Sociology Sprint: Test Your Knowledge Daily
Welcome, aspiring sociologists! It’s time for another invigorating intellectual challenge. Today, we’ve curated a fresh set of 25 multiple-choice questions designed to push your conceptual boundaries and refine your analytical skills across the vast landscape of sociology. Dive in, test your mettle, and emerge with enhanced clarity on core theories, thinkers, and societal dynamics. Let the sprint begin!
Sociology Practice Questions
Instructions: Attempt the following 25 questions and analyze your understanding with the detailed explanations provided.
Question 1: Which of the following concepts, developed by Karl Marx, describes the separation of individuals from the products of their labor, the process of production, their fellow workers, and their own species-being?
- Anomie
- Alienation
- Rationalization
- Verstehen
Answer: (B)
Detailed Explanation:
- Correctness: Karl Marx’s concept of ‘Alienation’ (or estrangement) describes the conditions under capitalism where workers are separated from their labor power, the products they create, their fellow workers, and their own human essence (species-being). This separation results from the division of labor and the private ownership of the means of production.
- Context & Elaboration: Marx discussed alienation extensively in his early works, particularly the “Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844.” He argued that alienation is a fundamental feature of capitalist society, leading to dehumanization and social unrest.
- Incorrect Options: ‘Anomie’ is a concept developed by Émile Durkheim, referring to a state of normlessness. ‘Rationalization’ is a key concept of Max Weber, describing the increasing dominance of rationality in modern society. ‘Verstehen’ is also a Weberian concept, emphasizing empathetic understanding in sociological research.
Question 2: The concept of ‘Sanskritization’ was primarily introduced to explain a process of social mobility in India. Who coined this term?
- G.S. Ghurye
- M.N. Srinivas
- B.R. Ambedkar
- Louis Dumont
Answer: (B)
Detailed Explanation:
- Correctness: M.N. Srinivas, a prominent Indian sociologist, coined the term ‘Sanskritization’. It refers to the process by which a ‘low’ Hindu caste, tribal or other group changes its customs, rituals, ideology, and way of life in the direction of a ‘high’ and frequently ‘twice-born’ caste.
- Context & Elaboration: Srinivas first elaborated this concept in his book “Religion and Society Among the Coorgs of South India” (1952). He later refined it, noting that it is a form of cultural mobility, not necessarily structural, and can lead to the adoption of both ‘Sanskritic’ and ‘Western’ elements.
- Incorrect Options: G.S. Ghurye is known for his work on caste and tribes. B.R. Ambedkar was a social reformer and a key figure in the struggle against caste discrimination. Louis Dumont is famous for his structuralist analysis of Indian society, particularly his book “Homo Hierarchicus.”
Question 3: According to Émile Durkheim, “social facts” are ways of acting, thinking, and feeling that exist outside the individual and exert a coercive power over them. Which of the following is NOT an example of a social fact?
- Laws and moral regulations
- Religious beliefs and practices
- Individual psychological states (e.g., personal emotions)
- Collective rituals and ceremonies
Answer: (C)
Detailed Explanation:
- Correctness: Individual psychological states, such as personal emotions or unique thoughts, are not social facts. Durkheim defined social facts as external to the individual, general across society, and coercive in their influence. They shape individual behavior but are not reducible to individual psychology.
- Context & Elaboration: Durkheim introduced the concept of social facts in “The Rules of Sociological Method” (1895) to establish sociology as a distinct scientific discipline separate from psychology and philosophy. He argued that sociologists should study social facts as “things” – objective realities that can be empirically analyzed.
- Incorrect Options: Laws, moral regulations, religious beliefs, and collective rituals are all examples of social facts because they are external, general, and exert a coercive influence on individuals within a society.
Question 4: Which research method primarily aims to understand the meanings people attach to their experiences, often involving in-depth interviews, participant observation, and focus groups?
