You Are a Successful Sociologist and Have Recently Written a New

question 29

Multiple Choice

You are a successful sociologist and have recently written a new book on ethnography. You are about to enter a party where an important executive at a publishing company is in attendance. You are talking to one of your colleagues about how to impress this individual. She advises, "Just be sure to use your cultural capital!" If you were to follow this advice, which of the following actions might you take?

• A) Walk up to the executive and slip a $20 bill into her hand when you mention your book.
• B) Walk up to the executive and strike up a conversation on classical music.
• C) Walk up to the executive and talk about how America is superior to all other countries in the world.
• D) Go to the party, but avoid interacting with the executive in any way.

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Definitions:

American Culture

A complex system characterized by a diverse mix of beliefs, customs, arts, and traditions shaped by the history and wide-ranging ethnic backgrounds of the United States.

Ethnocentrism

The principle of using one’s own culture as a means or standard by which to evaluate another group or individual, leading to the view that cultures other than one’s own are abnormal or inferior.

Ethnocentrism

The belief in the inherent superiority of one's own ethnic group or culture, often accompanied by a tendency to judge other cultures by one's own cultural standards.

Sociologists

Scholars who study the development, structure, and functioning of human society, as well as social problems and interactions within it.