Hello, my name is Nikki-Chelsea Charles , and I am a college student in my second year of studying social sciences. This glossary is for students, educators, and anyone interested in learning about the key terms in social sciences.
Social sciences explore how people live, think, and interact in societies. They include subjects like anthropology, sociology, psychology, economics, political science, and history. Understanding these subjects helps solve real-world problems like social inequality and economic instability.
This glossary contains 20 essential terms, each with clear definitions and examples. I gathered these terms from textbooks, scholarly articles, and reliable online sources to ensure accuracy.
Use this glossary as a quick reference or a starting point for deeper study.
Alienation
noun
A feeling of estrangement or disconnection from society, work, or one's own sense of self.
Example: "unemployment may generate a sense of political alienation"
en: Un sentiment d'éloignement ou de déconnexion de la société, du travail ou de son propre sens de soi.
Anthropology
noun
The study of humans, their ancestors, and related primates, especially with respect to their development and cultural behavior
Example: "they examine lesser-known findings in archeology and anthropology to highlight all that we don't know about human history"
en: L'étude des êtres humains, de leurs ancêtres et des primates apparentés, en particulier en ce qui concerne leur développement et leur comportement culturel.
Bias
noun
A tendency, inclination, or prejudice toward or against something or someone.
Example: "there was evidence of bias against foreign applicants"
en: Une tendance, une inclination ou un préjugé envers ou contre quelque chose ou quelqu'un.
Capitalism
noun
An economic system characterized by private ownership of the means of production and the pursuit of profit.
Example: The city was then the great maw of American capitalism
en: Un système économique caractérisé par la propriété privée des moyens de production et la recherche du profit.
Culture
noun
The beliefs, norms, values, and symbols that define and guide a group of people.
Example: "20th century popular culture"
en: Les croyances, normes, valeurs et symboles qui définissent et guident un groupe de personnes.
Demography
noun
The statistical study of populations, including the structure, distribution, and trends.
Example: Ukrainians understand their demography by referencing the river’s left and right banks; right being to the west and left to the east looking downstream.
en: L'étude statistique des populations, y compris la structure, la distribution et les tendances.
Deviance
noun
Behavior that violates social norms.
Example: Any factor – abuse, neglect, deviance, bullying – might have different influences on different people, and new experiences can modify perceptions positively or negatively.
en: Comportement qui viole les normes sociales.
">
Economy
noun
The system of production, consumption, and distribution of goods and services in a society
Example: "even heat distribution and fuel economy
en: Le système de production, de consommation et de distribution des biens et services dans une société
Empirical
adjective
Based on observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic.
Example: "they provided considerable empirical evidence to support their argument"
en: Qui ne s'appuie que sur l'expérience, qui repose sur l'expérience commune
Feminism
noun
A movement and ideology that advocates for the rights and equality of women.
Example: "the inclusion of all these women in modern art history textbooks shows the impact feminism has had on the field"
en: Personne appartenant à un mouvement politique qui prône l'égalité réelle entre les hommes et les femmes dans la vie privée et dans la vie publique
Gender
noun
The range of characteristics pertaining to, and differentiating between, masculinity and femininity.
Example: "the singer has opted to keep the names and genders of her twins private"
en: se réfère aux différences et aux relations sociales entre les hommes et les femmes
Ideology
noun
A system of ideas and ideals, especially one that forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy.
Example: "the ideology of democracy"
en: Un système d'idées et d'idéaux, en particulier celui qui forme la base de la théorie et de la politique économiques ou politiques.
Justice
noun
The moral principle determining just conduct, and the administration of the law or authority in maintaining this principle.
Example: The court recently adopted a code of conduct for the justices, which Justice Alito said required him to participate in the cases.
en: juste appréciation, reconnaissance et respect des droits et du mérite de chacun
Marxism
noun
A socio-political and economic theory originating from Karl Marx, which focuses on the struggles between capitalists and the working class.
Example: Marxism analyzes the conflicts that arise from economic inequalities.
en: un courant de pensée politique, sociologique, philosophique, historique, anthropologique et économique fondé sur les idées de Karl Marx (et dans une moindre mesure de Friedrich Engels) et de ses continuateurs.
Norms
noun
The informal understandings that govern the behavior of members of a society.
Example: Social norms influence how individuals interact with each other.
en: Règle, principe, critère auquel se réfère tout jugement : Se fonder sur la norme admise dans une société.
Qualitative Research
noun
Research that seeks to understand human behavior by investigating processes, motivations, and social contexts
Example: Qualitative research methods include interviews and participant observation.
en: Étude destinée à recueillir des renseignements afin d'évaluer et de comprendre en profondeur des attitudes ou des comportements d'un groupe d'individus à l'égard du phénomène étudié.
Rationality:
noun
The quality of being based on or in accordance with reason or logic.
Example: "like any phobia, rationality plays only a small role"
en: Manière de pensée fondée sur la raison et la logique.
Sociology
noun
The study of the development, structure, and functioning of human society.
Example: Sociology examines how social institutions and relationships affect individual behavior.
en: Étude scientifique des faits sociaux humains.
Theory
noun
A supposition or a system of ideas intended to explain something
Example: The theory of evolution explains how species adapt and change over time.
en: Ensemble organisé d'idées, de concepts abstraits appliqué à un domaine particulier.
Xenophobia
Dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries.
Example: Xenophobia can lead to discriminatory practices and social tensions.
en: Hostilité de principe envers les étrangers, ce qui vient de l'étranger
