Blogging through Invitation to Sociology (2024)

    Q .  how long can we live? What do you think is your life expectancy? A.  I think the maximum life our expectancy of  is 140 years. Since there are people living close to 100 years old now, I think we can increase our life expectancy to 140 years old. Since we were born, we have received food or management that is different from the current middle-aged and elderly, and we can receive more advanced medical assistance.     Q .  What's in the video? Does the video say something interesting and do you agree with it? A.  Humans in the early period of human civilization development in the past, such as developing agriculture to settle in one place, giving birth to children to add hands, and promoting a better life, are the ones who created what we enjoy naturally in modern times.  Watching the video reminded us that what we feel today is very basic and has been from the beginning was a revolution thousands of years ago. And as repeat in th...

  What did I learn from this class? Through the course "Introduction to Sociology," I was able to understand social phenomena in Korea, China, and around the world. I was able to think about things that we take for granted and experience in our daily lives, such as "Why is Korea obsessed with plastic surgery?" or "Why do boys have louder voices than girls?" and discuss them with my professor. I was also able to expand my thinking by listening to the answers to other students' questions and hearing different opinions.    In this course, I was able to learn the theories of sociologists that form the foundation of sociology. I found it most interesting to learn about Karl Marx, who advocated the 'class struggle theory', which states that conflict between the dominant and subordinate classes is inevitable. I think it is very challenging for society that the conflict between classes is a key driver of social change. He pointed out the marginalizatio...

1. Summary This document addresses the impact of technology, the Internet, and virtual worlds on individuals and society in sociology. Technology interacts with social structures and is constantly changing, and sociologists study the social roles and implications of these technologies. In particular, the emergence of the Internet and virtual worlds has changed many social domains, including communication, identity, and community. Sociologists closely analyze these changes and explore the positive and negative effects of technology on society. 2.  Interesting Things The view that technology interacts with social structures and is constantly changing. The impact that the rise of the Internet and virtual worlds has had on communication, identity, community, and other aspects of society; the fact that sociologists study the social roles and implications of technology; and the sociological analysis of the positive and negative impacts of technology on society. 3. Questions  How has...

1. Summary This article covers the concepts of race and ethnicity and their importance in sociology. Race is a social distinction based on biological differences, and ethnicity is a group of people who share common historical, linguistic, and cultural characteristics. Sociologists study how these concepts of race and ethnicity are socially constructed and how they affect individuals and societies. They pay particular attention to various social problems, such as racism and ethnic discrimination, and seek ways to address them. 2.  Interesting Things The idea that race and ethnicity are socially constructed concepts rather than biological differences; the sociological approach to race and ethnicity that focuses on the different ways in which these concepts affect individuals and society; the practical orientation of sociology to address social problems such as racism and ethnic discrimination; and the contribution that the sociological study of race and ethnicity can make to overcomi...

  Q .  What is female infanticide?  What can we do to improve it? A.  The fact that female infanticide is prevalent around the world, and that it is accepted as universal in the societies where it takes the lives of women, means that women are not respected as human beings in societies where it occurs. Women who are killed in infancy, and even those who survive, are not respected; they are treated as non-functional members of society, and people see them as something that should have died at birth. Women will submit to unjust treatment in order to be recognized as viable in this society. This ritual justifies the harsh gaze on women and makes the idea of a human life inaccessible to them.  When we kill women for being women, we lose half the talent in our society. It grossly underestimates the power women are capable of as women and as human beings. From a socio-economic perspective, the issue centered on women's role as procreators.  However, a woman who i...

1. Summary This article covers the concept of gender and its understanding in sociology. Gender is a socially and culturally constructed concept that is distinct from biological sex. Sociologists study a variety of topics related to gender, including gender roles, gender identity, and gender norms. They analyze the impact of gender on individuals and society, and seek to address issues of gender inequality and discrimination. 2.  Interesting Things That gender is a social and cultural concept that is distinct from biological sex; that a variety of topics related to gender, such as gender roles, gender identity, and gender norms, are the subject of sociological study; that sociology's practical orientation seeks to address issues of gender inequality and discrimination; and that the sociological study of gender can analyze the impact of gender on individuals and society. 3. Questions What is the practical purpose of the study of gender in sociology? 

Q .  what can be done to improve the fertility rate in korea or China? What will happen if that rate is not improved? A.  I recently watched a documentary on how other countries (Taiwan, Japan, and Singapore) that are facing fertility issues, such as South Korea and China, are taking measures to reduce the birth rate. In Singapore, there is a legally guaranteed housing culture where the government rents apartments to people for 99 years, so young people are less likely to face wage or housing insecurity and have the highest fertility rate compared to other countries. People who really need a house for a stable family are not guaranteed housing, houses become investment vehicles for wealthy people, and social chaos is emerging. There are a lot of unused, neglected and overpriced houses and korea government should be proactive in making them affordable to young people who really need them.  If the rate doesn't improve, it could really wipe out the population and cause t...

