INSTITUTIONS IN GENERAL EXAM 3 SOCIAL INSTITU TIONS CHAPTER 14 MARRIAGE FAMILY What is the family Social institutions established organized patterns of social life that exist beyond any individual We are born into them all societies have them Institutions are important to our lives they provide functions for both society and its members They are often independent and functional Tendency toward ethnocentrism with regard to each relative to our own lives Fear of demise and change and potential for exclusion or inequality o Critical institution that functions as part of society o A distinct social group with its own roles patterns and behaviors o Culturally universal though its structure varies across time space o Reproduction protection socialization regulation of sexual behavior affection Functions of family providing social status Potential problems o Social control aspects may be troubling o Has capacity to promote or allow violence spousal and child abuse 30 of homicides of women o May promote exclusion o May be slow to change or adapt to broader societies or systems cultural lag Variations in family o Nuclear vs extended o Monogamy ideal vs serial monogamy US vs polygamy o Patriarchal vs matriarchal vs egalitarian o Same sex couples divorce single parent families American family over time o With modern times came a separation of spheres for men and women men went to work for capitalists and women stayed at home Not a matter of choice Child labor was commonplace o The mediational 1950s was less golden than current nostalgia suggests Women often felt trapped at home Divorce o Not necessarily bad People taking time to pick right partner shows independence Trends in US family today o Rising age at first marriage o Increasing numbers of people living alone o Rise in cohabiting o Increasing single parents o divorce o sharp rise in dual earner families 7 important global trends o Decline of influence of clan kin o Increasing freedom of mate selection o Expanding rights for women o Fewer kin marriages o Increasing degree of sexual freedom o Declining birth rate o Increasing room for children s rights CHAPTER 15 SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION I II WHY STUDY RELIGION One can study the detailed nature of religions their specific beliefs But for the most part sociologists of religion look for commonalities in process affiliation importance easily interpretable through functionalist conflict or symbolic interactionist lenses religion a system of beliefs values practices concerning what a person holds to be sacred spiritually significant polytheism many gods ex Ancient Greeks and romans monotheism one God ex Islam Two broad foci 1 our focus is on the organization institutionalization of religion 2 Its significance to individuals for sure but also its unifying functional but also conflict potential Marx Weber Durkheim were all interested in religion RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS Ecclesia large widely accepted religion of the state denomination large seen as normal not in politics sect accepted branches of denomination cult new religious movements small enclosed Orthodox fundamentalist liberal interpretation We study it because 1 it is clearly deeply important to people 2 A significant portion of the population feels so 85 3 It is socially and structurally patterned 4 Implications both functional and conflict for societies III THE SOCIAL GEOGRAPHIC PATTERNING OF BELIEF despite declines in religious identification Americans remain believers at high rates some decline in identification with a particular religious group we tend to inherit religious affiliation from our parents where we are born live may matter for the religion we belong to Megachurches 2000 weekly leaders sophisticated production Technology socioeconomic status varies by religious group membership vice versa there is often a coupling of race ethnicity with religion conservative theology electronic churches radio TV internet based ex Oral Roberts Pat Robertson Robert Schuller God on line the internet is the most recent medium to spread religion THEORETICAL APPROACHES FUNCTIONS Among its manifest open and stated functions religion defines the spiritual world gives meaning to the divine It also often provides explanation for events social integration provides shared meaning symbols values and norms esp during times of fear social support can provide relief during hard times either through community or through belief can shape social change Weber argued that Protestantism help spur the development of capitalism can foster social control reinforce prevailing institutional arrangements on the conflict side religion may create or reinforce inequality may create change in either or conservative or progressive direction IV V ATTRIBUTES OF ALL RELIGIONS CHAPTER 16 EDUCATION 1 FUNCTIONALIST FOCUS a MANIFEST FUNCTIONS Basic understanding and skills in distinct subject areas Training commensurate with job market Social placement via meritocratic sorting Social integration b LATENT FUNCTIONS Schools as child care provider Slow flow into job market esp when jobs aren t abundant which relieves tension Gender specific socialization Teaching how to follow authority Fostering conformity 2 EDUCATION INEQUALITY THE CONFLICT POINT OF VIEW o Johnathan Kozol s 1991 book showed massive inequalities in schools in US a CORE FOCI b CHILDREN IN AMERICA S SCHOOLS c THE HIDDEN CURRICULUM Undermines critical creative thought Fosters traditional sometimes problematic roles Fosters conformity including the following of authority without question d DISPARITIES IN ACCESS TREATMENT The role of money can live in nicer safer neighborhoods and thus go to nicer public schools can afford to go to private school money matters in terms of health nutrition which in turn impacts achievement home educational resources affect achievement through cultural capital it s not just tangible things but it s the things parents do with their kids varies by social class or shadow education your parents can give you that s above beyond your formal schooling like tutors private music lessons pay for SAT prep ability to afford college and or go to the college you want Segregation race class Tracking ability grouping within Teacher expectations assessment devices CHAPTER 17 GOVERNMENT POLITICS I THE POLITICAL SYSTEM The social institution responsible for directing society and keeping it stable and safe and directing its resources a FUNCTIONS Safety nets Determines political rights and freedom