Social Institutions

Social InstitutionsFamilyFamily

The Functions Of Family

The Functions Of Family

Families And Power

Families And Power

EducationEducation

The Functions Of School

The Functions Of School

The Hidden Curriculum

The Hidden Curriculum

ReligionReligion

The Functions Of Religion

The Functions Of Religion

Can Religion Be Bad?

Can Religion Be Bad?

An Organized and Established Social

System That Meets One Or More Of A Society’s

Basic Needs

What S

ocie

ties

What S

ocie

ties

Need To

Survive

Need To

Survive

• • Replace Its Members

Replace Its Members::

Groups do this through procreation,

Groups do this through procreation,

conversion, or immigration

conversion, or immigration

• • Teach New Recruits

Teach New Recruits::

Groups do this through education,

Groups do this through education,

indoctrination, or informal interaction.

indoctrination, or informal interaction.

• • Produce/Distribute Goods

Produce/Distribute Goods::

Groups must satisfy members’ needs or face

Groups must satisfy members’ needs or face

discontent and disorder.

discontent and disorder.

• • Preserve Order:

Preserve Order:

Groups protect their members from both

Groups protect their members from both

internal and external threats.

internal and external threats.

• • Provide A Sense Of Purpose:

Provide A Sense Of Purpose:

Groups help members understand their value

Groups help members understand their value

to the society, providing motivation for them

to the society, providing motivation for them

to continue as members of it..

to continue as members of it..

The Functions Of FamilyThe Functions Of Family

To regulate sexual activityTo ensure that new babies survive to become

adult members of the societyTo ensure that children are socialized into the

norms and values of societyTo provide “economic” support for family

membersTo satisfy our emotional needs for love and

securityTo provide us with a sense of place and positionThe “Benchmark” Family Is The The “Benchmark” Family Is The Traditional Intact Nuclear Family Of A Traditional Intact Nuclear Family Of A Breadwinner Husband, Homemaker Breadwinner Husband, Homemaker

Wife, And Their Children Wife, And Their Children (Preferably A Boy And A Girl)(Preferably A Boy And A Girl)

Families And PowerFamilies And Power

Feminist Theory

“An analysis of women’s subordination for the

purpose of figuring out how to change it” (Gordon 1979)

The family is a central institution for the

reproduction of oppression through socialization and

role-making

Who controls the means of reproduction?

The Functions Of SchoolsThe Functions Of Schools

Manifest Functions

• Sorting and Selecting

• Teaching Cognitive Culture

• Teaching Normative Culture

• Teaching Civic Culture

Latent Functions

• Give Parents Free Day Care

• Help Us Find Mates

• Facilitate Social Reform

Cognitive Culture:

“The Three R’s”

Normative Culture:

“The Two R’s”Civic Culture:

Citizenship & Ideology

The Hidden CurriculumThe Hidden CurriculumConformity To Cultural Norms

Obedience To Authority

Following Rules

Competition

Honesty

Loyalty

Courtesy

Punctuality

Submissiveness

Cultural Integration

Nationalism & Patriotism

Conformity To Cultural Norms

Obedience To Authority

Following Rules

Competition

Honesty

Loyalty

Courtesy

Punctuality

Submissiveness

Cultural Integration

Nationalism & Patriotism

Schools Infuse The Teaching Of Basic

Information With Values, Norms, and Myths

Supportive Of Capitalism And Capitalists.

SCHOOLS SERVE THE INTERESTS OF ELITES

Reinforce Inequities By Reproducing

Them

Teach Skills Appropriate To Our Place

In The Society

Perpetuate The Status

Quo By Legitimizing

It

Generate Norms That

Maintain The Status Quo

The Functions Of ReligionThe Functions Of Religion

EconomicsEconomics

“The first form of

economic cooperation”

CultureCulture

Poetry, speeches, literature,

music

EducationEducation

Schools and colleges

PoliticsPolitics

The “priests” became

politicians

MediaMedia

Locations of amusement

and publishing

The Black church provides “social intercourse, it provides amusements of various kinds, it serves as a The Black church provides “social intercourse, it provides amusements of various kinds, it serves as a newspaper and intelligence bureau, it supplants the theater, it directs the picnic and excursion, it newspaper and intelligence bureau, it supplants the theater, it directs the picnic and excursion, it

furnishes the music, it introduces the stranger to the community, it serves as a lyceum, library, and furnishes the music, it introduces the stranger to the community, it serves as a lyceum, library, and lecture bureau—it is, in fine the central organ of the organized life of the American Negro.” (W.E.B. lecture bureau—it is, in fine the central organ of the organized life of the American Negro.” (W.E.B.

DuBois 1867)DuBois 1867)

Creates and Reinforces Both Social Solidarity & Social Creates and Reinforces Both Social Solidarity & Social Control Primarily Through Control Primarily Through BeliefBelief, , RitualRitual, and , and ExperienceExperience

Creates and Reinforces Both Social Solidarity & Social Creates and Reinforces Both Social Solidarity & Social Control Primarily Through Control Primarily Through BeliefBelief, , RitualRitual, and , and ExperienceExperience

Can Religion Be Bad?Can Religion Be Bad?

Legitimates The Status QuoLegitimates The Status Quo Legitimates The Status QuoLegitimates The Status Quo

Religion doesn’t bring the society together. It legitimates the things that make us different.

Religion portrays the authority/power of the upper classes as just.

Religion is useful as a tool to legitimate oppression.

Judaism’s Torah: "Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you ; they will become your property. You can will them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life.

Judaism’s Torah: "Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you ; they will become your property. You can will them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life.

Islam’s Qu’ran: “Men are in charge of women. Hence good women are obedient. As for those whose rebelliousness you fear, admonish them, banish them from your bed, and scourge them." Islam’s Qu’ran: “Men are in charge of women. Hence good women are obedient. As for those whose rebelliousness you fear, admonish them, banish them from your bed, and scourge them."

Christianity’s New Testament: “Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.”

Christianity’s New Testament: “Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.”