Sociology Super-Notes >> Class XI - Introducing Sociology >> Understanding Social Institutions

Sociology Super-Notes
PsychoTech Services Sociology Learners
Version 1.0
Understanding
Social Institutions
M S Ahluwalia

Introducing Sociology

Copyright © 2020, by M S Ahluwalia
Trademarks
‘Super-Notes’, ‘All About’, ‘Sociology Learners’, ‘M S Ahluwalia’, ‘PsychoTech Services’, ‘Real Happiness Center’ and the msa logo,
the People logo for sociology learners, Star and Starji logos for Real Happiness Center logo and PsychoTech Services logo are
global trademarks of M S Ahluwalia, and may not be used without explicit written permission.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. PsychoTech Services and M S Ahluwalia, are not associated
with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
Limit of liability/disclaimer of warranty
The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the
contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular
purpose. This book should not be used as a replacement of expert opinion. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or
promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with
the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional
assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Neither the publisher nor the author
shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. The fact that an organization or website is referred to in this work as a citation
and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the
organization or website may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that internet websites
listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read.
This document contains notes on the said subject made by the author during the course of studies or general reading. The
author hopes you will find these ‘Super-notes’ useful in the course of your learning. In case you notice any errors or have any
suggestions for the improvement of this document, please send an email to Super-Notes@PsychoTechServices.com.
For general information on our other publications or for any kind of support or further information, you may reach us at
care@PsychoTechServices.com.
3
! Disclaimer

Sociology.PsychoTechServices.com

Version 1.0
For more Super-Notes Click Here!
Super-Notes
A proprietary approach developed by bringing together
the best of learning theories from Psychology, design
principles from the world of visualization, and
pedagogical methods from over a decade of training
experience, that enables you to:
Learn better, faster!

PsychoTech Services Sociology Learners 6
We are here to help you…
It is in our DNA. We were born out of a
project to help students!

We are here to help you!
If you are a faculty or student of sociology, this document may be just what you need!
Schools and Universities often have a vast syllabus, and there is limited support from the
faculty and the institution. But, the exams are tough. Unfortunately, students often don’t
get sufficient support for their exams.
We at PsychoTech Services have launched several efforts to help students – if you
haven’t visited our site yet, now might be the right time – Click Here! Look for some
useful lectures from across the web, guidance for solving assignments, or the highly
accurate ‘Exam Question Pattern Analysis’, or more in our Super-Notes series.
Also, remember, your exams will test both your knowledge and your ability to present
the answers well. So work on both these aspects – read this for some very useful tips on
How to Score More in your Exams!
We hope that all the resources we have created for you will help you to complete your
course requirements successfully!
Good Luck!!!

Let’ start…

Introducing Sociology >> Understanding Social Institutions >> Contents
Contents
1. Social Institutions – An Introduction
1. Nature of an Institution
2. Functionalist view vs. Conflict view
2
Family,
Marriage,
and Kinship
3
Work and
Economic
Life
4
Politics
5
Religion
6
Education

Introducing Sociology >> Understanding Social Institutions >> Social Institutions – An Introduction
• Every individual in a society has a status, and a role or roles
• These status and roles are not always chosen voluntarily.
• There are social institutions that constrain and control,
punish and reward.
• Social institutions could be ‘macro,’ like the state or, ‘micro,’
like the family.
• Central areas where important social institutions are
located include:
Family,
Marriage,
and Kinship
Work and
Economic
Life
Politics Religion Education

1.1 Nature of an Institution
An institution is something that:
• works according to rules established or at least
acknowledged by law or by custom.
• whose regular and continuous operation cannot be
understood without taking those rules into account
• imposes constraints on individuals
• provides opportunities to individuals
• can also be viewed as an end in itself

1.2 Functionalist view vs. Conflict view
Functionalist View
• Social institutions are a
complex set of social norms,
beliefs, values and role
relationship that arise in
response to the needs of
society - to satisfy the
general social needs.
• Accordingly, in societies we
find:
• Informal social institutions
ex: family and religion
• Formal social institutions ex:
law and education
Conflict View
• All individuals are not placed
equally in society. All social
institutions whether familial,
religious, political, economic,
legal or educational will
operate in the interest of the
dominant sections of society
be it class, caste, tribe or
gender.
• The dominant social section
not only dominates political
and economic institutions but
also ensures that the ruling
class ideas become the ruling
ideas of a society.

