Social Interaction & Social Structure How is reality shaped by social interaction? What are the elements of social structure? What are the main kinds of society throughout history? What are the major explanations of the rise of modern industrial societies?

Question: How do we spend most of our time? Answer: Performing roles… …that are attached to statuses… …that we occupy as members of a group or organization.

Social Status Status: socially defined position within a group or society Types: ascribed, achieved, master Question: What are your statuses?

Social Roles Roles: sets of expectations for people who occupy a given status Problems: role conflict, strain, change

Groups Group: any number of people with similar norms, values, and expectations who interact with each other on a regular basis Society is composed of many groups in which daily social interaction takes place Influence of group norms and sanctions on social interaction

Social Networks Social network: series of social relationships that links person directly to others and indirectly links him or her to still more people Advances in technology linked to growth of social networks

Social Institutions Social institutions: organized patterns of beliefs and behavior centered on basic social needs Examples Differing theoretical views

Social Structure: Putting It All Together Example of institution: Economy Organizations: businesses, TUSIAD Groups: management, production Statuses: managers, supervisors, workers Roles: planning, designing, producing

Some Things to Remember Institutions are linked and change together Institutions are the sites of social problems Historical shifts: From small groups to large formal organizations to new “networks”

Types of Society (Lenski) Preindustrial societies Hunting & gathering Horticultural & pastoral Agrarian Industrial societies Post-industrial/postmodern societies * Social change linked to “sociocultural evolution”, especially technological developments Get pictures to illustrate types

MINI-BREAK QUESTION: What are the social implications of computerization? Positives? Negatives?

Explaining Modern Industrial Society: Key Questions How do societies of the past and present differ from one another? How and why does a society change? What forces divide a society? What forces hold it together? Are societies getting “better” or “worse”?

The Rise of Modern Industrial Society: Classical Sociological Views Marx (1818-1883) Weber (1864-1920) Durkheim (1858-1917)

Karl Marx: Society & Conflict Key concepts: material forces, class conflict, alienation How modern society emerged: New forces of production undermined feudal society and the capitalist mode of production emerged Capitalism gives birth to new classes and new struggles Basic features of modern society:   Conflict between capitalist & workers Culture and society reflects interests of ruling class Alienation via capitalist domination

Max Weber: The Rationalization of Society Key concepts: ideal forces, rationality, Protestant ethic, bureaucracy How modern society emerged: Industrialism is a legacy of Calvinism A new culture based on ethic of work and thrift Basic features of modern society:   Increasing rationalization of life Rise of large bureaucratic organizations Industrial capitalism reflects rationality applied to economy Alienation via bureaucracy dehumanization

Emile Durkheim: Society & Function Key concepts: mechanical solidarity, organic solidarity, anomie How modern society emerged: Changing division of labor and types of solidarity Traditional societies: low division of labor & mechanical solidarity Modern societies: high division of labor & organic solidarity  Basic features of modern society: Highly specialized and extensive division of labor Organic solidarity Anomie

What holds societies together? Marx: social division & conflict mark societies; ruling class domination Weber: members of a society share a distinctive world view Durkheim: solidarity holds societies together

Where is society headed? Marx: capitalism will fail & revolution will usher in a socialist utopia Weber: modern society is an “iron cage” of rationality Durkheim: new forms of association can bind people together

Modernity and the Idea of Progress What do you think? Is society getting better or worse (or both)? What evidence would you cite to support your argument?