AIOU B. Ed Citizenship Education and Community Engagement (8606) | Solved Assignment 1.
Q. 5
Discuss the role of religious groups in influencing social behavior. Explain the importance of economic, political and educational institutions in the society.
Answer
Social Institutions
An institution is a mechanism of social cooperation that governs the behavior of a set of individuals within a given human community. Institutions are identified with a social purpose and stability that helps individuals to excel in their lives and intentions. Every society has structures that provide a common social framework. These structures can be broadly referred to as social institutions and are distinct from any organization that results from the political realm.
The term "institution" is commonly applied to customs and behavior patterns important to a society, as well as to particular formal organizations of government and public service. As structures and mechanisms of social order among humans, institutions are one of the principal objects of study in the social sciences, such as political science, anthropology, economics, and sociology. Institutions are also a central concern for law, the formal mechanism for political rule-making and enforcement.
The term social institution encompasses everything from marriage, to schools, celebrations, rituals, sports, organized social groups, and various religions. It is these institutions that provide opportunities for social interaction and development and which frequently regulate our daily lives.
“Social institutions are those ways of interrelationship in society which are eternal and acknowledge by the society.” (C.L.Wood)
“Social institution is the name of inter coordination of social relationships.” (Young and Mac)
“Social institution is an organization of several folkways, mores, and norms which undertake different functions for the betterment of society.” (Green)
“Social institution represents the social structure and machinery through which human society organizes, directs and executes the multifarious activities, required to satisfy human needs.” (H. L. Barners)
Role of religious institutions in influencing social behavior
Another topic that has about as much diversity as today’s educational system is that of religion. Diana Kendall states “Religion is a system of beliefs, symbols, and rituals, based on some sacred or supernatural realm, that guides human behavior, gives meaning to life and unites believers into a community”. Religion can commonly be seen as man’s (or woman’s) explanation to many unanswerable questions such as the meaning of life. It tells us “why we exist, why people suffer and die, and what happens when we die” according to our textbooks. The religions that are created are categorized by their beliefs and gods. Religions entail beliefs about the world, universal order, and good, spiritual beings and powers, as well as rituals and ceremonies.
For many peoples, religion is not separated into a separate sphere of life but is part of the fabric of society, making "conversion" difficult, because of the "religious" identity of the society. Concepts of loyalty, identity, faithfulness, and personhood are in this category. Political and religious institutions are often related. This may involve "religious" ceremonies of cultural identity. We learn a lot from our cultural heritage. Our religion also gives us an identity as our family and community.
We are influenced by our religious teachings and practices. One feels solidarity and brotherhood with the people following the same religion. It also gives a feeling of security. Usually, our religion is determined by birth. The important thing to remember is that whatever religious practices we follow, there are certain basic truths and values which are common to all. Religion teaches us to be truthful, not to steal, not to cheat anyone, love our fellow beings, be tolerant, be good to others, and so on. Our religion is a way of life. If we follow the above tenets we will play a positive role in every share of life. We have to learn to use religion in a positive way.
While following one’s own religious practices one should be respectful to people following other religions. Religion and faith give us inner strength, the strength to face a difficult situation in life. Religion also teaches us to lead a disciplined life. Though religion influences us a great deal, a lot depends on the kind of interpretations that is passed on to us. We are all familiar with the famous lines of our Great poet Allama Iqbal “Mazahab nahni Sikhata aapas mai bair rekhna” No religion teachers us to fight with each other. But we see different religious groups fighting. We should try to understand the process behind it.
If people follow the true spirit and teachings of their religion it can have a very good influence in building their outlook and personalities.
The Specific Function of Religious Institutions
Providing solutions for unexplained natural, phenomena.
Supplying a means for controlling the natural world.
Religion tends to support the normative structure of society.
Furnishing a psychological diversion from unwanted life situations.
Sustaining the existing class structure.
Religion serves as an instrument of socialization.
Religious institutes may both promote and retard social change.
Religion may both reduce and encourage conflict in groups.
Importance of economic institutions in the society
Sociologists understand the economy as the set of arrangements by which a society produces, distributes, and consumes goods, services, and other resources. Economic Institutions involve the production of goods and the organization of labor, the provision of care, and similar factors, not just money, buying, and selling. Every society has systems of provision or procurement. According to Diana Kendall, “economy is the social institution that ensures the maintenance of society through the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services”. It is obvious that a country’s political, legal, economic, and social institutions will affect its rate of economic growth. However, it is much more difficult to identify exactly which institutions matter and exactly how they matter. This is an issue of some practical importance.