Contents
2
Family,
Marriage,
and Kinship
• Forms of
Family
• Forms of
Marriage
3
Work and
Economic
Life
4
Politics
5
Religion
6
Education

Introducing Sociology >> Understanding Social Institutions >> Family, Marriage and Kinship
2. Family, Marriage and Kinship (1/2)
Kinship • Kinship ties are connections between individuals, established either
through marriage or through the lines of descent that connect blood
relatives (mothers, fathers, siblings, offspring, etc.)
• Consanguineal kin: ones related through “blood”
• Affine: ones related through marriage
Family • A group of persons directly linked by kin connections, the adult
members of which assume responsibility for caring for children.
• Family of orientation: the family of birth
• Family of procreation: the family in which a person is married
Marriage • A socially acknowledged and approved sexual union between two adult
individuals.
• When two people marry, they become kin to one another.
• The marriage bond also, however, connects together a wider range of
people. Parents, brothers, sisters and other blood relatives, all become
relatives of the partner through marriage.

2. Family, Marriage and Kinship (2/2)
• Institutions of family, marriage and kinship are important in all societies and yet
their character varies by society
• Family - the private sphere - is linked to the public – spheres economic, political,
cultural and educational
• Family and kinship are subject to change and transformation due to macro
economic processes. But, it does not mean the complete erosion of previous norms
and structure. Change and continuity co-exist.
The Functionalist View
• the family performs important tasks, which contribute to society’s
basic needs and helps perpetuate social order.
• modern industrial societies function best if women look after the
family and men earn the family livelihood.
• nuclear family is the unit best equipped to handle the demands of
industrial society.

2.1 Forms of Family
Nuclear and Joint
• In nuclear families one
adult (the husband) can
work outside home and
play the ‘instrumental’
role as breadwinner, while
the second adult (the
wife) assumes the
‘affective’, emotional role
for the home and
children.
• Nuclear families have
always existed in India
particularly among
deprived castes and
classes.
• In post-independent India
the joint family has
steadily increased.
Matrilocal and Patrilocal
• Classification based on
rule of residence
• Matrilocal: the newly
married couple stays
with the woman’s
parents
• Patrilocal: the newly
married couple lives
with the man’s parents
Matriarchal and
Patriarchal
• Classification based on
family structure and
decision making authority
• Patriarchal: where the
men exercise authority
and dominance
• Matriarchal: where the
women play a major
role in decision-making
in the family
• While matrilineal societies
exist, the existence of
matriarchal societies is
debatable.

2.2. Forms of Marriage
Forms
of
Marriage
Based on number of partners
that can legitimately enter into
matrimony
Monogamy Serial Monogamy
Polygamy
Polygyny
Polyandry
Based on who decides the
marriage of two people
Arranged
Self-Arranged/
Love Marriage
Based on rules governing
eligibility/ineligibility of mates
Endogamy
Exogamy

2.2 Forms of Marriage
Monogamy and Polygamy
• Monogamy restricts the individual to one spouse at a time
• It is widely prevalent even in societies where polygamy is permitted.
• Serial monogamy: individuals are permitted to marry again, often on the death of the first spouse or
after divorce.
• Polygamy denotes marriage to more than one mate at one time.
• Polygyny: one husband with two or more wives
• Polyandry: one wife with two or more husbands.
• Usually where economic conditions are harsh, polyandry may be one response of society, since in such
situations a single male cannot adequately support a wife and children.
Arranged and ‘Self-arranged’
• Arranged marriage: decisions regarding mate selection are made by parents/relatives
• ‘Self-arranged’/Love marriage: individuals are relatively free to choose their own mates.
Endogamy and Exogamy
• Endogamy: requires an individual to marry within a culturally defined group of which he or she is
already a member.
• Exogamy: the reverse of endogamy, requires the individual to marry outside of his/her own group.
• Endogamy and exogamy are in reference to certain kinship units, such as, clan, caste and racial, ethnic
or religious groupings.
• There may also be hybrid rules – endogamy from the context of one group, and exogamy from the
context of another

