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The process of streamlining formalization and standardization. Institutionalization and social institution. The structure and functions of social institutions

Social institutions(from Lat. Institutum - establishment, establishment) - these are historically established stable forms of organizing joint activities of people. The term "social institution" is used in a wide variety of meanings. They talk about the institution of the family, the institution of education, health care, the institution of the state, etc. The first, most often used meaning of the term "social institution" is associated with the characteristics of any kind of ordering, formalization and standardization of public relations and relations. And the very process of ordering, formalization and standardization is called institutionalization.

The institutionalization process includes a number of points: 1) One of necessary conditions the emergence of social institutions is served by a corresponding social need. Institutions are called upon to organize joint activities of people in order to meet certain social needs. Thus, the institution of the family satisfies the need for the reproduction of the human race and the upbringing of children, realizes relations between the sexes, generations, etc. higher education provides training work force, makes it possible for a person to develop his abilities in order to realize them in subsequent activities and ensure his existence, etc. The emergence of certain social needs, as well as the conditions for their satisfaction are the first necessary moments of institutionalization. 2) A social institution is formed on the basis of social ties, interaction and relationships specific individuals individuals, social groups and other communities. But he, like other social systems, cannot be reduced to the sum of these individuals and their interactions. Social institutions are supra-individual in nature, have their own systemic quality. Consequently, a social institution is an independent public entity, which has its own logic of development. From this point of view, social institutions can be considered as organized social systems, characterized by the stability of the structure, the integration of their elements and a certain variability of their functions.

First of all, it is a system of values, norms, ideals, as well as patterns of activity and behavior of people and other elements of the socio-cultural process.This system guarantees similar behavior of people, coordinates and directs their certain aspirations, establishes ways to satisfy their needs, resolves conflicts,

arising in the process Everyday life, provides a state of balance and stability within a particular social community and society as a whole. By itself, the presence of these socio-cultural elements does not yet ensure the functioning of a social institution. In order for it to work, it is necessary that they become the property of the inner world of the individual, be internalized by them in the process of socialization, embodied in the form social roles and statuses. The internalization by individuals of all socio-cultural elements, the formation on their basis of a system of individual needs, value orientations and expectations is the second most important element of institutionalization. 3) The third most important element of institutionalization is the organizational design of a social institution. Outwardly, a social institution is a collection of persons, institutions, supplied with certain material resources and performing a certain social function. So, the institute of higher education consists of a certain set of persons: teachers, service personnel, officials who operate within the framework of institutions such as universities, ministries or the State Committee for Higher Education, etc., who have certain material values ​​(buildings, finances, etc.) for their activities.

So, each social institution is characterized by the presence of a goal of its activities, specific functions that ensure the achievement of such a goal, a set of social positions and roles typical of this institution. Based on the above, you can give following definition social institution. Social institutions are organized associations of people performing certain socially significant functions, ensuring the joint achievement of goals based on the members' social roles, set by social values, norms and patterns of behavior.

27. Social institutions as elements of the social structure of society.

The concept of a social institution is one of the basic ones in sociology. There are even attempts to define sociology as the science of social institutions. Thanks to the interpretation of this concept in sociology, a special institutional approach has been developed.

The Concise Dictionary of Sociology states that the term "institution" is of Latin origin and literally translated as applied to antique era means establishment, establishment Today, a social institution means historically established, stable forms of organization of joint activities of people and is used in a wide variety of meanings. A social institution is the main component of the social structure, integrating and coordinating a multitude of individual actions of people, regulating social relations in the most important spheres of social life.

A social institution is an organized system of connections and social norms that unites significant social values ​​and procedures that satisfy the basic needs of society.

A social institution is a role system, which also includes norms and statuses, a set of customs, traditions and rules of behavior; formal and informal organization; a set of norms and institutions that regulate a certain area of ​​social relations; a separate complex of social actions.

Thus, the set of interconnections and systems of behavior useful to society finds its fullest expression in social institutions. It is known that the most important condition for the existence of mankind is the constant reproduction of material wealth. It is social institutions that help to implement it in a purposeful and effective manner. Here is the socialization of the younger generation, and the modernization of society, and its protection from external and internal enemies. Therefore, the importance of social institutions can hardly be overestimated. One and, perhaps, the most important thing can be said unequivocally - without them, humanity simply cannot exist in a civilized manner. Moreover, the presence of social institutions, the degree of their development and efficiency of functioning is an indicator of the level of civilization of the era. Therefore, the concept of "social institution" in sociology occupies one of the central and extremely significant places.

The first, most often used meaning of the term "social institution" is associated with the characteristics of any kind of ordering, formalization and standardization of public relations and relations. And the very process of ordering, formalization and standardization is called institutionalization.

The institutionalization process includes a number of points.