Countries are free to redesign their institutions in order to improve their economic performance. But, unless they can pinpoint the beneficial aspects of particular institutions, the only option is to import wholesale the institutional structures of another, more economically successful country.
Economies have come in many different forms throughout the years. The way of improving an economy has even changed based on the situation a nation is currently in pre-industrial, industrial, and post-industrial. Pre-industrial economies are part of a more hunting and gathering culture. Industrial economies depend on alternative sorts of energy and machinery. Postindustrial economies rely on the provision of sources and contain fast food, transportation, and technology. Industrial and post-industrial economies generally come in two categories: capitalism and socialism.
i. Capitalism:
Capitalism is a system of economics defined by a market owned and control by private citizens. The advantages of capitalism are the private ownership of property that produces income and competition to keep prices in check. The disadvantage, however, is the lack of government intervention which is what makes capitalism work best. ii. Socialism The alternative economic theory to capitalism is socialism. Socialism is the act by which all goods are publicly owned and operated.
The three features that make up the socialist theory are public ownership of the means of production, the pursuit of collective goals, and centralized decision-making. In the ideal socialist economic theory, the term is interchangeable with communism and the ideal communism has no separation of social classes or differentiation between leaders and people. In fact, there would ideally be no leader whatsoever involved in “pure” socialism or communism. The more often chosen economic theory is a mixture of capitalism and socialism that has been seen to benefit the most involved (Kendall, 2006).
The economic institution is the system of organizations. For example, capitalism is a particular kind of economic institution, and in modern times capitalism consists in large part in specific organizational forms; including multi-national corporations; organized into a system. As a whole, politics and the economy are strongly tied together now and always. Economies organize how society creates, distributes, and uses its goods and services. Today, we live in a global economy in which the economic system of capitalism dominates.
Goods and services are created and sold, for-profit, across national borders at an increasingly rapid pace. Inequality among nations is related to what each contributes to and takes from the global economy.
Specific Functions of Economical Institutions
Provide methods for the production of goods and services.
Provide methods for the distribution of goods and services.
Enable society’s members to consume goods and services which are produced
Importance of political institutions in the society
Politics is the social institution through which power is acquired and exercised by some people and groups. Politics is present in every society today in the form of a government or state. Political sociology is the process in which politics is studied in relation to other factors such as the economy, education, or media (Kendall, 2006). Every society has an organizational principle, with authority figures, with defined roles and obligations. There are written or oral laws.
Some societies are tightly knitted, while others are very loosely organized. Institutions that pertain to the governance of a society, its formal distribution of authority, its use of force, and its relationships to other societies and political units. The state, an important political institution in modern societies, is the apparatus of governance over a particular territory. Politics brings about power and authority to those with power.
Unfortunately, politics oftentimes brings about corruption and abuse of the power or authority gained. Those with power will very likely try to confuse their abuse of power forcefulness used to gain that power by falsely showing they have authority (Kendall, 2006). Authority, while being a legitimate show of power, has a few ideal forms. The three types of authority as defined by Max Weber are traditional, charismatic, and rational-legal authority. Traditional authority is classified being a long-standing custom that weakens as traditions weaken. Charismatic authority is defined by a leader’s outstanding qualities and accomplishments, but it is generally unstable leading to only a temporary solution. Finally, rational-legal authority is the common authority as written by law and the authority lies with the office, not the person (Kendall, 2006). As with the types of authority, there are also four major theories of political systems. These political systems found in what is today known as nation-states are monarchy, authoritarianism, totalitarianism, and democracy. A monarchy is a system in which power is passed down to each generation in a family by inheritance.
Authoritarianism is a political system where the government is controlled by a selected few people and no one is allowed to enter the government by a popular vote. Totalitarianism is a stepped-up version of authoritarianism in which not only is no one allowed to participate in the government, but that outside of the government are controlled in both their personal lives and otherwise. The final form of government is the one in which Americans know best: democracy. A democracy is a government where the people rule either directly or indirectly through representatives (Kendall, 2006).
Now we look to the opposing perspectives of politics in the form of functionalists and conflict theorists. The functionalists believe in a pluralist model of government. The pluralist model distributes power in the system to many interest groups. The interest groups gain power by influencing those in the government. Some interest groups, known as political action committees, even go as far as raising money for various candidates in order to gain political power. Conflict theorists counter the functionalist’s pluralist model with their own elite model. The elite model implies that all power in government is granted to a small minority with the rest of the population only desiring that power. The elite can be either a group known as the power elite or the ruling class. For either grouping, the people in power are those at the top of their industry. The government of a country directly affects the economy of a nation.
a) The Specific Functions of Political Institutions
The Institutionalization of norms (Laws).
