Encyclopedia of sociology

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In this blog, “Encyclopedia of sociology”

Encyclopedia of sociology terms -Serendipity

Serendipity — /n/ it is a sociological or cultural term than spiritual. Though it connotes similar to destiny but have clear domain of meaning. Let’s see the key concepts of sociology serendipity.

As general perspective serendipity

It is about a situation or happening in which you experience better luck by chance. It happens by accidentally in favour of you without your role.

Compare to fate that has negative imprint or sense, serendipity sounds more positive for the person who experiences it.

Serendipity definition and meaning

Besides, fate is an inevitable situation situation one has to face. But, serendipity isn’t like destined situation; instead it is un-controlled, unplanned spell of incidents that make you happy surprisingly.

Social research perspective of serendipity

Scientifically, It is unpredictable and you can’t find pattern or connections as well. At the same time, it cannot be generalized like research findings.

Nevertheless, it has still existence and people, at certain extent, believe it.

Serendipity useful Examples

Really, my selection for this job was clear manifestation of pure serendipity, as I didn’t do anything to getit.

This is all about the explanation of sociology concepts with examples and usages.

Horace Walpole

Well known english writer and politician who coined the term”Serendipity”.

  • Serendipity — /n/
  • Serendipitous — /adj/
  • Serendipitously — /adv/

Important keywords

2. Destiny — key concepts of sociology

Destiny — (noun) religious and spiritual term. It is like an inevitable situation or happening with you. People say that destiny is the harbinger of good or bad fortune or luck.

“Destiny” definition or meaning in general perspective

In other words, in the general perspective, destiny means favourable or adverse factors or things that dominate or determine the outcomes of your deeds or actions. Obviously, it may be infavour like luck or against.

Suppose, you have started a business and doing everything right, but you are unable to achieve your targets. In such situation, you start blaming factors that are making your job difficult.

Spiritual perspective of “destiny”

Spiritually, destiny whether good or bad, is an impact of our karmas we did in our previous or past life. So, it is inevitable and we have to bear it.

And, in order to make our future destiny better, we have to respond ongoing destiny properly. Because, we are the architect of ours own destiny whether it is present or future.

Simply, destiny is a predestined situation in which you act and link your success and failures to it in case of extremity.

This is all about the clear destiny definition and meaning.

Examples of “destiny” definition

  • Unfortunately, it was my destiny that forced me to resign as a manager.
  • I think I am the architect of my own destiny.

Destiny word links

  • Destiny — bound to happen or predestined
  • Destined — bound to happen
  • Destination — bound to reach at

3. Important key concepts of sociology –Karma

Karma — /n/ religious and spiritual significance. It is the totality of your deeds or actions performed in the previous births. And, it is believed that you cannot escape from its Impacts in the successive life. Let’s see the key concepts of sociology — types of Karma

Religious belief of Karma

It is unlikely to prove karma by the means of scientific research. Hence, it is termed as belief due to people believe it. For more clarity, let’s us label karma as religious belief by some religions.

Karma connect past with Present

People believe that no one could escape from the Impacts of actions. As per theirs view, our present life is mere extension of last one. So, it is the karma that connects past with present.

Common sense Understanding of karma meaning

Simply, we work by manipulating energy from one form to another. Logically, our actions has direct link with energy. If we act, either we consume or give away energy to someone.

Likewise, in the next life, we feel the same vibration in the form of good or bad fortune. Karma have different types as per the time in which performed. They are sanchit, prarabdha, and kriyaman karma.

Karma and destiny difference between key concepts of sociology

Destiny is the situation driven by karma. In simple words, karma is the means, while destiny is what the final outcome of karma.

Karma, pilgrimage and salvation

We remain doubtful if we face uncontrollable negative things. To ward off the ill effects of past deeds, we choose pilgrimage.

Salvation is what we want to make us free from both karma — good or bad. This is all about the karma meaning.

Examples of karma

Why should I blame anyone? These are the fruits of my own karma that I have to face.

It is due to my good karma that I got best friends.

Important keywords

4. Basic key concepts of sociology — culture and society

“Thomas is a well cultured person as his behavior is worthy to note; he respect everyone; listen patiently and speek politely; he has good sense of humor and practice deserved customs and traditions. In short, Thomas is well aware about the things that are essential to make society as whole. So, culture and society are inseparable.

Meaning and definition of culture

Culture is all the essential things that includes, learned behavior, values, norms, skills etc. It is learned and taught, dynamic, external to society, ensures social order, conformity and solidarity.

Describing society in simple terms

Society is a integrated system of social relations, interactions, and total social processes. It is regulated by the major social institutions by maintaining coherence, conformity, procreation, and socialization of new members. 

Simply, society means systematic study of social processes we do as part of our day-to-day ways of life. It includes family relations and interactions, our behaving with others, our needs, education, worship, marriage etc.

Social institution foundation for social system

Social institution is accepted and obeyed set of social rules or norms that dictate and regulate social activities, behaviours, socialization, social order, etc. Major social institutions are family, marrige, religion, education, government, economic system. These institutions are instrumental to make culture and society as whole.

