Social Institutions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking

1. Social Institutions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking If the public issues (social and historical context) that shape private troubles (day-to-day behaviours & thinking) are social relationships, then some of these will necessarily be a social institution day-to day interactions take place in a number of social institutions social institutions provide details about values associated with enduring social relationships LO 4

2. Social Institutions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking Critical thinking – applying the notion of social institution to background information about what people do and think in an enduring social relationship provides information about the values that motivate them can identify particular values that meaningfully influence people’s actions in social relationships LO 4

3. Social Institutions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking Health care: linked to collective need to reproduce society meeting health care needs differs by society can be understood in terms of concepts Health Care & Social Relationship we behave in particular ways in a hospital or doctor’s office based on a complex of meaning attached to particular behaviours (role of physician and patient) LO 4

4. Social Institutions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking Health Care & Social Status Positions a network of social status positions (physician, administrator, patient) each are related through social norms and social roles which motivate behaviour Ie. norm - deference to physicians sick role – social status position LO 4

5. Social Institutions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking Health Care & Social Institution some meanings and social status positions are more valued than others How do we take values into consideration? Critically thinking – applying the notion of social institution to background information about peoples actions and thoughts within enduring social relationships in order to identify how values motivate experience LO 4

6. Social Institutions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking Canada Health Act – health care system is publically funded and universally accessible based on 5 principles 1. administered by a public, non-profit authority 2. comprehensive, providing all necessary health services 3. universal, all receive same level of care LO 4

7. Social Institutions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking 4. portable, receive coverage for a time when one moves 5. accessible, all have reasonable access to health care facilities Canada Health Act – goal is to provide health care to Canadians, regardless of “financial or other barriers” some costs are not publically funded outside of hospital (pharmaceuticals, long-term care) LO 4

8. Social Institutions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking Compare to United States (private health care) means only those who can afford medical insurance receive care (with few exceptions such as seniors) collecting background information about what people say about their health care systems allows us to identify key features of these systems LO 4

9. Social Institutions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking Canada – social relationship of health care is based on biomedical knowledge, public funding and universal access United States - social relationship of health care is based on biomedical knowledge, privately funded these are enduring features thus assumed to be valued by many LO 4

10. Social Institutions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking Health care in Canada reflects a broad value of equality and collective responsibility Health care in the US reflects a value of individual responsibility and profit While different, both systems are social institutions responding to a universal problem and collective needs associated with reproduction LO 4

11. Social Institutions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking Social institutions are supra-individual has an objective existence beyond the individual interactions that guide and shape what we do and think Ie. Americans can choose to seek emergency treatment and cannot be denied but administrators will sue them for cost of treatment LO 4

12. Social Institutions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking Medical care as a social institution is a public issue that plays an important role in shaping private, day-to-day troubles valued social institutions do change (albeit slowly) ie. Obama’s new law relate to ideology – beliefs are enforced not mutually shared or agreed upon change takes place in a broader social context LO 4

13. Social Institutions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking The Family and Marriage marriage & families are social relationships that respond to the collective need of reproduction as a social relationship marriage is made up of two social status positions related on the basis of social norms LO 4

14. Social Institutions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking families are socially recognized cooperative groups that live together & support each other nuclear family – comprised of married adults and their immediate offspring extended families – wider network of relatives based on kinship, blood and marriage who live together LO 4

15. Social Institutions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking both are valued, enduring and respond to collective need both are social institutions other family formations – lone-parent & common-law less valued, but slowly changing in Canada currently undergoing institutionalization LO 4

16. Social Institutions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking Gay Marriage in Canada currently going through the process of institutionalization which began as a result of a broader, historical social context changes due to industrialization and urbanization resulted in larger, more complex cities, increasing anonymity and freedom from authority LO 4

17. Social Institutions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking caused people to rethink their rights to make their own choices and freedom to exercise their rights coupled with opportunity to meet like-minded people included questions about sex, sexuality & sexual behaviour resulted in sexual behaviour becoming connected to a sexual identity LO 4

18. Social Institutions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking possible due to a set of social relationships brought about by industrialization and urbanization able to self-identify as gay and lesbian this collective identity led to social anxiety which resulted in changing laws to the Criminal Code of Canada in 1892 criminalization of homosexual acts LO 4

19. Social Institutions, the Sociological Imagination, and Critical Thinking a collective identity of gay men and women challenged these ideas and laws decriminalization occurred in the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1968-69 significance – involves changes to what Canadians in general value these values motivate experience through the concept of social institution we can use the sociological imagination to see these values LO 4