Refers to people who interact in a defined territory and shared culture. Chapter 4 Society

Gerhard Lenski: Society and Technology Sociocultural evolution-societies change as they acquire new technology. Hunting & Gathering-nomadic, kinship and egalitarian. Horticulture-pastoralism/domestication of animals Agrarian-plow animals, wheel, writing, money, social inequality

Lenski Industrial-large machinery and mass production, traditional values erode, prosperity and health improve….more social inequality. Post-Industrial-information based economy, technology soles and creates problems.

Marx Capitalism alienates workers From the act of working From the products of work From other workers From human potential REVOLUTION

Karl Marx: Society and Conflict Social conflict over valued resources. Capitalists---owners Proletariat—workers Profits Economy is the infrastructure Materialism False Consciousness Class conflict/class consciousness.

Max Weber The Rationality of Society Ideal types---abstract statements Tradition and Reality---rationality Rationalization of Society Is Capitalism Rational? Protestantism and Capitalism

Growth of the Bureaucracy. Weber Rational Social Organization Distinctive social institutions Large Scale Organizations Specialized Tasks Personal Discipline Awareness of Time Technical Competence Impersonality Growth of the Bureaucracy.

Emile Durkheim Society and Function Social fact is a pattern that is rooted in society rather than in the experience of individuals….shapes behavior feeling and thought. Extends beyond its effect on individuals and society itself to function in a complex system People build personalities by internalizing social facts

Durkheim Anomie Division of Labor Mechanical solidarity Organic solidarity

Four Visions of Society What holds society together? How have societies changed? Why do societies change? Is Society Getting Better or worse?