- Quantitative Research
- Content Analysis
- Qualitative Research
- Survey Research
Answer: (C)
Detailed Explanation:
- Correctness: Qualitative research methods focus on understanding the subjective meanings, interpretations, and experiences of individuals or groups. They are interpretive and exploratory, aiming for rich, detailed data rather than numerical measurements. In-depth interviews, participant observation, and focus groups are characteristic techniques.
- Context & Elaboration: Qualitative research is often associated with interpretive sociological traditions, like symbolic interactionism or phenomenology, which prioritize understanding social phenomena from the perspective of those being studied.
- Incorrect Options: ‘Quantitative Research’ focuses on numerical data, statistical analysis, and measuring variables to identify patterns and relationships. ‘Content Analysis’ can be both qualitative and quantitative but primarily involves systematically analyzing communication. ‘Survey Research’ is a common quantitative method involving structured questionnaires to collect data from a large sample.
Question 5: Max Weber’s concept of ‘Ideal Types’ refers to:
- A morally perfect society that sociologists should strive to achieve.
- Simplified, analytical constructs used to understand and compare social phenomena.
- The best or most desirable forms of social organization.
- Empirical generalizations derived directly from observed data.
Answer: (B)
Detailed Explanation:
- Correctness: Max Weber’s ‘Ideal Types’ are conceptual tools or analytical constructs that highlight the most important features of a social phenomenon. They are not meant to be perfect or moral ideals, nor are they direct representations of reality, but rather serve as a measuring rod for comparing and analyzing actual social structures.
- Context & Elaboration: Weber used ideal types to analyze various social phenomena, such as bureaucracy, capitalism, and types of authority (e.g., charismatic, traditional, rational-legal). For instance, an ‘ideal type bureaucracy’ helps in understanding the characteristics of real bureaucracies, even though no real bureaucracy perfectly matches the ideal type.
- Incorrect Options: Ideal types are methodological tools, not normative goals or empirical observations. They are theoretical constructs that exaggerate certain characteristics for analytical clarity.
Question 6: Which type of family structure is characterized by a married couple and their dependent children, typically residing in a separate household from their relatives?
- Extended Family
- Joint Family
- Nuclear Family
- Matriarchal Family
Answer: (C)
Detailed Explanation:
- Correctness: A ‘Nuclear Family’ consists of a husband, wife, and their children (either biological or adopted) living together as a single household, distinct from other relatives. This structure is often associated with industrial and post-industrial societies.
- Context & Elaboration: While the nuclear family is prominent in many Western societies, its prevalence and definition can vary cross-culturally. Sociologists have debated its historical emergence and its functional significance for different societies.
- Incorrect Options: An ‘Extended Family’ includes parents, children, and other kin (like grandparents, aunts, uncles) living in the same household or in close proximity and maintaining strong ties. A ‘Joint Family’ is a specific type of extended family, common in India, where several generations live under one roof and share common property. A ‘Matriarchal Family’ is a hypothetical (or very rare) family structure where the mother or female head holds primary authority and power.
Question 7: According to Robert Merton, the intended and recognized consequences of a social pattern or institution are called:
- Latent Functions
- Manifest Functions
- Dysfunctions
- Unintended Consequences
Answer: (B)
Detailed Explanation:
- Correctness: Robert Merton, a key functionalist sociologist, distinguished between ‘Manifest Functions’ and ‘Latent Functions’. Manifest functions are the intended, recognized, and explicit purposes or consequences of a social pattern, institution, or action.
- Context & Elaboration: For example, the manifest function of education is to transmit knowledge and skills. Merton also introduced ‘Latent Functions,’ which are unintended and often unrecognized consequences (e.g., education also serves as a marriage market or a childcare facility). He also acknowledged ‘Dysfunctions’ which are negative consequences.
- Incorrect Options: ‘Latent Functions’ are the unintended and unrecognized consequences. ‘Dysfunctions’ are negative consequences that disrupt the social system. ‘Unintended Consequences’ is a broader term that encompasses latent functions but doesn’t specifically refer to Merton’s conceptualization of functionalism.
