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metropolis

(noun) A large city, including exurbs and suburbs, that has distinct administrative and cultural districts.

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microculture

(noun) A distinctive culture shared by a small group that is often based on location or within an organization.

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microsociology

(noun) Small-scale sociological analysis that studies the behavior of people in face-to-face social interactions and small groups to understand what they do, say, and think.

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migration

(noun) The movement of people from one geographic area (e.g., country, food source) to another, typically referring to moving across political boundaries.

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minority

(noun) A definable category of people who share an identity or status and are subject to prejudice, discrimination, and oppression.

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misdemeanor

(noun) A crime considered less serious than a felony and typically punishable by a small fine or brief period of imprisonment.

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missing class

(noun) “[A] forgotten [part] of the [United States’] labor force—too prosperous to be the ‘working poor,’ too insecure to be ‘middle income'” (Newman and Chen 2008:2).

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mixed economy

(noun) An economic system in which goods and services are produced, distributed, and exchanged by the forces of price, supply, and demand with partial control by a central authority such as a government.

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mobility (social mobility)

(noun) An individual’s or group’s (e.g., family) movement through the class hierarchy due to changes in income, occupation, or wealth.

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mode of production

(noun) According to Karl Marx (1818–1883), a combination of the means of production and relations of production.

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model minority

(noun) A stereotypical view of an ethnic, racial, or religious minority group that is assumed to have achieved a high level of educational, economical, and professional success.

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modernization

(noun) The process of increasing the specialization and differentiation of social structures.

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moiety

(noun) One of two descent groups in a tribe or society.

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monandry

(noun) The condition or practice of a female having only one husband at a time.

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monarchy

1. (noun) A government ruled by a typically hereditary head of state either as a figurehead or absolute leader; 2. (noun) A State ruled by a monarch; 3. (noun) A monarch and the royal family.

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money

(noun) An object agreed to have value and exchangeable as payment.

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monogamy

(noun) A type of marriage or sexual relationship involving a singular, permanent partner.

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monotheism

(noun) A religion based on beliefs about a single deity.

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mood disorder

(noun) Referring to a number of psychological illnesses that affect mood.

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moot

(noun) An informal meeting held by a community to hear and settle a dispute.