The Macro-Micro Link in Social Institutions

Politics, Education, and ReligionChapter 11

OutlinePolitics and GovernmentPluralism and the Power Elite PerspectiveOther sources of Money in PoliticsEducation and its functionsStudies of educationTrends in educationReligion and its functionsTrends in religionSecular?

PoliticsPolitics-methods and tactics intended to

influence government policy; attitudes and activities relatedOriginated in ancient Greece

Government-formal, organized agency that exercises power and control in modern society through the creation and enforcement of lawsPower-ability to impose one’s will on othersAuthority-legitimate, non-coercive exercise of

power

PoliticsAuthoritarianism-system of government by and for

a small number of elites that doesn’t include representation of regular citizensDictatorship or totalitarian rule (control every aspect)

Monarchy-government by a king or queen, with succession of rulers kept within the familyAbsolute-complete authority over subjectsConstitutional-powers limited by parliament or other

governing bodyDemocracy-political system in which all citizens

have the right to participateMajority rule, civil liberties, human rights, equality

American Political SystemVoter turnout varies over time, but the U.S.

has comparatively low voter turnout rates…why?Top answer: too busySome voters don’t vote because they are

disenfranchisedDisenfranchised-stripped of voting rights

temporarily or permanentlyFelonsRegular citizens-Florida 2000

Solutions-increase access to disabled, make absentee voting easier, keeping the polls open longer

Who Rules America?Pluralism-system of political

power in which many individuals and groups have equal access to resources and the mechanisms of power

Power elite-(C. Wright Mills) relatively small number of people who control the economic, political, and military institutions of a societyKnow each other .0026% of population-tend

to be white, upper-class males

“Bohemian Grove”

Who Rules America?Special interest groups-organizations that

raise and spend money to influence elected officials and/or public opinionCorporate organizations, lobbies, PACs, 527sMoney wins elections: 95% of House races went

to candidate who spent most on racePolitical Action Committees (PACs)-raises

money to support the interests of a select group Over 4,000 PACsPrimary source of campaign contributions

Who Rules America?527 Committees-organizations used by supporters of

candidates and special interests to avoid campaign finance lawsthere are no limits on contributions donors can make to 527s$550 million spent in the 2004 election

The role of the media in politics increased with the inventions of the TV in 1948 and the internet

Candidates must spend money on the media: gain coverage on an issue or buy advertisements

“Sound bytes”Opinion leaders-high-profile people whose interpretation

of events influences the publicOprah Winfrey

EducationEducation-process by which a society

transmits knowledge, values, and expectations to its members so they can functionFormal education began in ancient GreeceModern mass education traced back to

EnlightenmentCurrent public high school graduation rate

about 70% Georgia: 54% Iowa: 93%

Functions of education include transmission of knowledge, obedience to rules, and respect for authority

Education and InequalityTracking-placement of students in educational

programs of study (ex. college prep or remedial) that determine the types of classes students takeHappens early in educational career

Education benefits everyone, but not everyone equally-inequality in education mirrors inequality in society

Hidden curriculum-values or behaviors students learn indirectly over the course of their schooling“Rules, routines, regulations”Can create a submissive and obedient workforce

Studies of EducationSymbolic Interactionist-Pygmalion in the

Classroom: teacher Expectation and Pupils’ Intellectual Development-conclusion-teachers’ attitudes about students unintentionally influenced their academic performance

Conflict-Savage Inequalities-Kozol-because schools are funded by property taxes, kids in poor neighborhoods are trapped in poor schools, which reinforces inequality

Functionalist-The Credential Society-Collins-educational inequality is preparation for occupational inequality later in life

Present and Future of Education Charter schools-public schools run by

private entities to give parents greater control over their kids’ educationMore flexible than public schools-free from

district governanceStudents have comparable or slightly lower

test scores than conventional schoolsHomeschooling-education of children by

their parents at homeacademic achievement above that of public

school students-can be customized to needs

Present and Future of EducationSchool vouchers-payments from the

government to parents whose kids attend failing public schoolsPay 75-90% of tuition generallyTake funds away from public schools to be used

at private schools May blur line between church and state

Distance learning-any educational course or program in which the teacher and the students do not meet together in the classroom; increasingly available over the internet

ReligionReligion-any institutionalized system of

shared beliefs and rituals that identify a relationship between the sacred and the profaneBelief-a proposition or idea held on the basis

of faithRitual-a practice based on religious beliefsSacred-the holy, divine, or supernaturalProfane-the ordinary, mundane, or everyday

Functions/Dysfunctions of Religion1. Shapes behavior by providing morals, values, norms

10 Commandments, fasting, confessing sins, etc…2.Gives meaning to our lives

Each religion answers the fundamental questions (Ex. What is the meaning of life) according to a larger plan

3. Provides the opportunity to come together with othersReligions can also be divisive-sexist, anti-homosexual,

etc…Can also be agents for social justice:

Liberation theology-movement within the Catholic church to understand Christianity from the perspective of the poor and oppressed, with a focus on fighting injustice

Religion in AmericaReligiosity-regular practice of religious

beliefs, measured in terms of frequency of attendance at worship services and the importance of religious beliefs to an individualExtrinsic religiosity-public display of

commitment Church attendance

Intrinsic religiousity-personal relationship to divine

More religiosity among women, older Americans, in the South

Religious Affiliation TrendsFundamentalism-the practice of emphasizing literal

interpretation of texts and a “return” to a time of greater religious purityProvides a return to tradition1990-2001-those identifying as fundamentalist tripled

Evangelical-term describing conservative Christians who emphasize converting others to their faith1990-2001-those identifying as evangelicals quadrupled

Unchurched spirituality-spiritual but not religiousMay adopt different aspects of different religionsExpressed individually-not through organized group

Are we Secular?Secular-nonreligious; separating church and

state and not endorsing any religionGovernment and business form holiday

schedules around Christian holidays-even though 15% of Americans don’t observe them

Every president has been ChristianEvery president since Eisenhower has been

advised by Reverend Billy Graham