the original definition (2) Select a visual element such as a cartoon, a picture, or a
video clip to relate to this definition. (5 points)

Nuclear family: A family composed of one or two parents and their children.

Extended family: A family consisting of parents and children as well as other kin.

Endogamy: Marriage between people of the same social category.

Exogamy: A marriage between two people of different social categories.

Homogamy: Marriage between two people with the same social characteristics.

Discussion/Questions: Read the chapter mindfully, and then quote or paraphrase from
your textbook reading. You need to combine 50% of the textbook contents (quotes with page numbers)
plus the rest of 50% of your own interpretation or reflection. You need to provide the 100+ word count at
the end for each answer. (15 points). Do all the 3 questions. 5 points per question.
1. Apply 3 paradigms to analyze a family (will keep confidential if you use your own, or you can use
a family you know well for analyses. Optional use the textbooks example). Within my family, one
major source of socialization that I had early on was family friends. My mom had three friends who
were all pregnant within 6 months of each other, so when I was born, and was already set for 3 other
friends for life. We all grew up together and are still good friends today. I was also socialized though
family, as I grew up with many cousins who were around my age. Race and ethnicity were also a large
part of my family as my parents were an interracial couple. Growing up, I was surrounded by so many
different aspects of culture and a variety of life. Material and emotional security was a very big
paradigm within my family as well. Not so much the material aspect, but more so the emotional. My dad
was extremely emotionally abusive, and sometimes physically abusive. My mom always tried to provide
me with a safe environment, but it was hard for her to do with my dad around. Because of this, I found it
really hard to want to go home after school because I didnt want to go back to my dad. I did not get
much emotional support from him, as my entire childhood revolved around not making dad angry.
After my mom and I moved out when they were getting a divorce during my junior year of high school,
I finally had a healthy, happy, supportive environment away from my dad. WORD COUNT: 244
2. Refer to the textbook and use real life examples (families you know well or heard about it) to
analyze the transitions and problems in family life. There are a lot of different transitions in family
life. Theres divorce, remarriage, blended families, and family violence. One common family transition
that I have seen firsthand is divorce. My own parents got divorced a while ago, and I know someone
very close to me whose parents got divorced recently. Their mom fell out of love with their dad, found
someone else she thought she loved, and was very independent because she could support herself with
her career, but her life was also very stressful because of her career All of these factors combined caused
her to seek a divorce. I think that divorce is a common solution to problems in marriage because they
are so common nowadays. I also think that the idea of blended families/remarrying is also widely
accepted because so many people are doing it or know someone who has done it. Lastly, family violence
is probably more common than we think, its just that it is so uncommon and extremely underreported. I
never said anything or told anyone about my dads abuse towards me, my sister, and my mom because I
was conditioned by my dad to think that if I did tell someone, I would be taken away from my family. Its
things like this that stop people from seeking help from domestic violence/abuse. WORD COUNT: 219
3. Refer to textbook - What is diversity of family forms in current U.S. society? Give real life
examples. There are many different types of families in America, and each of them are unique. One type
of family is the one-parent family. Put another way, 31 percent of all US children now live with only
one parent or no natural parent Single parenthood is not a new idea, but Ive seen it happening a lot
more with parents getting divorced. The single parenthood is not always by choice, such as being
widowed, but I have seen a lot of situations in which one parent takes full care and custody of the
child(ren). Cohabitation is also being seen a lot more in households everywhere. This is when an
unmarried couple shares a household. About half of all people between fifteen and forty-four have
cohabitated at some point. This statistic goes to show that although cohabitation has only recently
begun to get researched, it has been occurring for quite some time; researchers have just only begun to
study it. These cohabitating couples may or may not have children, and lead lifestyles that are like a
married couples lifestyle, the only difference is that they are not married. The diversity continues, and
we can see gay and lesbian couples, singlehood, extended family households, new reproductive families
and technologies, and future families. I, myself, know many young couples who cohabitate. My aunt and
uncle have been together for almost 20 years, but were never married until last year. They have three
children together, and have lived life as a married couple but were never actually married. WORD
COUNT: 253
Religion

Definition: Select 5 the least familiar terms from the following list.
and do (1) type up the original definition (2) Select a visual element such as a cartoon, a picture, or a
video clip to relate to this definition. (5 points)

Profane: An ordinary element of everyday life.

Sacred: Extraordinary, inspiring awe and reverence.

Church, state church, denomination, sect and cult: Church A type of religious
organization that is well integrated into the larger society. State church A
church formally allied with the states.

Denomination A church, independent of the state, that recognizes

religious pluralism. Sect A type of religious organization that stands apart
from the larger society. Cult A religious organization that is largely
outside a societys cultural traditions.