Contents
2
Family,
Marriage,
and Kinship
3
Work and
Economic
Life
• What is
work
• Change in
work
4
Politics
5
Religion
6
Education

Introducing Sociology >> Understanding Social Institutions >> Work and Economic Life
3.1 What is Work?
In modern times ‘work’ is generally used to refer to ‘paid employment’.
But, this is an oversimplified view. Work may not conform to this idea.
Much of the work done in the informal economy, for example, is not
recorded in any direct way in the official employment statistics.
Informal
Economy
transactions outside the sphere of regular employment sometimes
involving the exchange of cash for services provided, but also often
involving the direct exchange of goods or services
Work
the carrying out of tasks requiring the expenditure of mental
and physical effort, which has as its objective the production
of goods and services that cater to human needs.

Introducing Sociology >> Understanding Social Institutions >> Work and Economic Life
3.2 Change in Work
• From agriculture to industry to service sector
− In pre-modern societies most people worked in the field or cared for the
livestock.
− In the industrially developed society only a tiny proportion of the
population works in agriculture. Farming itself is industrialised.
− In the past two decades service sector has gradually expanded.
• Increased division of labour
− Modern economic systems have a highly complex division of labour into a
number of different occupations in which people specialise.
− In traditional societies, there were limited non-agriculture work options.
• Shift in location of work
− Before industrialisation, most work took place at home and was
completed collectively by all members of the household.
− Advances in industrial technology, such as machinery operating on
electricity and coal, contributed to the separation of work and home.
Factories owned by capitalist entrepreneurs became the focal point of
industrial development.
• Monitoring of work
− Modern industrial production needs expensive equipment and continuous
monitoring of employees through monitoring or surveillance systems.
Change in Economy
• One of the main
features of modern
societies is an
enormous expansion of
economic
interdependence.
• We are all dependent on
an immense number of
other workers-stretching
right across the world -
for the products and
services that sustain our
lives.
• Majority of people in
modern societies do
not produce the food
they eat, the houses
they live in or the
material goods they
consume.

Contents
2
Family,
Marriage,
and Kinship
3
Work and
Economic
Life
4
Politics
• Politics,
Power and
Sociology
• Power and
Authority
• State
• Citizenship
Rights
• Nationalism
5
Religion
6
Education

Introducing Sociology >> Understanding Social Institutions >> Politics
4.1 Politics, Power and Sociology
• Political institutions are concerned with the distribution of
power in society.
• Sociology is interested in the broader study of power, not
just the formal apparatus of government.
− It is interested in the distribution of power between parties, between
classes, between castes, and between communities based on race,
language and religion.
− Its focus is not just on associations focused specifically on politics,
such as state legislatures, town councils and political parties but also
associations such as schools, banks and religious institutions whose
aims are not primarily political.

4.2 Power and Authority
Authority
• Authority is that form of power, which is accepted as legitimate, that
is, as right and just.
• It is institutionalised because it is based on legitimacy.
• People in general accept the power of those in authority as they
consider their control to be fair and justified.
• Often ideologies exist that help this process of legitimation.
Power
• Ability of individuals or groups to carry out their will even when
opposed by others
• Implies that those who hold power do so at the cost of others.
• There is a fixed amount of power in a society and if some wield
power others do not - an individual or group does not hold power in
isolation, they hold it in relation to others.
• An individual or group has power to the extent to which others
abide by their will. In this sense, political activities or politics is
concerned with ‘power’.
• Power is exercised through authority.

