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Welcome to Introduction to Sociology 2e , an OpenStax resource created with several goals in mind: accessibility, affordability, customization, and student engagement—all while encouraging learners toward high levels of learning. Instructors and students alike will find that this textbook offers a strong foundation in sociology. It is available for free online and in low-cost print and e-book editions.
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This book is written for you and is based on the teaching and research experience of numerous sociologists. In today’s global socially networked world, the topic of sociology is more relevant than ever before. We hope that through this book, you will learn how simple, everyday human actions and interactions can change the world. In this book, you will find applications of sociology concepts that are relevant, current, and balanced.
This text is intended for a one-semester introductory course. Since current events influence our social perspectives and the field of sociology in general, OpenStax encourages instructors to keep this book fresh by sending in your up-to-date examples to info@openstaxcollege.org so that students and instructors around the country can relate and engage in fruitful discussions.
Introduction to Sociology 2e adheres to the scope and sequence of a typical introductory sociology course. In addition to comprehensive coverage of core concepts, foundational scholars, and emerging theories we have incorporated section reviews with engaging questions, discussions that help students apply the sociological imagination, and features that draw learners into the discipline in meaningful ways. Although this text can be modified and reorganized to suit your needs, the standard version is organized so that topics are introduced conceptually, with relevant, everyday experiences.
Part of the mission of the second edition update was to ensure the research, examples and concepts used in this textbook are current and relevant to today’s student. To this end, we have rewritten the introduction of each chapter to reflect the latest developments in sociology, history and global culture. In addition to new graphs and images, the reader of the second edition will find new feature boxes on a diverse array of topics, which has been one of the goals of the update—bringing the world into greater focus through case studies on global culture.
In this assignment you will learn about the four basic systems that human beings have used for organizing controlling their social life.
You will learn about specific mechanisms that are used for encouraging conformity to cultural rules for living in society.
You will examine the nature of law and learn about how societies attempt to maintain order and cope with conflict.
Question: Which of the following is a typical legal authority of families in tribal societies?
Choices:
the punishment of family members
he defense of the community
the policing of the community
the conduct of all trials
Question: Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the Nuer “Leopard Skin Chief”?
Choices:
Ritual responsibilities.
The ability to offer sanctuary.
Prestige.
Authority to impose fines.
Question: local groups whose members are drawn from several tribal families and that perform special functions, including political functions, within communities
Choices:
politics
authority
government
laws
band
tribe
sodalities
chiefdom
state
matrifocal societies
law
legal authority
sanction
negative sanctions
negotiation
mediation
court
oaths
ordeals
retribution
feuds
raids
war
internal warfare
crime
rebellion
Question: Which of the following is characteristic of a chiefdom?
Choices:
Its government cannot legitimately use force.
The authority of its government is based on kin relationships with the governed.
It lacks a monopoly over legal authority.
Its officials may exercise authority only over their own kin.
Question: According to Otterbein, what was NOT a purpose of warfare in bands and tribes?
Choices:
individual motivation
defense
plunder
economic control of neighboring communities
Question: The defining characteristic of a state is which of the following?
Choices:
the presence of agriculture
the presence of markets
the monopoly by government of the right to use legal force
the presence of governing authorities with power outside their own kinship group
Question: Which of the following is NOT a major factor in crime in the United States according to the National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence?
Choices:
age
education
unemployment
religion
Question: In tribes, military defense is usually the responsibility of which of the following?
Choices:
families
the local group
military associations
individual volunteers
Question: According to Nancy Turner, which of the following is the basis of a matrifocal society?
Choices:
women’s control of political offices
a social structure in which the primary solidarity relations involve women
a social structure in which women dominate men
women’s control of the top political office of their society
Question: Which of the following is the typical seat of legal authority in bands?
Choices:
the kinship group
the local community
legal associations
governing specialists
Question: Feuds are most common as a means for legally redressing wrongs where:
Choices:
fraternal groups work together and share obligations.
work is shared by in-laws.
courts are powerful.
work is highly individualized.