Question 8: G.S. Ghurye identified certain features of the traditional Indian caste system. Which of the following is NOT one of the six salient features he described?
- Segmental Division of Society
- Hierarchy
- Inter-caste Marriage (Endogamy)
- Occupational Fluidity
Answer: (D)
Detailed Explanation:
- Correctness: G.S. Ghurye, in his work “Caste and Race in India,” listed six salient features of the traditional caste system, and ‘Occupational Fluidity’ was explicitly not one of them. Instead, traditional caste was characterized by hereditary occupation and lack of occupational fluidity.
- Context & Elaboration: Ghurye’s six features are: 1. Segmental Division of Society, 2. Hierarchy, 3. Restrictions on Social Intercourse, 4. Civil and Religious Disabilities and Privileges of Different Sections, 5. Lack of Choice of Occupation (Hereditary Occupation), and 6. Restrictions on Marriage (Endogamy).
- Incorrect Options: Segmental division, hierarchy, and endogamy (restrictions on inter-caste marriage) are all core features identified by Ghurye.
Question 9: George Herbert Mead’s concept of the ‘Generalized Other’ refers to:
- A specific individual who serves as a role model.
- The organized and generalized attitude of a social group or community.
- The individual’s unique self-identity, distinct from others.
- The innate biological drives that shape human behavior.
Answer: (B)
Detailed Explanation:
- Correctness: In George Herbert Mead’s theory of the self, the ‘Generalized Other’ represents the internalized attitudes, expectations, and norms of the wider community or society. It is through understanding the “generalized other” that individuals learn to see themselves from the perspective of the broader social group and develop a complete “self.”
- Context & Elaboration: Mead, a key figure in symbolic interactionism, argued that the self develops through social interaction. The ‘play stage’ involves taking the role of ‘significant others,’ while the ‘game stage’ involves taking the role of the ‘generalized other,’ leading to a more complex and integrated self.
- Incorrect Options: A specific individual role model relates more to ‘significant others’ in Mead’s framework. The individual’s unique self-identity is a product of this process but not the ‘generalized other’ itself. Innate biological drives are concepts from biological determinism, not Mead’s social psychology.
Question 10: Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of ‘Cultural Capital’ refers to:
- The financial assets an individual possesses.
- The knowledge, skills, and dispositions acquired through socialization that confer advantages.
- The social networks and connections an individual has.
- The inherent intellectual ability of an individual.
Answer: (B)
Detailed Explanation:
- Correctness: Pierre Bourdieu introduced ‘Cultural Capital’ as the accumulation of knowledge, skills, abilities, and dispositions that are valued in a particular culture and provide advantages in social life, particularly in educational and professional settings. It can exist in embodied (e.g., accent, manners), objectified (e.g., books, art), or institutionalized (e.g., degrees, qualifications) forms.
- Context & Elaboration: Bourdieu used this concept, along with ‘Economic Capital’ and ‘Social Capital,’ to explain how social inequalities are reproduced across generations, particularly within educational systems, challenging the notion of meritocracy.
- Incorrect Options: ‘Financial assets’ refer to economic capital. ‘Social networks and connections’ refer to social capital. While cultural capital might correlate with intellectual ability, it specifically refers to learned and acquired cultural resources, not inherent talent.
Question 11: Which term refers to a social system in which men hold primary power and predominate in roles of political leadership, moral authority, social privilege, and control of property, often leading to the subjugation of women?
- Matriarchy
- Egalitarianism
- Patriarchy
- Androcentrism
Answer: (C)
Detailed Explanation:
- Correctness: ‘Patriarchy’ is a social system where men hold primary power, authority, and privilege in society, often manifested in political, economic, legal, and social institutions. It typically results in the subordination of women.
- Context & Elaboration: Feminist theories widely use the concept of patriarchy to explain the historical and ongoing oppression and inequality experienced by women. It is viewed as a pervasive system affecting all aspects of social life.