Religiosity: The importance of religion in a persons life.

Fundamentalism: A conservative religious doctrine that opposes intellectualism and

worldly accommodation in favor of restoring traditional, otherworldly religion.

Discussion/Questions: Read the chapter mindfully, and then quote or paraphrase from your
textbook reading. You need to combine 50% of the textbook contents (quotes with page numbers) plus
the rest of 50% of your own interpretation or reflection. You need to provide the 100+ word count at the
end for each answer. ( 5 points per question. Total is 10 points)

Apply 3 paradigms to analyze a religion you know well (or use the textbooks example). The religion that
I probably know well enough to analyze is Christianity. Promoting social control is a big one because I know
many people who follow Christianity and use it to justify why they do not agree with people being LGBTQ.
By defining God as a judge, many religions encourage people to obey cultural norms. I think this is very
true, especially in cases like what I just stated before about people being gay, lesbian, etc. They do not fit in
with the bible, and because of that, those who practice the religion try to use it as a justification to discriminate
against or harass those who are LGBTQ. I think this is also a form of social cohesion, as it is a way for people
to sort of match their identities to others. Cohesion unites people and allows them to share a personal
connection through their values, beliefs, and norms. However, I also personally think that it is a way of
controlling people and the way they think or behave when the religion is followed to an extreme. The last
paradigm that I see is providing meaning and purpose. Religion, and specifically in this case, Christianity, helps
to offer the comforting belief that our brief lives serve some greater purpose. Many people really believe
that religion is a huge part of their identity, and thats often because it makes them feel better. Whether it be the
services or help they believe they are offering by being religious, I feel as though it is a way for people to fill an
emptiness, and a way for people to feel better about replacing that emptiness with something like religion,
which offers you a family, community, prayer, and many other things. WORD COUNT: 289

Education

Definition: (1) Type up the original definition (2) Select a visual element such as a cartoon, a picture, or a
video clip to relate to this definition. (5 points)

Education vs. Schooling: Education The social institution in which society provides its
members with important knowledge, including basic facts, job skills, and cultural norms
and values. Schooling Form instruction under the direction of specially trained
teachers.

Social integration: Molding a diverse population into one society sharing norms and
values.

Social placement: Identifying talent and matching instruction to ability.

School tracking: Assigning students to different types of educational programs,

such as college preparatory classes.

Functional illiteracy: Reading and writing skills that are inadequate to manage
daily living and employment tasks that require reading skills beyond a basic level.

Discussion/Questions: Read the chapter mindfully, and then quote or paraphrase from your textbook
reading. You need to combine 50% of the textbook contents (quotes with page numbers) plus the rest of
50% of your own interpretation or reflection. You need to provide the 100+ word count at the end for
each answer. (( 5 points per question. Total is 15 points)

1.Make a list of the manifest functions of schooling according to structural-functional analysis

(you can refer to the textbook contents). Socialization, cultural innovation, social integration, social
placement, and latent functions of schooling,
2. What are the major problems in the schools? Propose some possible solutions to solve the major
school problems. The major problems in schools currently are discipline and violence, student passivity,
dropping out, academic standards, and grade inflation. Discipline and violence is an issue because violence
spills in from outside. I think that a good way to try and combat violence inside of the schools is to combat in
outside of the schools. Encourage students to participate in after school activities, sports, or programs. Even
jobs offered through the school or community after school could help curb some of the trouble because kids
would have responsibilities rather than time to cause trouble. I also think it is good for schools to take
precautions and use security systems at schools such as check ins, having to ask to be let in, etc. Student
passivity could also be helped if students were given options to engage in more activities that they would enjoy.
For example, cutting down class time by 5-10 minutes and allowing students to share what they would like to
participate in. For example, if students enjoy poetry or pottery, they can have the opportunity to go into a
specific classroom or area to take part in those activities. I also think it helps when teachers work extra hard to
keep their students engaged, and try to find things within the classroom that could connect with a majority of
the students. WORD COUNT: 222
3. According to our textbook, what are the recent issues in U.S. education? How much do you believe
that education can transform peoples life? Explain. Current issues in the US are school choice, home
schooling, schooling people with disabilities, adult education, and teacher shortages. I think that school can
completely change a persons life. School changes so many things for you it opens up doors, and creates many
opportunities for excelling in many different areas. School can help you get a career, or even help you find out
about passions which you might have never known about before. We dont value education as much in America,
so I think its hard for people to think really deeply about how much school benefits us and how lucky we are to
have such easy access to it. If education was not life changing, why would developing countries want so badly
for it? Because like I said before, it creates so many options for you. WORD COUNT: 137