College of Education

School of Continuing and Distance Education2014/2015 – 2016/2017

SOCI 222

Comparative Social Institutions

Session 2 – Sociological Perspectives on the Social Institutions

Lecturer: Dr. Rosemond Akpene HiadziContact Information: rhiadzi@ug.edu.gh

Session Overview

• This session presents the sociological perspectives or theories on the social institutions. These theories/perspectives are the bedrock of sociology and is therefore useful in enhancing understanding of the social institutions. It examines how the social institutions perform roles that help in the perpetuation of society (functionalist view). It also describes the ways in which social institutions in performing their roles, can lead to conflict (Conflict view). Finally, it presents ways in which social institutions perform their roles through interactions between individuals and small groups using symbols, gestures and the like (symbolic interactionism)

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Session Outline

The key topics to be covered in the session are as follows:

• Topic one – The functionalist perspective

• Topic two – The conflict perspective

• Topic three – The symbolic interactionist perspective

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Reading List

• Schaefer, R, & Lamm, R. (1997) Sociology: A Brief Introduction. McGraw-Hill Companies

• Turner, J. (2006). Sociology. Pearson Prentice Hall

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The Sociological Perspectives

• Theory: a general statement about how some parts of the world fit together and how they work; it explains how two or more facts are related to one another

• Theoretical Perspective: a set of assumptions about an area of study

• These perspectives offer sociologists theoretical paradigms for explaining how society influences people and vice versa

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THE FUNCTIONALIST PERSPECTIVETopic One

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Biological analogy of Social Institutions

• The image that functionalists use to understand society is a living organism

• Society is viewed as a complex system of parts that interacts to perform various necessary functions

• Each part of society works together for the benefit of the whole much like the human body as a system

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Biological Analogy of Social Institutions

• From biology, organisms eg a plant has different parts such as the roots, leaves, stems, branches, etc.

• There is an interdependence among the various parts as they work together

• Sociologists also consider society as a social organism or system made up of different parts

• Parts = institutions

• Thus each part of society (ie. Family, Religion, Education, Economy etc.) contributes to the maintenance of the whole society

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Social Institutions as Aspects of Human Behaviour

• Social Institutions are not objects that can be observed

• Institutions are aspects of our human thought and behavior in society as they shape our behavior

• Social Institutions develop and are reinforced or even changed as we interact daily through social interaction

• For instance, as students and lecturers interact, we have educational institutions manifesting.

• Social Institutions then become normative patterns of behavior

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Functions of Social Institutions

• They bring about order by providing clear guidance and procedure for individuals to pursue their needs;

• They serve as sources of social control by legitimizing and regulating statuses and roles in society;

• They serve as a source of social identity providing collective ways of acting and thinking;

• They specify the relationships between individuals and groups;

• They determine the rights and responsibilities of individuals and groups.

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Functionalism

• Functionalist believe that Social Institutions exist because they perform vital functions for society; hence there is no society without institutions;

• Functionalist argue that all social institutions are functional due to the functions or role they play towards the maintenance and survival of society.

• To them, the functions performed by the institutions are always beneficial leading to law and order.

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Illustrations

• Functionalist argue that the political institution exist for the maintenance of law and order in society;

• The family and marriage institution to the functionalist ensures procreation, socialization etc.

• To the functionalist, religion plays a very important role of integration and social solidarity as well as a mechanism of social control;

• The Economic institution is responsible for the production and equitable distribution of scare good and services;

• Functionalist explain the role of education as transmission of culture, social integration, socialization etc.

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THE CONFLICT PERSPECTIVETopic Two

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Conflict Perspective

• Conflict theory agrees that institutions are originally designed to meet the basic needs of society

• However, they do not see them as working harmoniously for the common good of society

• They see the functions of the institutions leading to domination, exploitation and disorder

• Conflict theorists argue that the functions of the institutions are not always beneficial but can lead to conflict and disorders

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Illustrations

• Conflict theory sees the political institution as a vehicle through which the rich and powerful dominate others in society

• The family, to the conflict theorist, is the institution in which male dominance of females is expressed

• For conflict theory, religion is a tool used to exploit the poor

– According to Karl Marx, religion is the “opium of the masses” i.e. it is a tool used by the ruling class to make the workers accept their low status or social positions.

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Sample Question

• In what ways is conflict evident in the other major institutions namely education, economic and health?

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THE SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONIST PERSPECTIVE

Topic Three

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Symbolic Interactionism

• Microsociology

• Studies society through interactions within individual and small groups

• Interaction between individuals is negotiated through shared symbols, gestures and nonverbal communications

• Humans are social animals and require interaction

• Asks the questions” “How do individuals experience one another?” “How do they interpret the meaning of these interactions?” and “How do people construct a sense of self and the society as a whole?”

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Illustrations

• Within the economic institution, workers engage in informal interactions within the work environment

• According to symbolic interactionists, a husband and wife will negotiate if and how many children to have, what tasks to perform in the home etc through verbal and non-verbal interactions

• In religion, every religion has its own symbols and gestures that their practitioners identify with and which distinguishes one group from the other

• Other means of interacting include smiles, frowns, greetings etc and these have specific meanings based on the particular social context

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References

• Schaefer, R, & Lamm, R. (1997) Sociology: A Brief Introduction. McGraw-Hill Companies

• Turner, J. (2006). Sociology. Pearson Prentice Hall

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