- Incorrect Options: ‘Matriarchy’ is a hypothetical (or very rare) social system where women hold primary power. ‘Egalitarianism’ refers to a belief in human equality, especially with respect to social, political, and economic rights. ‘Androcentrism’ refers to a male-centered perspective, where male experience is seen as the norm, but it is a perspective, not a social system of power in itself.
Question 12: Which of the following is a characteristic feature of traditional rural communities compared to urban ones?
- High population density and diversity.
- Prevalence of secondary group relationships.
- Strong community bonds and face-to-face interaction.
- Dominance of formal social control mechanisms.
Answer: (C)
Detailed Explanation:
- Correctness: Traditional rural communities are often characterized by strong community bonds, close-knit relationships, and a high prevalence of face-to-face (primary group) interactions. This contributes to a sense of solidarity and shared identity, as described by early sociologists like Ferdinand Tönnies (Gemeinschaft).
- Context & Elaboration: In contrast to urban areas, rural societies traditionally have simpler divisions of labor, slower social change, and more informal social control. However, with globalization and development, these characteristics are increasingly being transformed.
- Incorrect Options: High population density and diversity are characteristics of urban areas. The prevalence of secondary group relationships (impersonal, goal-oriented) is typical of urban settings. Dominance of formal social control mechanisms (police, courts) is more pronounced in urban environments, whereas rural areas rely more on informal norms and community pressure.
Question 13: Talcott Parsons’ AGIL scheme identifies four functional prerequisites that all social systems must meet to survive. What do the letters AGIL stand for?
- Action, Growth, Integration, Learning
- Adaptation, Goal Attainment, Integration, Latency (Pattern Maintenance)
- Agency, Governance, Innovation, Leadership
- Analysis, Generation, Interaction, Logic
Answer: (B)
Detailed Explanation:
- Correctness: Talcott Parsons, a leading structural functionalist, proposed the AGIL scheme as a universal framework for analyzing social systems. AGIL stands for: Adaptation (securing resources from the environment), Goal Attainment (defining and achieving primary goals), Integration (maintaining solidarity and coordination among units), and Latency (also known as Pattern Maintenance, ensuring value transmission and motivation).
- Context & Elaboration: The AGIL scheme is a cornerstone of Parsons’ grand theory, outlining the basic functions that any social system must perform to maintain equilibrium and persist over time.
- Incorrect Options: The other options are incorrect interpretations of Parsons’ specific functional prerequisites.
Question 14: The concept of ‘anomie,’ as developed by Émile Durkheim, primarily refers to:
- A state of social cohesion and solidarity.
- A condition of normlessness where social norms are weak or conflicting.
- The struggle between social classes for resources.
- The irrationality of modern bureaucracy.
Answer: (B)
Detailed Explanation:
- Correctness: ‘Anomie’ is a core concept in Émile Durkheim’s sociology, particularly discussed in his work “Suicide.” It describes a state of normlessness or deregulation in society, where traditional moral guidelines or social norms become weakened, confused, or absent, leading to individual disorientation, despair, and increased rates of deviance or suicide.
- Context & Elaboration: Durkheim argued that anomie often arises during periods of rapid social change (e.g., economic booms or busts) or in societies where individual desires are not adequately regulated by collective moral authority.
- Incorrect Options: ‘Social cohesion and solidarity’ are the opposite of anomie. ‘Class struggle’ is a central concept of Karl Marx. ‘Irrationality of modern bureaucracy’ relates to Max Weber’s critique of rationalization.
Question 15: In the context of Indian society, the term ‘assimilation’ for tribal communities implies:
- The process of maintaining their distinct cultural identity without external influence.
- Their complete absorption into the dominant Hindu society, often losing their unique culture.
- Developing separate political autonomy and self-governance.
- Adopting elements of modern life while retaining their core traditions.
