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Social Institutions

Social Institutions. Organizations within society that allow the society to function – government, family, law, economics, school, health care…. What are Social Institutions?.

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Social Institutions

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  1. Social Institutions Organizations within society that allow the society to function – government, family, law, economics, school, health care…

  2. What are Social Institutions? • Social institutions are organized and predictable ways that societies develop to meet their basic needs and each SI plays a role within society • These organized methods may vary from culture to culture • Socialinstitutionschange (evolve) overtime, in order to meet the changing needs of society

  3. Total Institutions - Conformity • A place of work and residence where a great number of similarly situated people, cut off from the wider community for a considerable time, together lead an enclosed, formally controlled life. • Forced to conform to social norms not identified for the rest of society not in this institution.

  4. Sociologist: Erving Goffman Total institutions are divided into five different types: • institutions established to care for people: orphanages, poor houses and nursing homes • places established to care for people felt to be incapable of looking after themselves and a threat to the community: mental hospitals • institutions organized to protect the community against what are felt to be intentional dangers to it, with the welfare of the people not the immediate issue: concentration camps, penitentiaries, and jails • institutions established to pursue some work-like tasks into the future: boarding schools • establishments designed as retreats from the world while often serving also as training stations for the religious: convents and monasteries

  5. How Did Social Institutions Develop? Foraging • definedas a way of life based on hunting wild animals, fishing, and harvesting wild grains, fruits, and roots • Began 10,000yrs ago to ease food collection • Societies were egalitarian (little distinction b/w wealth) and related by kinship or marriage • Family was main social institution as it served all needs

  6. How Did Social Institutions Develop? Agricultural • Marked the beginning of settlement • Established crops in fertile valleys that gave surpluses to support a greater # of people • Villages grew into cities • Social institutions expand from family reliance to include religious, political, and economic divisions

  7. How Did Social Institutions Develop? Industrial • Begins in Europe, then N. America and Japan • Industrialization led to the development of a complex and highly varied set of social institutions depending on the country people reside

  8. Theories of Social Institutions Functionalists • Recall that they believe social institutions work together to serve the basic needs of society and contribute towards the common good (analogous to the parts of the body) Conflict Theorists • Agree with functionalists - intended to develop basic needs of society however, institutions have come to serve the needs of a small group (the wealthy)

  9. Theories on the Purpose of School Lets look at how functionalists and conflict theorists view schools What about other institutions…

  10. Role Expectations in Institutions • For an SI to work properly it must insist upon certain predictable behaviours or roles from its members • Example: Military at war • Commanding Officers must make life or death decisions andmust be obeyed by soldiers w/out hesitation • Therefore, military training emphasises obedience • Health institutions insist thatdoctors heal the sick • Schools insist that educators teach/facilitate learning

  11. Prisons (Institutions) Case Study • Make Notes on the following case studies related to prisons as an institution. List the advantages and disadvantages of each system. • Conventional Prison System • Bard Prison Program

  12. Total Institution – Prison Case Study • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmmWi4BR4nI

  13. Bard Prison Initiative – Alternate Prison • http://bpi.bard.edu/what-we-do/ • http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=2685517n • http://bpi.bard.edu/television-video/

  14. Reflection – In Class Task When you have completed your chart – use the information as well as your own opinion to respond to ONE of the following quotes – • “It is better to lock criminals up and keep society safe. They do not deserve freedom, education or other rights because they lost that privilege when they committed a crime. Once they serve their time, they may be allowed back into society.” OR • “If you teach someone who has committed a crime to make better choices, they are less likely to repeat their crimes and become functioning members of society. We have a responsibility as a society to invest money into their education to make society safer.” • You must provide 3 solid arguments to back up your opinion

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