The Australian Society (SOCY2033) Glossary

We acknowledge that sociology abounds with terms that can sometimes be unfamiliar and therefore difficult. This is often necessary because analysts of social problems and social processes are attempting to provide more accurate means of understanding reality and this often requires that new terms are invented to explain innovative ideas. Having said this, we also acknowledge that much of the jargon used in the discipline is needlessly obscure.

Furthermore,there are often words peculiar to Australian politics or the Australian 'way of life'. This means that there are many words that appear only in the Australian vernacular.

WE THEREFORE OFFER YOU THIS GUARANTEE:

IF THERE IS ANY TERM USED IN LECTURES OR IN THE TUTORIAL READINGS THAT YOU FIND OBSCURE, THEN LET US KNOW. WE WILL PROVIDE A DEFINITION AND ADD IT TO THE AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY GLOSSARY THAT YOU CAN FIND BELOW.

This is a glossary of terms that students have asked to be explained. The definitions are my own and correspond to how they are used in the course. This is an ongoing project, so please send me any concepts that you come across in the course readings or in the lectures that you feel should be included in the list. Thanks to all the students who have contributed terms.

As always, definitions are contentious, so please fell free to contact us if you need further clarification. To aid clarification, references will be added to each definition for further reading.

The definitions have also been done rather quickly as we wanted to have something usable for those who suggested terms. Expect the definitions to be refined on a regular basis. Incidentally, we are baffled as to where some of these terms have appeared in the course, but in the spirit of intellectual endeavour and challenge have tried to supply definitions.

Remember that these are only guides to help you through your reading. A glossary cannot be used as a substitute for understanding the sociology of Australian society, in the same way that you cannot learn a language by reading a dictionary. Also please give Alastair some context of where you found the offending term, as words can take on different meanings according to context.

Aboriginality - the quality of being aboriginal
Absolutism - theoretically, defines a position that does not allow critical reflection
Acculturation - 1) the modification of a group's culture by the norms and values of another group; 2) the process whereby a child learns to behave in a manner appropriate to their particular culture
Americanisation - the process of adopting the values, lifestyle or material symbols of the United States of America
Anticipatory socialisation - to assume the values and roles of a future expected position
Antipodean Inversion - the sense or belief that what occurred in the southern hemisphere - in particular Australia - was upside-down or the opposite of what happened in Europe
Anti-suburbanism - a disdain for the values and lifestyle of those who dwell in the suburbs
Ascription - attributes held by an individual that are outside their control (i.e., race, sex). Opposite of 'achievement' in Parsons' structural functionalist thinking. For example, McClelland argued that feudal societies were 'ascriptively oriented' while modern socieites are 'achievement oriented'.
Assimilationism - a policy that demands than migrants adopt the values and lifestyle of the 'host' society
Attribution theory - an approach that assesses how people assign causation to their condition, either through 'external' ("it was him wot made me do it!") or 'internal' ("it was all my fault") factors
Axiom - a principle or law