Answer: (B)
Detailed Explanation:
- Correctness: In the debate regarding tribal integration in India, ‘assimilation’ (or ‘absorption’) refers to the idea that tribal communities should be fully integrated into the mainstream Hindu society, often implying the loss of their distinct cultural practices, languages, and identities. This approach was advocated by some early Indian sociologists and administrators.
- Context & Elaboration: There have been various approaches to tribal integration in India: assimilation (absorption into Hindu society), isolation (maintaining separate existence), and integration (preserving tribal identity while bringing them into the national mainstream), with the latter generally favored post-independence.
- Incorrect Options: ‘Maintaining distinct cultural identity’ is more aligned with concepts like cultural pluralism or integration. ‘Developing separate political autonomy’ relates to self-determination. ‘Adopting modern elements while retaining traditions’ is a form of acculturation or selective integration, not full assimilation.
Question 16: In sociological research, ‘informed consent’ is a crucial ethical principle. It means that participants:
- Must be paid for their participation in the study.
- Are fully aware of the research’s nature, purpose, and potential risks before agreeing to participate.
- Have the right to publish the research findings themselves.
- Are guaranteed that their data will be used to their personal benefit.
Answer: (B)
Detailed Explanation:
- Correctness: ‘Informed consent’ is a fundamental ethical requirement in research. It mandates that participants voluntarily agree to participate after being fully informed about the study’s objectives, procedures, potential risks and benefits, their right to withdraw at any time, and how their data will be used.
- Context & Elaboration: This principle ensures respect for autonomy and protects participants from coercion or exploitation. It is particularly important in studies involving sensitive topics or vulnerable populations.
- Incorrect Options: Paying participants is not a requirement of informed consent, although it may be offered. Participants do not have the right to publish findings (unless specifically agreed upon). Data use focuses on confidentiality and anonymity, not personal benefit.
Question 17: Erving Goffman’s ‘Dramaturgical’ approach analyzes social interaction as if it were a performance on a stage. Which concept describes the efforts individuals make to control the impressions others form of them?
- Role Strain
- Impression Management
- Looking-Glass Self
- Generalized Other
Answer: (B)
Detailed Explanation:
- Correctness: In Erving Goffman’s dramaturgical theory, ‘Impression Management’ refers to the conscious and unconscious efforts individuals make to present themselves in a particular light to others. This involves managing one’s front stage (public performance) and back stage (private preparation).
- Context & Elaboration: Goffman explored this concept in his influential book “The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life” (1959). He argued that individuals are constantly engaged in impression management, performing roles to shape how others perceive them.
- Incorrect Options: ‘Role Strain’ occurs when a single role has conflicting demands. The ‘Looking-Glass Self’ is Charles Horton Cooley’s concept that our self-image is shaped by how we perceive others see us. The ‘Generalized Other’ is George Herbert Mead’s concept of internalizing societal norms and expectations.
Question 18: Which of the following is NOT a typical characteristic or consequence of the process of ‘modernization’ in societies?
- Increased urbanization and industrialization.
- Shift from traditional to rational-legal authority.
- Decline in scientific and technological advancement.
- Expansion of education and mass media.
Answer: (C)
Detailed Explanation:
- Correctness: Modernization theory posits that societies transition from traditional to modern forms, typically involving a significant increase in scientific and technological advancement. A decline in these areas would contradict the core tenets of modernization.
- Context & Elaboration: Modernization is a broad and complex process involving various interconnected changes: economic (industrialization, market economy), political (democracy, rational-legal authority), social (urbanization, nuclear family, secularization), and cultural (rationality, individualism, universalistic values).
- Incorrect Options: Increased urbanization and industrialization, a shift to rational-legal authority, and the expansion of education and mass media are all widely recognized characteristics and consequences of modernization.
Question 19: Which of the following is considered a primary agent of socialization, responsible for teaching children fundamental norms, values, and language in their early years?