4.3 State
A state exists where:
• There is a political apparatus of government - institutions like a
parliament or congress, plus civil service officials - ruling over a
given territory.
• Government authority is backed by a legal system and by the
capacity to use military force to implement its policies.
Perspectives
• Functionalist perspective: state represents the interests of all
sections of society
• Conflict perspective: state represents the dominant sections of
society.
Difference between modern states and traditional states
Modern states are defined by sovereignty, citizenship and, most
often, ideas of nationalism.
Stateless Societies
Instead of modern
governmental
apparatus there is
instead:
• balanced opposition
between parts;
• cross-cutting
alliances, based on
kinship, marriage
and residence;
• rites and ceremonies
involving the
participation of
friends and foes.
Sovereignty the undisputed political rule of a state over a given territorial area

4.4 Citizenship Rights
Civil Rights
• Freedom of individuals to
live where they choose
• Freedom of speech and
religion
• Right to own property
• Right to equal justice
before the law
Political Rights
• Right to participate in
elections and to stand for
public office
• In most countries,
governments were
reluctant to admit the
principle of universal
franchise – several sections
of the society, including
women, didn’t have the
right to vote
Social Rights
• Right of every individual to
enjoy a certain minimum
standard of economic
welfare and security
• Include such rights as
health benefits,
unemployment allowance,
setting of minimum level of
wages.
• The broadening of social or
welfare rights led to the
welfare state established
in Western societies.
• All over the world today
these social rights are
being attacked as
liabilities on the state and
hindrances to economic
growth

4.5 Nationalism
• Thus, individuals feel a sense of pride and belonging, in
being ‘British’, ‘Indian’, ‘Indonesian’ or ‘French’.
• Nationalism made its appearance with the development of
the modern state.
• Contemporary world is marked both by a rapid expansion
of the global market as well as intense nationalist feelings
and conflicts.
Nationalism
A set of symbols and beliefs providing the sense of being
part of a single political community.

Contents
2
Family,
Marriage,
and Kinship
3
Work and
Economic
Life
4
Politics
5
Religion
• Religion and
Sociology
• Characteristic
s of Religion
• Religion and
Other Social
Institutions
6
Education

Introducing Sociology >> Understanding Social Institutions >> Religion
5.1 Religion and Sociology
The sociological study of religion is different from a religious or theological
study of religion in many ways:
Empirical
• It conducts empirical
studies of how
religions actually
function in society
and its relationship to
other institutions.
• It means that the
sociologist has a
non-judgemental
approach to religious
phenomena.
Comparative
• It uses a
comparative
method.
• Important because in
a sense it brings all
societies on level
with each other.
• It helps to study
without bias and
prejudice
Sociological
Perspective
• It investigates
religious beliefs,
practices and
institutions in relation
to other aspects of
society and culture.
• Religious life can be
made intelligible only
by relating it to
domestic life,
economic life and
political life.

5.2 Characteristics of Religion
Religion:
• exists in all known societies,
• religious beliefs and practices vary from culture
to culture.
Common characteristics of all religions
• set of symbols, invoking feelings of reverence or
awe
• rituals or ceremonies
− Rituals associated with religion are very diverse, may
include praying, chanting, singing, eating, fasting etc.
− Since ritual acts are oriented towards religious
symbols, they are seen as quite distinct from the
habits and procedures of ordinary life.
− Regular ceremonials normally occur in special
places and are practised collectively by believers
• community of believers
Sacred Realm
Religion is about the sacred realm.
What do members of different
religions do before entering a
sacred realm? Cover/uncover
one’s head, take off shoes, or wear
particular kind of clothes, etc.
What is common to them all? The
feeling of awe, recognition and
respect for sacred places or
situations.
Often the sacred quality of a tree
or a temple comes with the belief
that it is sacred precisely because
there is some supernatural force
behind it.

5.3 Religion and Other Social Institutions
Relationship of religion with other social institutions:
• Religion has had a very close relationship with power and
politics. For instance, periodically in history there have been
religious movements for social change, like various anti-
caste movements or movements against gender
discrimination.
• Religion is not just a matter of the private belief of an
individual but it also has a public character. And it is this
public character of religion, which has an important
bearing on other institutions of society.
• Secularisation: Classical sociologists believed that as
societies modernised, religion would become less influential
over various spheres of life.
• Social forces always and invariably influence religious
institutions. Political debates, economic situations and
gender norms will always influence religious behaviour.
• Conversely, religious norms influence and sometimes even
determine social understanding.
Calvinism and Capitalism
• Calvinism (a branch of
Protestant Christianity)
exerted influence on
the emergence and
growth of capitalism as
a mode of economic
organisation.
• If a person was
consistent and
successful in his or her
work, it was interpreted
as a sign of God’s
happiness.
• The money earned was
not to be used for
worldly consumption;
rather the ethics of
Calvinism was to live
frugally. Therefore,
investment became like
a holy creed.