  1. Summary This Wikipedia article comprehensively covers the concept of social inequality, its causes, effects, and solutions. Social inequality is the unequal distribution of resources, power, and opportunities among individuals or groups. It is caused by a combination of economic, political, and socio-cultural factors and takes many forms based on different criteria such as class, race, gender, and age. Social inequality has a negative impact on individuals' quality of life and equality of opportunity, and hinders social integration and development. Therefore, policy efforts are needed to address social inequality, such as expanding educational opportunities, redistributing income, eliminating discrimination, and supporting socially vulnerable groups. In particular, it emphasizes the importance of a multi-pronged approach, with governments and civil society working together. 2.  Interesting Things The most interesting thing about this article is that social inequality is c...

Q. Why does South Korea have a 4:5 ratio of women to men going to college? A. In Korea, there used to be a misguided gender stereotype that men's college education was prioritized over women's because "those who are deemed fit to go to college, i.e., those who are 'good at studying' and 'good' should go to college."  While it's safe to say that this stereotype has been eradicated in today's college-bound generation, it was prevalent in my parents' generation 20-30 years ago. In real life, my father's older sister was a very intelligent woman, but she was forced to stay home and help with the household to make way for her brothers. While the gender gap in college enrollment is less pronounced in Korean society, I think we should pay more attention to the post-college environment. This is because it is still common in Korean society for a man to get a better job and be paid less for the same position because he is a woman. How is it possi...

  1. Summary The classification of people into groups based on social and political factors such as wealth, income, race, gender, education, and ethnicity is called social stratification.  Social stratification is the distribution of the relative positions that individuals or groups occupy in society. Social stratification plays an important role in determining access to and distribution of economic, political, and cultural resources in a society. Social stratification is one of the main concepts used to describe inequality in society. Social stratification can be measured in a variety of ways. The most common ways include income, education, occupation, and status. It also plays an important role in determining a person's access to resources and power. Social stratification affects all aspects of society, especially education, health, crime, political participation, etc. It has an overall impact on an individual's life chances and prospects. 2.  Interesting Things Social ...

  1. Summary Dramaturgy studies the way members of a society interact with each other, based on the premise that society is similar to a play. Its key concepts are Stage: Society is similar to a stage. The stage is the space where members of society interact. Actors: Members of society are similar to actors. Actors interact with other actors on a stage. Roles: Members of a society are like roles. Roles are the parts that actors play on stage. Directing: Societies are like directing. Directing directs the behavior of actors on stage. In this way, dramaturgy breaks down society like the components of a play to help you understand how members of society interact with each other. Dramaturgy also helps us understand how we learn and conform to society's norms and values through the interactions between different elements of society, such as the "performer-audience". 2.  Interesting Things Dramaturgy is an interesting theory in itself because it interprets human behavior as a t...

   Q.  Why is the gender ratio of college enrollment unequal in South Korea? A.  In the past, the idea that "only those who are deemed suitable for university, i.e., those who are 'good' and 'good', should go to university" was not strong in Korea. Men's college enrollment was always prioritized over women's. While it's safe to say that these stereotypes have disappeared in today's college-going generation, they were rampant in my parents' generation 20-30 years ago. My father's older sister was a very smart woman, but she had to stay home and help with the household chores for her younger siblings.  Although the gender gap has narrowed in Korean society when it comes to going to college, I think we need to pay more attention to the environment after college, because it is still common in Korean society for a man to get a better job and be paid less in the same position just because he is a woman. How is it possible for two people who w...

   Q.  Analyze the gender gap in Korea, China, and other countries. A.  I researched the gender gap in three countries, South Korea, China, and Japan. China and South Korea are almost identical in ranking, with only one rank difference, while Japan is about 20 places below. Since the 3 countries are within the same Asian culture, I assumed that they have similar conditions, but each country has its own gender characteristics. Japan ranks higher than the other two countries in educational attainment and life&safety. However, I noticed a reason for its low ranking compared to the other two countries: Japanese women are less economically independent. When I explored the reasons for this, Because it has a much higher percentage of unstable part-time employment compared to the other two countries.  Therefore, Japan believes that the extent of the gender gap in Japanese society will be mitigated if economic policies are formulated to ensure women's economic indepe...