- Peer Groups
- Media
- Family
- Schools
Answer: (C)
Detailed Explanation:
- Correctness: The ‘Family’ is universally recognized as the most fundamental and primary agent of socialization. It is where individuals first learn language, basic norms, values, gender roles, and develop their initial sense of self during their formative years.
- Context & Elaboration: Socialization is the lifelong process through which individuals acquire the knowledge, skills, values, and behaviors necessary to function effectively in society. While other agents become more influential later, the family lays the foundational groundwork.
- Incorrect Options: ‘Peer groups,’ ‘media,’ and ‘schools’ are also significant agents of socialization, but they are typically considered secondary agents, becoming more influential as individuals grow older and interact more widely with society.
Question 20: The ‘Chicago School’ of sociology is particularly known for its pioneering work in which area of study?
- Global capitalism and world-systems theory.
- The sociology of religion and secularization.
- Urban sociology, focusing on social ecology and deviance.
- Structural functionalism and social systems.
Answer: (C)
Detailed Explanation:
- Correctness: The ‘Chicago School’ (active primarily in the early 20th century) is renowned for its groundbreaking contributions to ‘Urban Sociology.’ Researchers like Robert Park, Ernest Burgess, and Louis Wirth used the city of Chicago as a social laboratory, focusing on social ecology, urban growth patterns (e.g., concentric zone model), and urban social problems like crime and delinquency.
- Context & Elaboration: They utilized qualitative research methods, such as participant observation and case studies, to understand the dynamics of urban life and its impact on social behavior.
- Incorrect Options: Global capitalism relates to theories like Immanuel Wallerstein’s world-systems theory. The sociology of religion was a major focus for thinkers like Durkheim and Weber. Structural functionalism is primarily associated with thinkers like Talcott Parsons and Robert Merton.
Question 21: Michel Foucault’s concept of ‘Panopticism’ illustrates:
- The democratic distribution of power in modern society.
- The idea that power is always held by a visible, centralized authority.
- A pervasive, internalized form of disciplinary power based on constant surveillance.
- The decline of institutional power in favor of individual autonomy.
Answer: (C)
Detailed Explanation:
- Correctness: Michel Foucault’s ‘Panopticism’ is derived from Jeremy Bentham’s architectural design of the ‘Panopticon’ prison. Foucault used it as a metaphor to explain how modern disciplinary power operates. It suggests that power is effective not because it is always visible, but because the constant possibility of being watched leads individuals to internalize surveillance and self-regulate their behavior, even when not directly observed.
- Context & Elaboration: Foucault extensively discussed this in “Discipline and Punish.” He argued that panopticism has moved beyond prisons to permeate various institutions like schools, hospitals, and factories, creating docile bodies through constant, internalized discipline.
- Incorrect Options: Foucault’s work critiques the idea of democratic power and argues against centralized, visible power in favor of diffuse, capillary forms. He suggests that disciplinary power increases, rather than declines, with modernity.
Question 22: B.R. Ambedkar’s call for ‘Annihilation of Caste’ primarily advocated for:
- Reforming the caste system to make it more equitable.
- The complete dismantling of the caste system as a social institution.
- Strengthening the traditional Varna system.
- Promoting inter-caste harmony while retaining caste identity.
Answer: (B)
Detailed Explanation:
- Correctness: B.R. Ambedkar, a fierce critic of the caste system, strongly advocated for its ‘Annihilation’. This meant not just reforming it, but completely dismantling the system of caste hierarchy and discrimination, arguing that it was inherently unjust and oppressive. He believed that the caste system was an obstacle to genuine equality and democracy in India.
- Context & Elaboration: His seminal work “Annihilation of Caste” (1936) laid out his radical critique, calling for inter-caste marriage and dining, and a re-evaluation of religious texts that sanctified caste. He eventually converted to Buddhism, rejecting Hinduism due to its perceived endorsement of caste.
- Incorrect Options: Reforming caste or strengthening the Varna system were not his goals; he sought its abolition. While he desired inter-caste harmony, his core demand was the eradication of the caste identity itself.
