Sociological Glossary

Glossary

• Marketisation of Higher Education

  Marketisation refers to the application of market principles to universities, promoting competition, student choice, and league tables as key decision-making factors.

• Mass Incarceration

  Mass incarceration refers to the large-scale imprisonment of populations, often disproportionately affecting marginalised groups.

• McDonaldisation

  A concept from George Ritzer, McDonaldisation describes the standardisation and efficiency-driven organisation of society, modelled after fast-food chains.

• Mechanical and Organic Solidarity

  Émile Durkheim’s distinction between mechanical solidarity (traditional societies with shared values) and organic solidarity (modern societies with specialised roles and interdependence).

• Mental Health in Higher Education

  Mental health in HE is a growing concern, with increasing awareness of student stress, anxiety, and the need for university support services.

• Meritocracy

  Meritocracy is a social system in which success is believed to be based on talent, effort, and achievement rather than social background or privilege.

• Meritocratic Ideology

  Meritocratic ideology is the belief that success in education and employment is based purely on talent and effort, ignoring structural inequalities.

• Methodological Individualism

  Methodological individualism is the perspective that social phenomena should be explained by examining individual actions and choices.

• Middle-Class Advantage in Higher Education

  Middle-class advantage in HE includes access to cultural capital, private tuition, networking opportunities, and parental support, reinforcing educational inequalities.

• Moral Regulation

  Moral regulation refers to the ways society enforces shared norms and values, particularly through institutions like religion, law, and education.