Role and importance of culture

Unquestionably, culture is like guiding principles, rules or means and ways of living life as social animal as it can’t be inherited biologically by birth.

It plays many roles including socialization, shaping and cultivating appropriate behaviours, communications, social order and solidarity. In short, it makes society a well functioning unit of social animals.

Important keywords

5. Accommodation important socializing process and key concepts of sociology

Accommodation — /n/ It is the third stage of “race relation cycle” by Robert Park. He suggested four stages of social interactions between two different racial groups in the urban social life before harmonious coexistence or assimilation. Here, let’s know accommodation key concepts of sociology

Race relation cycle explained

Park was a urban sociologist. As per his findings when the two different racial groups interact through immigration, they follow a definite pattern of interactions like contact, cooperation, competition, conflict, accommodation, and assimilation.

Accommodation meaning and definition

According to him, accommodation means  systematic adjustment between dominant and dominated in the hierarchical order. Actually, accommodation has many forms that I am going to explain here.

In reality, groups in conflict can’t make it as a perpetual venture but have inclination to reconciliation at certain cost.

Types of accommodation — dominant vs dominated

So, the forms of accommodation may be reconciliation on conditions, compromise, subordination, subjugation etc. Simply, dominant one ready to live with other on conditions that they are ready to accept terms.

Such accommodation can’t be equal or even as they have theirs own distinct beliefs, norms, memories, experience, ways of life and livelihood. Therefore, the dominant can’t let immigrants to encroach in theirs habits.

Dominant vs dominated in accommodation

Most importantly, it is not customary that immigrants are subject to subjugation or subordination. In the age of imperialism and colonial times, immigrants were dominant everywhere and ruled dominated.

Almost all sociologist agree that after certain period of time, this discriminatory interactions will merge in the near future unifying social system with similar memories, experience, attitudes, beliefs and ways of life. But, fault will remain active to resurface occasionally.

Examples of accommodation

Accommodation meaning and definition can’t be crystal clear without proper examples.

  • American slavery
  • Indian cast system
  • African apartheid
  • Sri Lankan Tamil etc.

Important keywords

  • Reconciliation
  • Compromise
  • Urban sociology
  • Assimilation
  • Social interaction

6. Explanation of Cultural elements

Culture is what and how we communicate, behave, dress, eat, celebrate, live, work etc. Simply, culture is all about the total ways of how we live as a social animal in the society. 

As per ours day-to-day activities, symbols, values, norms, beliefs, language and artifacts are considered the basic elements of culture.

  • Symbols, Beliefs, Norms, Values
  • Language, Artifacts

Explanation of elements of culture
Elements of culture include things that I have mentioned above. Let’s see one by one in short.

Symbols — verbal and nonverbal

Symbol means a thing or object that conveys or represent some meanings. If someone is waving hands, it means that person is saying goodbye. Or, if you shake hands with your friend, it means you are welcoming your friend. Traditionally, we call such thing as gesture.

Apart from this, whether it is national or religious flag, it conveys or represent definite meaning for particular group of society. Many a times, we observe certain religious symbols on temple, mosque, and church like “Om, Cross, etc”.

Language — glue for society

Like symbols that are used to indicate certain meanings and limited to certain culture only, language holds no less value as it is a glue of culture to bind people together with ideas and emotions. It is observed that language is a major element that differentiate one culture from another. In english God is named for Bhagwan in hindi”.

Beliefs, norms, and values — regulatory framework key concepts of sociology

Every culture has its own memories, experiences, and beliefs. Beliefs means what we believe on the basis of our past experiences or happenings with us. These experiences make our prior knowledge to interpret world we live in.

Values important key concepts of sociology

“Valuing” means ascribing worth in positive Or negative way to thing you consider. It is a standard of desirability. Simply, it is yardstick to determine what is right and wrong. Respecting elders is a desirable, while supporting evil is immoral.

Norms – determines normative foundation of society

Values are instrumental in making the normative framework for society as whole. In simple terms, norms are the rules and principles that decide what act is conformity and what is labelled as deviant.

Every society has its own normative framework to ensure social order, conformity, coherence and solidarity.  In this ways, beliefs, values, and norms are interlinked and interdependent.

Artifacts — material objects of daily usages

Things that make and help you to perform your daily activities with ease and comfort are termed as artifacts. It ranges from cooking utensils to worshipping things.

Your clothes, shoes, chairs, tables, means of transportation, writing instruments, occupational devices, entertaining instruments etc. all are the part of cultural artifacts.

Not all societies possess same artifacts. So, different societies have probably different artifacts that helps to make easier differentiation.

These all are elements of culture commonly observed in every society with different forms. In the next post, I’m going to present better overview of each oneone separately.

Important keywords

  • Social solidarity
  • Coherence and conformity
  • Normative frameworks

Theses are the explanation with examples of the key concepts of sociology like serendipity, destiny, culture, society, accomodation, etc.

Political concepts and terms

Karmic cycle explaine

Micro Sociologist George Simmel

Accommodation and acculturation

Sociological Perspectives in sociology

Dilectical approach of George Simmel

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTkyAZY15L6UOEUl3y85XYw

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