Chapter 4. “Society and Social Interaction.”

1. Compare one typical school day of yours to the example. 

What is similar? What is different?

2. Again, what is Society?

3. Define Hunter-gatherer societies. 

4. Define Pastoral societies. 

5. Define Agricultural societies. Key concepts: rotation, 

commerce cities. 

6. How does the author define feudal societies?

7. Define Industrial society. Explain the concept. 

8. Explain the importance of the steam engine. 

9. How does the author define Information societies?

Explain the key concepts: production of information 

and services. Education. 

10. Explain the main components of Emile Durkheim’s 

social theory: functionalism, collective conscience, 

11. Society as a living organism, division of labor, and 

anomie. 

12.  Explain the main components of Marx’s social theory: 

base and superstructure, bourgeoisie and proletariat; 

revolution. 

13. Explain the concept of alienation in Marx, in its four specific types:

Alienation from the product of one’s labor; alienation from the 

process of one’s labor; alienation from others; alienation 

from one’s self. 

14. Explain the notion of false consciousness in Marx. 

15. Explain the Weberian concept of Rationalization. 

What does Weber mean by iron cage?

16. Explain the concept of habitualization (in Berger and Luckmann).