§ One of the necessary conditions for the emergence of social institutions is the corresponding social need. Institutions are called upon to organize joint activities of people in order to meet certain social needs. So the institution of the family satisfies the need for the reproduction of the human race and the upbringing of children, realizes relations between the sexes, generations, etc. existence, etc. The emergence of certain social needs, as well as the conditions for their satisfaction are the first necessary moments of institutionalization.

§ A social institution is formed on the basis of social ties, interaction and relations of specific individuals, individuals, social groups and other communities. But he, like other social systems, cannot be reduced to the sum of these individuals and their interactions. Social institutions are supra-individual in nature, have their own systemic quality. Consequently, a social institution is an independent public entity, which has its own logic of development. From this point of view, social institutions can be considered as organized social systems characterized by the stability of the structure, the integration of their elements and a certain variability of their functions.

First of all, we are talking about a system of values, norms, ideals, as well as patterns of activity and behavior of people and other elements of the socio-cultural process. This system guarantees similar behavior of people, coordinates and directs their specific aspirations, establishes ways to satisfy their needs, resolves conflicts arising in the process of everyday life, provides a state of balance and stability within a particular social community and society as a whole.

By itself, the presence of these sociocultural elements does not yet ensure the functioning of a social institution. In order for it to work, it is necessary that they become the property of the inner world of the individual, be internalized by them in the process of socialization, embodied in the form of social roles and statuses. The internalization by individuals of all socio-cultural elements, the formation on their basis of a system of individual needs, value orientations and expectations is the second most important element of institutionalization.

§ The third most important element of institutionalization is the organizational design of a social institution. Outwardly, a social institution is a collection of persons, institutions, supplied with certain material resources and performing a certain social function. So, an institute of higher education consists of a certain set of persons: teachers, service personnel, officials who operate within the framework of institutions such as universities, the ministry or the State Committee for Higher Education, etc., which have certain material values ​​(buildings , finance, etc.).

Thus, each social institution is characterized by the presence of a goal of its activity, specific functions that ensure the achievement of such a goal, a set of social positions and roles typical for this institution. Based on the foregoing, the following definition of a social institution can be given. Social institutions are organized associations of people performing certain socially significant functions, ensuring the joint achievement of goals based on the members' social roles, set by social values, norms and patterns of behavior.

History of the term

Basic information

The peculiarities of its use of words are further complicated by the fact that in English traditionally an institution is understood as any established practice of people, which has a sign of self-replication. In such a broad, not narrowly specialized, meaning, an institution can be an ordinary human turn or English language as a centuries-old social practice.

Therefore, a social institution is often given a different name - "institution" (from the Latin. depending on the circumstances and serving as an instrument of adaptation to them, and under the "institution" - the consolidation of customs and orders in the form of a law or institution. The term “social institution” has incorporated both “institution” (customs) and “institution” itself (institutions, laws), since it has combined both formal and informal “rules of the game”.

A social institution is a mechanism that provides a set of constantly repeating and reproducing social relations and social practices of people (for example: the institution of marriage, the institution of the family). E. Durkheim figuratively called social institutions "factories for the reproduction of social relations." These mechanisms rely on both codified codes of law and non-themed rules (informal “hidden” ones that are revealed when they are violated), social norms, values ​​and ideals that are historically inherent in a particular society. According to the authors of the Russian textbook for universities, “these are the strongest, most powerful ropes, which decisively predetermine the viability [ social system

Spheres of life of society

There are 4 spheres of the life of society, each of which includes various social institutions and various social relations arise:

  • Economic- relations in the production process (production, distribution, consumption of material goods). Institutions related to economic sphere: private property, material production, market, etc.
  • Social- the relationship between different social and age groups; activities to ensure social security... Institutions related to social sphere: education, family, health care, social security, leisure, etc.
  • Political- relations between civil society and the state, between the state and political parties, as well as between states. Institutions related to the political sphere: state, law, parliament, government, judicial system, political parties, army, etc.
  • Spiritual- relations arising in the process of creating and preserving spiritual values, creating the dissemination and consumption of information. Institutions related to the spiritual sphere: education, science, religion, art, media, etc.

Institutionalization

The first, most often used meaning of the term "social institution" is associated with the characteristics of any kind of ordering, formalization and standardization of public relations and relations. And the very process of ordering, formalization and standardization is called institutionalization. The process of institutionalization, that is, the formation of a social institution, consists of several successive stages:

  1. the emergence of a need, the satisfaction of which requires joint organized actions;
  2. the formation of common goals;
  3. the emergence of social norms and rules during a spontaneous social interaction by trial and error;
  4. the emergence of procedures related to rules and regulations;
  5. institutionalization of norms and rules, procedures, that is, their adoption, practical use;
  6. establishment of a system of sanctions to maintain norms and rules, differentiation of their application in individual cases;
  7. creation of a system of statuses and roles covering all members of the institute without exception;

So, the final of the institutionalization process can be considered the creation, in accordance with the norms and rules, of a clear status-role structure, socially approved by the majority of participants in this social process.