Contents
2
Family,
Marriage,
and Kinship
3
Work and
Economic
Life
4
Politics
5
Religion
6
Education
• Education
and
Sociology
• Perspectives
on Education

Introducing Sociology >> Understanding Social Institutions >> Education
6.1 Education and Sociology
• Education is a life–long process, involving both formal and informal institutions of
learning.
• Sociology understands this need as a process of transmission/communication of
group heritage that is common to all societies.
Change in Education
• In simple societies, there was no formal schooling. Children learnt customs and the
broader way of life by participating in activities with their adults.
• In complex societies:
− with the increasing economic division of labour, separation of work from home, need
for specialised learning and skill attainment, rise of state systems, nations and
complex sets of symbols and ideas, education became formal and explicit.
− which rest on abstract universalistic values, compared to simple society that depends
on particularistic values (based on family, kin, tribe, caste or religion), schools are
designed to promote uniformity, standardised aspirations and universalistic
values.

6.2. Perspectives on Education
No society can survive without a ‘common
base - a certain number of ideas,
sentiments and practices which education
must inculcate in all children
indiscriminately, to whatever social
category they belong’
Emile Durkheim

6.2 Perspectives on Education
Functionalist Perspective
• Emile Durkheim’s view is representative of
the functionalist perspective which speaks
in terms of general social needs and
social norms.
• For the functionalists, education
maintains and renews the social
structure, transmits and develops
culture.
• The educational system is an important
mechanism for the selection and
allocation of individuals in their future
roles in the society.
• It is also regarded as the ground for
proving one’s ability and hence selective
agency for different status according to
their abilities.
• Education should prepare the child for a
special occupation, and enable the child
to internalise the core values of society.
Conflict Perspective
• Education is a stratifying agent.
• Because we go to some kind of schools,
we acquire different kind of privileges
and finally opportunities.
• Schooling ‘intensifies the existing divide
between the elite and the masses.’
Children going to privileged schools
learn to be confident while children
deprived of that may feel the opposite.
• There are many children who simply
cannot attend school or drop out.
Gender and caste discrimination
impinge upon their chances of
education.
• The inequality of educational opportunity
itself is a product of social stratification.
We go to different kinds of schools
depending on our socio-economic
background.
Introducing Sociology >> Understanding Social Institutions >> Education

Do you have any questions,
or suggestions?
Message us on Facebook:
facebook.com/RealSociologyLearners

Version 1.0
IGNOU MSO Corner
Click Here to access now!

Are you interested in learning
more about psychology?

Version 1.0
We have curated a list of movies directly
and indirectly related to psychology.
Do you know watching movies
is probably the best way of
learning about something?

Psychology.PsychoTechServices.com

Version 1.0
We have a collection of reviews, previews, and
legally free e-books for you.
Are you looking for books to help
you apply the concepts of
Psychology in real life?

Meme like cards
to help you
understand and
remember
complicated
concepts.
PsyConcepts
Quotes related to
psychology,
complete with
explanations to
help understand
their real context
and meaning
PsyQuotes
Professional
checklists and
templates to
improve the look
of your work and
reduce errors
PsyTemplates
You may also be interested in…

www.RealHappinessCenter.com
The
Real Happiness
Center

www.PsychoTechServices.com
Services

Sociology Super-Notes >> Class XI - Introducing Sociology >> Understanding Social Institutions

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to Sociology Super-Notes >> Class XI - Introducing Sociology >> Understanding Social Institutions

Similar to Sociology Super-Notes >> Class XI - Introducing Sociology >> Understanding Social Institutions (20)

More from PsychoTech Services

More from PsychoTech Services (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Sociology Super-Notes >> Class XI - Introducing Sociology >> Understanding Social Institutions