SYG 2000: Lecture 11. Chapter 4: Social Institutions

I. Social Institutions: organized/usual/standard ways society meets its basic needs

  A. eg fam, relig, educ, economics, med, politics, law, science, military, mass media

  B. dif views media: functionalist: media rep many groups; conflict: rep pol elite

  C. functionalist view: no society w/o institutions; since fulfil vital functions; func req:

  D. 5 requisites every society must fulfill, according to functionalists:

      1. replacing members: reproduction, provide lineage to new, sense of belonging

      2. socializing new members: meaning of member of group born in, bearer of culture

      3. producing/distributing goods/services: economic institution for this purpose

      4. preserving order:military protects from external threat, policing/gossip v int threat

      5. providing sense purpose: nec for people cooperate; religion/family/school instills

   E. Conflict Perspective: don’t view inst as work harmonious common good

       1. powerful maint priv:  sm group most wealth/make maj decisions eg. taxes, war

       2. purpose: preserve social order (maint wealthy);not meet univ human needs (func)

II. What holds society together? Two answers proposed by sociologists:

  A. Mechanical/Organic solidarity: E Durkheim (1893): social cohesion key: mech sol

    1. shared consciousness: dev by people perform similar tasks; sense similarity unites

    2. organic solidarity: as soc larger, div of labor >specialized, create interdependence

  B. Gemienshchaft/Gesellschaft: Ferdinand Tonnies (1887);1st @ village life-intimate

    1. Gesellschaft: impersonal assoc: short-term rel, ind accomplishments, self-interest

  C. Rise of Islamic fundamentalism explained by contrast: 

    1. fear Western val uproot trad culture; cold rationality replace pers rel w/ fam/clans

  D. Amish—Gemeinschaft community in Gesellschaft society:

    1. Gesellschaft: impersonal assoc. pervade life; gov reg activity; not know neighbors

    2. dif: Old Order Amish: sect leave Mennonite church 1600s/settle Penn. @1727

    3. today: 150,000: believe birth control wrong; use horses not tractors; 65 mi. to Phily

    4. basis for life: sep from wld,as in Sermon on Mount/obedience to Church’s teaching

        a. rejection of wordly concerns: basis slow-paced life, trust divine providence

    5. make decisions: in weekly meetings, by consensus

    6.  black clothing: style remains unchanged for @300 years

    7. family: vital ingredient in Amish life: wedding,birth,funeral,church in homes

    8  8th grade: take out school,would expose to wordly concerns (supreme court uphold)

    9. Gemeinschaft society: is essential for maintaining way of life

III. Microsociological Perspective: examine face-to-face interaction in everyday life

  A. focus: what people do/say in other’s presence: touching, eye contact, stereotyping

  B. personal space: “personal bubble” we surround ourselves w/ go to lengths to protect

    1. dif: compared to Americans, South Americans like to be closer when they speak