This document outlines key questions and theoretical approaches that can be used to compare sociological frameworks. Some of the main topics addressed across different approaches include the relationship between the individual and society; social hierarchies and how they oppress or privilege groups; the concept of "othering"; gender meanings and the relative positions of men and women; the social construction and organization of race; beliefs and values in a society; systems of stratification and how inequality is reproduced; the purpose and function of institutions; social norms, goals, and means; the matrix of domination; intersectionality; queer theory; racial conflict theory; class conflict theory; functionalism; and structuralism.

1. A Framework for Comparing Theoretical Approaches Relation-ship between the individual and society; how do social exp. Create identity How do different hierarchies work hand in hand to oppress some and privilege others Who is treated as ‘other’? How do the marginalized find power Relative positions of men and women, meanings of gender What does race mean? How is it organized What are the beliefs and values of a society Who rules? How is strat-ification reproduced? What need is served by institutions What are the norms, goals, and means? Key Questions Agency Matrix of Domination Dispersed Patriarchy White supremacy; racial dictatorship Hegemony Ruling class, bourgeoisie and capitalists Power important for social cohesion Neutral Implication for Power Social Psychology Comb-ination of race, class, gender, sexuality, etc. Sexuality; social boundaries; mainstream Gender Racial hierarchy Systems of Meaning Economics Purpose of every social institution How society is organized; resources and schema Focus of Explan-ation Social Self Inter-sectional Queer Feminist Theory Racial Conflict Inter-pretive Class Conflict Function-alism Structur-alism