The enforcement of laws.
The adjudication of conflict (Court).
Provide for the welfare of members of society.
Protection of Society from external threats.
Importance of educational institutions in the society
Education and religion have both been important factors in many societies around the world. Both shape how our societies interact within our own society and with other
societies around us. The shaping of our societies begins with our families and friends shaping how our future lives will take place. This is when formal education and religion are brought about. Even in "primitive" societies, there are highly developed methods of conveying knowledge and values. These methods will affect the reception of new ideas. The effective communicator learns and uses the insider formats and channels. As the child grows he/she comes in contact with neighborhood children and people.
This extended group forms the community or social environment. The child’s thinking and behavioral patterns are influenced by them too. Our community does not consist of our neighbors alone. Our friends, people who follow the same religion and religious practices; people belonging to the same caste, all are part of the community we belong to. In fact, all the people we come in close contact with are part of our community. All these people play an important role in the child’s development. When the child starts going to school he/she meets many children coming from different backgrounds.
All this forms part of the child’s social environment. After family, the child’s teachers and peer group are the second-largest influence in a child’s life. By peer group, it is meant the fellow students, neighborhood children, and people of the same age group. As you have read in the lesson on adolescence that at this age peer group Social Institutions becomes even more important them parents, simply because at this age children spend longer time with them than their parents. Diana Kendall said, “Education is the social institution responsible for the systematic transmission of knowledge, skills, and cultural values within a formally organized structure”. Functionalists believe education is one of the most important parts of our society. There are both manifest and latent functions of education. (Kendall, 2006) The manifest functions of education are socialization, the transmission of culture, social control, social placement, and change and innovation. Socialization is the subject matter learned according to age and skill level.
Transmission of culture is how people learn of new cultures and those new to our culture are assimilated into our society. Social control teaches students how to maintain order in their society via discipline and the following of rules.
Social placement determines who is best suited for what job in their society. Finally, change and innovation are simply what it appears to be: students bring about change and make things new and better. (Kendall, 2006) 90 The last leg of education is college. Universities provide students with major degrees that they can take with them to gain high-paying jobs that are worthy of their hard work for so many years of school. Education enables a person to fulfill his dreams by attaining a degree and get a job of this own choice. Just like the segregation in middle and high schools, there is much cultural diversity in a college. Students are subject to the sight of those that may or may not be of the same racial and ethnic background as themselves as the college continues. (Kendall, 2006) a) The Impact of School These are the most formative years of a child’s life.
As the child grows he/she go to school. In the child’s development school plays the second most important role. Its role is almost as important as family. A school and a college are called Alma Mater. It is derived from a Latin word meaning nourishing (dear) mother. In this period of life, teachers are like parents to him/her. He/she listens to them, loves them, fears them, and respects them. Children are taught many things at school. They not only learn to read and write but learn to work in a group, in a team.
One can say that the family sows a seed that blossoms into a flower in the school. A child’s skill development takes place at schools. He discovers his/her talent and capacities. He/she learns to make friends, to get along with others, to socialize to be disciplined, and to be a responsible citizen. School is the place where the child receives most of his education. Education includes imparting knowledge, training, and guidance. Although education is a lifelong process, the main role at school is to develop the child’s inborn capacities and talents in such a way that a child can use them lifelong. During this period character building also takes place. One learns about culture and religion.
Education is important from both individual and society’s points of view. At the individual level a child’s physical, mental, spiritual, cultural capacity, personality, and character-building have to be taken care of. From society’s point of view, one has to develop into a responsible citizen, serve the society and country in a selfless manner, try to remove the social evils, help to build a better society, develop leadership qualities, and learn to live and serve in a democratic manner. At the social level too there has to be an emotional bonding. One learns to take pride in one’s culture, religion, community, and country.
School education also takes into account the progress taking place in the world in different fields. Every day new scientific discoveries and inventions are taking place. Science and Technology are developing in leaps and bounds. A child should know and learn about them in such a way that they are useful for future career and life. To sum up, education should be such that it helps in the overall development of the child.
Children are also influenced by the kind of books they read. Here parental and teacher guidance plays an important role. Reading is a good habit. Here the context is the books outside the school syllabus. Reading not only improves knowledge it gives greater command over the language. It increases the child’s vocabulary. Books are storehouses of knowledge, and knowledge is power. Knowledge gives self-confidence and maturity and helps to develop a person fully.
b) The Specific Functions of Educational Institutions
Transmitting culture.
Preparation for occupational roles
Evaluating and selecting competent individuals
Transmitting functional skills for functioning in society.
