Our sociological glossary is new; we are in the process of developing our online sociological glossary, with more terms to be added as we go along. If you think there is something we haven't added yet, please let us know.
Glossary
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Access and Participation Plans
Access and Participation Plans are agreements between universities and the Office for Students (OfS) to outline how institutions will improve access and outcomes for disadvantaged students.
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Achieved Status
Achieved status refers to a social position that an individual attains through personal effort, skills, or achievements rather than being born into it.
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Agency
Agency is the capacity of individuals to make choices and act independently within social structures.
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Algorithmic Governance
The use of algorithms, AI, and automated systems to manage decision-making in areas like public services, policing, and social media. These systems process large amounts of data to regulate behaviour, allocate resources, or enforce rules, often with minimal human intervention. While they can improve efficiency, they also raise concerns about transparency, bias, and accountability.
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Alienation
Marx’s concept of alienation describes how workers become estranged from their labour, the products they create, and their own human potential under capitalism.
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Anomie
Anomie, a concept developed by Émile Durkheim, refers to a state of normlessness or social instability resulting from a breakdown of societal norms and values.
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Apprenticeship vs. University
The choice between apprenticeships and university study reflects broader debates about vocational vs. academic pathways and their relative value in the labour market.
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Ascribed Status
Ascribed status is a social position assigned at birth or involuntarily later in life, often based on characteristics like race, gender, or class.
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Attainment Gap
The attainment gap refers to disparities in university performance between different demographic groups, often linked to socio-economic status, ethnicity, and prior education.
