Introduction Religious monasticism stands among the oldest and most resilient forms of organised social life. From the wandering ascetics of ancient India to twenty‑first‑century urban monasteries livestreaming the Divine Office, monastic orders have repeatedly re‑invented themselves in dialogue with shifting…
The self‑service economy describes the growing assemblage of technologies, business models, and cultural expectations through which tasks once carried out by paid workers are transferred to consumers themselves. From scanning groceries at supermarket kiosks, to booking flights online, to troubleshooting…
Introduction In many global societies, marriage is often conceptualized as a union between two individuals, typically one man and one woman. This conceptualization is sometimes assumed to be the universal norm. However, upon closer examination of sociological and anthropological research,…
Introduction Churches and religious institutions have long served as cornerstones of social identity, collective meaning-making, and moral regulation. In contemporary society, the question of LGBTQ+ inclusion within various church communities has become increasingly visible and contested. Debates around same-sex marriage,…
Moral panic is a sociological phenomenon characterized by widespread fear or concern that certain behaviors, groups, or cultural expressions pose a grave threat to societal values and norms. The term has been applied to many cultural phenomena over the years,…
Introduction Petty commodity production is a term that encapsulates the production of goods or services by a small-scale producer, often working with minimal capital, tools, and labor. In many cases, these producers are self-employed individuals or small family units who…
Introduction Role models are figures—real or imagined—who exert a profound influence on how people conceptualize their own identity and aspirations. From a sociological standpoint, role models are more than just idols; they are embodiments of cultural norms, social expectations, and…
Introduction Within the broader sociological discourse of global stratification, the term Second World holds historical and contemporary significance. Initially arising during the Cold War era as a way to classify nations according to their political and economic structures, the concept…
Reductionism is the idea of breaking down something very complex into smaller, simpler parts to understand it better. It shows up in many fields, like sociology, philosophy, and the sciences. In sociology, reductionism tries to explain big social patterns—like institutions,…
Introduction Trade tariffs, as instruments of economic policy, have historically served a variety of political, strategic, and economic purposes. Governments impose tariffs on imported goods or services to either protect domestic industries or to generate revenue. Over the centuries, the…