   1. Summary Symbolic interactionism is a theory in sociology. Symbolic interactionism studies the symbols and meanings that make up a society, as seen in the interactions between people, in order to understand human behavior. Symbolic interactionism also studies the way members of a society interact with each other.  Symbolic interactionism can also show how society is organized. For example, symbolic helps us understand how we learn and follow the norms and values of a society. We use symbols and meanings to learn and follow the norms and values of a society. We also learn about them through the symbols used by members of society and the norms they follow.  2.  Interesting Things It is most interesting to study how human behavior is shaped by symbols and meanings. Symbolic interactionism studies how we grow up and learn by watching the behaviors and norms that others in our society do or follow. It also explores how we reinforce existing symbols and norms thr...

 Q. Can you find information about inequality trends (measured by Gini coefficient) in Korea or  China in the past 10-20 years? Is inequality rising or decreasing in those countries? Is the  trend good for those societies? A. Income disparity and inequality began and intensified during Japan's period of high economic   growth, and South Korea is currently following Japan's economic history at a later stage. Korea's  top income concentration was 30% before the IMF, but it worsened in the 2010s, with the top  10% accounting for 45%. In addition, South Korea's over-concentration in metropolitan areas and  rural decline have led to regional disparities, and women's wages are still less than 70% of men's.

  1. Summary A social network is a graph that depicts social relationships. Social networks play an important role in understanding human society. Social networks can influence an individual's social status, social behavior, and psychological health. Social networks can also play an important role in the operation of organizations and businesses. The study of social networks can help us understand human society. Social networks can be studied in a variety of ways. Sociologists use a variety of methodologies to study social networks. These methodologies can include interviews, surveys, observations, and more. 2.  Interesting Things Social networks can take many forms. The simplest form of social network is a dual relationship, which describes a relationship between two people. More complex social networks can describe relationships between multiple people. Large social networks can consist of thousands or even millions of people. So far, my high school studies have only divided...

  1. Summary In sociology, social structure refers to the enduring ties between groups of individuals.  Social structures and systems include social institutions and norms that shape the behavior of actors, such as individuals or groups, within a society. Structures determine the behavior or choices of social actors. The decisions that result are called "structural decisions," and we can analyze how social structure affects us when we recognize and define social structure as the embedded institutions or norms that shape the behavior of actors. 2.  Interesting Things The article reminds us that social systems are not simply artificial products built from the relationships between individuals, groups, and societies, but are in turn unconsciously influenced by the various decision-making moments we face in our lives. We like to think that we make every choice we make out of pure free will, but from the moment we are connected to the 'social fabric', every choice we make ...

   Q. What does the yellow ribbon mean in Korea? A.  In South Korea, yellow ribbons are widely recognized as a symbol of remembrance and mourning for the victims of the Sewol ferry disaster.  On April 16, 2014, many people lost their lives when the ferry Sewol sank while traveling between Incheon and Jeju Island. The tragedy shook South Korean society, prompting people to wear yellow ribbons to commemorate the victims and demand answers.  The yellow ribbon became a symbol of safety awareness and a call for a more transparent society in South Korea after the Sewol ferry tragedy. Many people wore or posted yellow ribbons to show their solidarity with the nation, which helped to sustain the social attention and memorialization of the tragedy. To this day, the yellow ribbon is still seen as a symbol of remembering the victims of the Sewol ferry disaster and continuing efforts to prevent its recurrence. It is meant to contribute to the Korean society's move towa...

  1. Summary Deviance is any behavior that violates cultural norms, and it is divided into two main categories: "crimes" that violate formal laws and "informal deviance" that deviates from informal social norms. The former is not very relative, even if it is culturally different, while the latter is a deviation from informal social norms, i.e., cultural social norms, so informal deviance as defined in societies with different cultures is relative. 2.  Interesting Things The article discusses how behaviors like misconduct are interpreted culturally, and what behaviors are considered normal and what are considered abnormal based on cultural standards. Along the way, we encountered examples of how those standards are further defined by discriminatory perspectives. The U.S. "war on drugs" has disproportionately targeted African Americans, even though African Americans statistically have lower rates of drug use than whites. The fact that drugs with similar leve...

  1. Summary Socialization is the process of preparing humans to function in social life. It involves learning and codifying the roles we play in social life, such as inhibiting impulsive behavior and speech, acting according to our conscience, and fulfilling our professional, gender, and family roles. Socialization is culturally relative. People from different cultures are socialized in different ways because we are each socialized to fit the society we live in. 2.  Interesting Things Socialization is the process by which the majority of people within a human society ensure their maximum freedom and lead a stable life. Socialization is therefore crucial for individuals to function within the social structure.  I believe that socialization is very closely related to social class. Socialization is indispensable for the thickening of boundaries between social classes and their smooth functioning. How socially active parents educate their children, who have little or no expe...