Question 23: The concept of ‘Hegemony,’ popularized by Antonio Gramsci, refers to:
- The use of direct physical force by the state to maintain power.
- The economic dominance of one class over another in capitalist societies.
- The subtle ideological and cultural leadership that allows a dominant group to maintain power.
- The complete absence of power relations in a democratic society.
Answer: (C)
Detailed Explanation:
- Correctness: Antonio Gramsci’s concept of ‘Hegemony’ describes a form of ideological and cultural domination where a ruling class maintains its power not just through coercion (force) but primarily through gaining the consent of the subordinate classes. This consent is achieved by presenting the dominant ideology as natural, universal, and in everyone’s best interest.
- Context & Elaboration: Gramsci, an Italian Marxist, developed this concept to explain why capitalism persisted despite its inherent contradictions, arguing that the superstructure (culture, institutions) plays a crucial role in maintaining class rule alongside the economic base.
- Incorrect Options: Direct physical force is ‘coercion,’ which hegemony goes beyond. Economic dominance is related to Marxist base-superstructure theory but doesn’t capture the cultural aspect of hegemony. Hegemony is about maintaining power, not its absence.
Question 24: Émile Durkheim, in “The Elementary Forms of Religious Life,” extensively discussed ‘Totemism’ as the most primitive form of religion. What did he argue was the real object of worship in Totemism?
- A specific animal or plant species.
- Ancestral spirits of the tribe.
- The collective power and solidarity of the clan/society.
- A supreme, transcendental deity.
Answer: (C)
Detailed Explanation:
- Correctness: In his study of Australian Aboriginal tribes, Durkheim argued that ‘Totemism,’ where a sacred animal or plant (the totem) is revered, symbolically represents and ultimately worships the ‘collective power and solidarity of the clan or society itself.’ For Durkheim, society is the true source of religious reverence.
- Context & Elaboration: Durkheim viewed religion as a social phenomenon that plays a crucial role in maintaining social cohesion and moral order. He distinguished between the ‘sacred’ (set apart, forbidden) and the ‘profane’ (ordinary, mundane) and saw religion as the celebration of the collective conscience.
- Incorrect Options: While a specific animal or plant is the literal totem, Durkheim’s deeper sociological insight was that it represented the society. Ancestral spirits are part of some religions but not the core of Durkheim’s totemism. A supreme deity is characteristic of monotheistic religions, not primitive totemism as Durkheim analyzed it.
Question 25: Which term refers to the increasing interconnectedness and interdependence of societies across the world, encompassing economic, political, cultural, and environmental aspects?
- Localization
- Globalization
- Regionalization
- Nationalism
Answer: (B)
Detailed Explanation:
- Correctness: ‘Globalization’ refers to the accelerating interdependence of societies worldwide, driven by the increasing flow of goods, services, capital, people, ideas, and information across national borders. It encompasses economic, political, cultural, and environmental dimensions.
- Context & Elaboration: Sociologists analyze globalization from various perspectives, examining its impacts on local cultures, social inequalities, labor markets, governance, and identity formation. While it offers opportunities, it also presents challenges like increased inequality, cultural homogenization, and environmental degradation.
- Incorrect Options: ‘Localization’ refers to the adaptation of products or services to local tastes and laws. ‘Regionalization’ refers to the formation of stronger ties and integration within a specific geographical region (e.g., European Union). ‘Nationalism’ is an ideology emphasizing loyalty and devotion to one’s nation, often contrasting with global integration.
सफलता सिर्फ कड़ी मेहनत से नहीं, सही मार्गदर्शन से मिलती है। हमारे सभी विषयों के कम्पलीट नोट्स, G.K. बेसिक कोर्स, और करियर गाइडेंस बुक के लिए नीचे दिए गए लिंक पर क्लिक करें।
[कोर्स और फ्री नोट्स के लिए यहाँ क्लिक करें]