Sociology

Standard of living: definition, measures, history, uses and limitations Standard of living Overview of standard of living: how it is defined, common measures (income, GDP per capita, HDI), historical and legal recognition, policy uses, examples, and limits compared with…

Stereotype (social and historical meanings) Stereotype An overview of stereotypes: definition, origins in printing, social effects, types, use in media, and methods to reduce harmful stereotyping.

Straight edge (sXe): a lifestyle of abstinence rooted in hardcore punk Straight edge Straight edge (sXe) is a subcultural lifestyle in which people abstain from alcohol, tobacco and recreational drugs; some adherents also avoid casual sex, caffeine or other behavio…

Street children: definitions, causes, vulnerabilities and responses Street children An overview of street children—definitions and categories, typical causes, daily risks, legal rights, and common interventions used by communities and agencies to reduce harm and r…

Street prostitution An overview of street prostitution: working conditions, history, legal approaches, risks, and harm-reduction measures for people selling sex in public spaces.

Strike action: purpose, forms, history and legal issues Strike action A strike (strike action) is an organized work stoppage by employees to press demands on wages, hours, safety or other conditions. This article explains forms, history, legality, ef…

Strip club (adult entertainment venue) Strip club A commercial venue where performers give staged dances that involve removing clothing. Clubs vary by format, services and regulation and are governed by local laws, workplace rules…

Subculture: Definition, Characteristics, History and Examples Subculture Overview of subcultures: groups with distinctive values, styles and rituals within a larger society; how they form, function, differ from countercultures, and examples including on…

Subsidized housing: public support for affordable homes Subsidized housing Programs and policies that reduce housing costs for low- and moderate-income households through below-market rents, vouchers, construction incentives, or direct provision by public…

Suicide pact A suicide pact is an agreement between two or more people to end their lives together or according to a shared plan; it is studied in suicide research and is distinct from mass sui…

Sundown town (racially exclusionary communities in U.S. history) Sundown town Sundown towns were communities that barred people of color from being present after dark through signs, rules or intimidation. Common in many U.S. regions, they shaped patterns of…

Surrogacy: arrangements, types, legal and ethical issues Surrogacy Surrogacy is an arrangement where a person becomes pregnant and carries a child for others. This article explains types, medical and legal aspects, reasons people use surrogacy, an…

Swatis — Pashtun tribe of Hazara, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan Swatis The Swatis are a Pashtun tribal group centered in the Hazara region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, mainly in Mansehra and Batagram; they speak Hindko and Pashto and retain distin…

Sweatshop: working conditions, causes, and responses Sweatshop Overview of sweatshops: definition, typical conditions and industries, historical development, economic causes, human-rights concerns, and efforts to reform supply chains and prote…

Sympathy: shared feeling, social role, and how it differs from empathy Sympathy An overview of sympathy: what it is, how it works psychologically and socially, its history and uses, and how it differs from empathy, compassion and pity.

Systems theory: concepts, history, and applications Systems theory Systems theory studies interrelated components forming organized wholes, explaining structure, behavior, feedback and emergence across biology, engineering, social sciences and tec…

Taboo: social prohibitions, cultural meanings, and examples Taboo A taboo is a culturally enforced prohibition on words, actions, or relationships. It varies by group and context, may overlap with law and morality, and shapes social order, shame,…

Talcott Parsons — American sociologist and architect of structural functionalism Talcott Parsons Overview of Talcott Parsons (1902–1979), his development of structural functionalism, key concepts (AGIL), major works, career at Harvard, influence and major criticisms.

Adolescent (Teenage) Pregnancy: Causes, Patterns, and Consequences Teenage pregnancy Overview of pregnancy among adolescents: definitions, contributing factors, health and social consequences, global patterns, prevention and support approaches.

Teenager (ages 13–19): definition, development, and social roles Teenager A teenager is a person aged 13–19, a phase of adolescence marked by physical growth, brain development, changing social roles, education transitions, and varying legal and cultural…

Terrorism: definition, history, methods, and legal and political issues Terrorism Terrorism is the deliberate use of violence and fear to pursue political, religious or ideological goals. This article outlines definitions, history, common tactics, impacts, and n…

Third party: meaning, contexts, and common uses Third party Definition and common uses of 'third party' across law, business, politics and technology, with examples, risks, and distinctions such as independent versus interested third partie…

Third sex and third gender: definitions, cultures, and contemporary recognition Third sex Overview of the concepts commonly called third sex or third gender, cultural examples, how they differ from binary categories, and modern legal and social recognition.

Transsexual: definition, transition, history, and social context Transsexual An overview of transsexual identity, medical and social transition steps, historical usage of the term, legal and cultural issues, and distinctions from related terms.

Trust (social science) A concise encyclopedia entry on trust: definitions, types, psychological and social components, historical development, measurement approaches, and its role in relationships, insti…

Upper class: social definition, characteristics, history and influence Upper class Overview of the social category known as the upper class: defining features, wealth and status, occupations and lifestyles, historical development, social roles and critiques.

Urbanism: study and practice of cities and urban life Urbanism Urbanism examines how cities are formed, organized and experienced — their physical design, social dynamics, economics, history, and planning practices.

Victim blaming: causes, history, consequences and ways to respond Victim blaming Victim blaming attributes responsibility to people harmed by crime or abuse. This article explains its causes, history, common examples, impacts on justice and health, and strategi…

Violence: forms, causes, and societal responses Violence An impartial overview of violence: definitions, common types (interpersonal, domestic, collective, structural), historical patterns, legal responses, impacts, and prevention strate…

White-collar crime: definition, types, history, and legal responses White-collar crime White-collar crime refers to nonviolent, financially motivated offenses committed by professionals or officials in business, government, or institutions, including fraud, embezzlem…

Women's Studies — Academic Field Exploring Gender, Culture, and Power Women's studies Interdisciplinary scholarship and teaching about women, gender, and social power. Covers history, theory, methods, activism, and career paths; often evolved into gender and sexuali…

Working class: definition, history, characteristics, and social role Working class An overview of the working class: its definition, typical occupations and conditions, historical development since industrialization, social distinctions, and contemporary signific…

Yonsei (fourth-generation Japanese diaspora) Yonsei (fourth-generation Nikkei) Yonsei denotes fourth-generation descendants of Japanese emigrants, mainly in the Americas. The term describes a generation's identity, language use, cultural ties and academic stu…