CHAPTER 10 The Macro-Micro Link In Social Institutions: Politics, Education, And Religion

527 committees

Organizations that have no official connection to a candidate but that raise and spend funds like a campaign does; named after the section of the tax code that authorizes their existence

authoritarianism

System of government by and for a small number of elites that does not include representation of ordinary citizens

authority

The legitimate, noncoercive exercise of power

belief

A proposition or idea held on the basis of faith

charter schools

Public schools run by private entities to give parents greater control over their children's education

community college

Two-year institution that provides students with general education and facilitates transfer to a four-year university

democracy

A political system in which all citizens have the right to participate

disenfranchised

stripped of voting rights, either temporarily or permanently

early college high schools

Institutions in which students earn a high school diploma and two years of credit toward a bachelor's degree

education

The process by which a society transmits its knowledge, values, and expectations to its members so they can function effectively

government

The formal, organized agency that exercises power and control in modern society, especially through the creation and enforcement of laws

hidden curriculum

Values or behaviors that students learn indirectly over the course of their schooling because of the structure of the educational system and the teaching methods used

homeschooling

The education of children by their parents, at home

liberation theology

A movement within the Catholic Church to understand Christianity from the perspective of the poor and oppressed, with a focus on fighting injustice

monarchy

A government ruled by a king or queen, with succession of rulers kept within the family

monotheistic

A term describing religions that worship a single divine figure

online education

Any educational course or program in which the teacher and the student meet via the internet, rather than meeting physically in a classroom

pluralist model

A system of political power in which a wide variety of individuals and groups have equal access to resources and the mechanisms of power

political action committee (PAC)

An organization that raises money to support the interests of a select group or organization

politics

methods and tactics intended to influence government policy, policy-related attitudes, and activities

power

The ability to impose one's will on others

power elite

A relatively small group of people in the top ranks of economic, political, and military institutions who make many of the important decisions in American society

profane

The ordinary, mundane, or everyday

religion

Any institutionalized system of shared beliefs and rituals that identify a relationship between the sacred and the profane

ritual

A practice based on religious beliefs

sacred

The holy, divine, or supernatural

school vouchers

Payments from the government to parents whose children attend failing public schools; the money helps parents pay private school tuition

secular

Nonreligious; a secular society separates church and state and does not endorse any religion

social institutions

systems and structures within society that shape the activities of groups and individuals

special interest groups

organizations that raise and spend money to influence elected officials and/or public opinion

tracking

The placement of students in educational "tracks," or programs of study (e.g., college prep, remedial), that determine the types of classes students take