Glossary of sociology

This glossary of sociology is a list of definitions to do with the concepts, events, and people relevant to sociology, its sub-disciplines, and related fields. As sociology is an expansive subject the glossary below is equally as large.

For more concise and specific reviews of key sociological topics, consider looking at the sociology index, history, outline, or theory.

Entries for people within this glossary have only be considered if mentioned somewhere within the glossary itself. See the list of sociologists for a more extensive overview of key sociologists.

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A

ability

At a broad level, this is the power to undertake a physical and mental task. A person's ability may be augmented from training, improving their knowledge and skills in undertaking a specific task. The ability of a person or group of people is often discussed alongside other intersecting issues, from class to racism, that may help privilage or disadvantage someones ability - causing issues of inequality and injustice. Ability differs from terms like aptitude which defines an already naturally present inclination towards a body of knowledge and skills.

abolitionism

A term broadly signalling the ending of a given social practice. It is often associated with progressive tendencies including historical examples such as the abolition of slavery based on its inhumanity. Here, issues such as modern slavery contests the duality that abolitionism might present, such as there being a clear situation where there is a world with slavery and a world without it. Instead, dynamic (i.e. changing) social situations can exist where actors are continiously contesting and reaffirming social practices. This can leave nebulous (i.e. blurred) situations where, for example, slavery can be banned in some areas of society, but still practiced in other areas of a society. This term can also be applied in a regressive context, utilised by groups seeking to return to a previous social situation such as self-labled "abortion abolitionists" in the United States that seek a return to bans on abortion.. In a sociological context, it might also refer to the abolition of prisons or penal abolition, a movement within sociology that highlights the degrading and inhumane nature of current penal systems. See criminology and critical criminology.

absolutism

The complete and total control over a social population, typically theorised and practiced via a highly centralised form of government. See autocracy, monarchism, totalitarianism.

abortion

The deliberate choice and act to end human pregnancy. A vital sexual and reproductive health procedure experienced by numerous women each year across the world. Although medically guided, safe abortions are essential for women's health, some societies both contest, suppress, and deny this health right for a variety of reasons, including religious and political ones. See health politics, sociology of health and illness

aging, sociology of

Study of individuals across different ages throughout their lifecourse and the various aspects of society that interact with this process.

ageism

Or agism. The steroytyping/ discrimination of someone based on their age.

age sets

Or age grades. Categorised age groups/ ranges that define the social roles, privileges, and responsibilities of the people within them and contextualised by the society in which constructs them.

age stratification

Linked inequalities that exist due to age and the social constraints that are placed on various parts of our lives. See age sets

agency

In a wider sense, agency refers to the voluntary capacity of an individual to take action. Here, it is a process of social engagement informed by the past, an imagination of what will happen in the future, and contextualised in the present. It also has temporal elements as the human lifecourse is a finite length as well as our agency becoming contextually different throughout our lives as life events take place.

anomie

Is a social condition defined by an uprooting or breakdown of any moral values, standards or guidance for individuals to follow. Typically manifested in a society characterised by disintegration and deregulation.

autocracy

A regime in which all power is concentrated within a single person.

axiom (axiomatic)

An axiom is a stated universal principle, assumption, or supposedly self-evident truth. This is seen in sociological theory from the all encompassing class struggle in Marxism to assumptions of humans being rational actors like in rational choice theory.

B

bourgeoisie

Is a class category that typically refers to a middle class of people. Here, its definition is subjective and open to interpretation depending on the author's usage. For example, in a Marxist context it is contextualised as those who are part of a capitalist class i.e. own the means of production and its wealth which may include those within an upper class label. As this term is reapplied within the 21st century, its meaning is adapted and care should be given to understand the context applied to it by those that use it. See aristocracy, capitalist class, middle class, proletariat, and upper class.

bourgeoisie, moyenne

See moyenne bourgeoisie.

bourgeoisie, petite

See petite bourgeoisie.

C

criminology

X

criminology, critical

X

D

deprivation, absolute

See extreme poverty.

deprivation, relative

See extreme poverty.

E

existential sociology

X

exponential growth

X

F

Foucault, Michel

X

free market

X

G

American English: globalization

British English: globalisation

X

American English: glocalization

British English: glocalisation

X

H

health and illness, sociology of

Or sociology of health, illness, and wellness. The study of health and its related processes, practices, and theory amongst its interactions with all levels of society.

health politics

Is the study of how political events, institutions, actors, and wider systematic influences (e.g. capitalism) shape and control health and healthcare within society.

I

ideology

An ideology is a set of systems, beliefs, and philosophies that construct a framework for people to act and live by.

intersectionality

X

J

Judaism

X

justice, social

X

K

kinship

X

knowledge, sociology of

X

L

life course

See life course research

life course research

X

life event

X

M

Marx, Karl

(1818-1883) significant contributor to theory within sociology, as well as politics, economics, and philosophy. See marxism

marxism

X

mobility

X

mobility, absolute

Or absolute social mobility; the likelihood of a child to exceed the income of their parents at a given age, adjusting for cost of living and inflation. See cost of living, inflation, and mobility.

monarchism

X

N

norm

X

new religions

X

O

out-group

X

outlier

X

P

poverty

X.

poverty, absolute

See extreme poverty.

poverty, relative

X.

Q

queer theory

X

questionnaire

X

R

rural sociology

X

S

stress

X

social justice

See justice, social

social norm

See norm.

social structure

See structure.

structure

X

T

tribe

X

totalitarianism

X

U

utilitarianism

X

utopia

X

V

variable

X

victimology

X

W

Weber, Max

X

welfare

X

X

xenocentrism

X

xenophobia

X

Y

youth

X

youth culture

X

Z

zeitgeist

X

zero-sum game

X

zero tolerance

X

See also

• Glossary of economics
• Glossary of philosophy

References

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