The process of institutionalization, therefore, includes a number of points.

  • One of the necessary conditions for the emergence of social institutions is a corresponding social need. Institutions are called upon to organize joint activities of people in order to meet certain social needs. So the institution of the family satisfies the need for the reproduction of the human race and the upbringing of children, realizes relations between the sexes, generations, etc. existence, etc. The emergence of certain social needs, as well as the conditions for their satisfaction are the first necessary moments of institutionalization.
  • A social institution is formed on the basis of social ties, interaction and relations of specific individuals, social groups and communities. But he, like other social systems, cannot be reduced to the sum of these individuals and their interactions. Social institutions are supra-individual in nature, have their own systemic quality. Consequently, a social institution is an independent public entity, which has its own logic of development. From this point of view, social institutions can be considered as organized social systems characterized by the stability of the structure, the integration of their elements and a certain variability of their functions.

First of all, we are talking about a system of values, norms, ideals, as well as patterns of activity and behavior of people and other elements of the socio-cultural process. This system guarantees similar behavior of people, coordinates and directs their specific aspirations, establishes ways to satisfy their needs, resolves conflicts arising in the process of everyday life, provides a state of balance and stability within a particular social community and society as a whole.

By itself, the presence of these sociocultural elements does not yet ensure the functioning of a social institution. In order for it to work, it is necessary that they become the property of the inner world of the individual, be internalized by them in the process of socialization, embodied in the form of social roles and statuses. The internalization by individuals of all socio-cultural elements, the formation on their basis of a system of individual needs, value orientations and expectations is the second most important element of institutionalization.

  • The third most important element of institutionalization is the organizational design of a social institution. Outwardly, a social institution is a collection of organizations, institutions, individuals, supplied with certain material resources and performing a certain social function. Thus, an institute of higher education is activated by a social corps of teachers, service personnel, officials who operate within the framework of institutions such as universities, a ministry or the State Committee for Higher Education, etc., which have certain material values ​​(buildings, finance, etc.).

Thus, social institutions are social mechanisms, stable value-normative complexes that regulate various spheres of social life (marriage, family, property, religion), which are hardly susceptible to changes in the personal characteristics of people. But they are set in motion by people who carry out their activities, "playing" according to their rules. For example, the concept of "the institution of a monogamous family" does not mean a separate family, but a set of norms that are implemented in countless families of a certain type.

Institutionalization, as P. Berger and T. Luckman show, is preceded by the process of habitualization, or "habituation" of everyday actions, leading to the formation of patterns of activity, which are subsequently perceived as natural and normal for a given occupation or solutions to problems typical in given situations. Patterns of action serve, in turn, as the basis for the formation of social institutions, which are described in the form of objective social facts and are perceived by the observer as “social reality” (or social structure). These tendencies are accompanied by signification procedures (the process of creating, using signs and fixing meanings and meanings in them) and form a system of social meanings, which, folding into semantic connections, are fixed in natural language. Signification serves the purposes of legitimation (recognition as legitimate, socially recognized, legitimate) of the social order, that is, to justify and substantiate the usual ways to overcome the chaos of destructive forces that threaten to undermine the stable idealizations of everyday life.

The emergence and existence of social institutions is associated with the formation in each individual of a special set of socio-cultural dispositions (habitus), practical schemes of action, which have become for the individual his inner "natural" need. Due to habitus, individuals are included in the activities of social institutions. Therefore, social institutions are not just mechanisms, but “a kind of 'factories of meanings' that set not only patterns of human interactions, but also ways of comprehending and understanding social reality and people themselves.”

The structure and functions of social institutions

Structure

Concept social institution suggests:

  • the presence of a need in society and its satisfaction by the mechanism of reproduction of social practices and relations;
  • these mechanisms, being supra-individual formations, act in the form of value-normative complexes that regulate social life as a whole or its separate sphere, but for the good of the whole;

Their structure contains:

  • role models of behavior and statuses (instructions for their implementation);
  • their substantiation (theoretical, ideological, religious, mythological) in the form of a categorical grid that sets a “natural” vision of the world;
  • means of broadcasting social experience (material, ideal and symbolic), as well as measures that stimulate one behavior and repress another, tools for maintaining institutional order;
  • social positions - the institutions themselves represent a social position (there are no “empty” social positions, therefore the question of the subjects of social institutions disappears).

In addition, they assume the presence of a certain social position of "professionals" who are able to set this mechanism in action, playing by its rules, including a whole system of their training, reproduction and maintenance.

In order not to denote the same concepts with different terms and to avoid terminological confusion, social institutions should be understood not as collective subjects, not social groups and not organizations, but as special social mechanisms that ensure the reproduction of certain social practices and social relations. And collective subjects should still be called "social communities", "social groups" and "social organizations".

Functions

Each social institution has a main function that determines its "face" associated with its main social role in the consolidation and reproduction of certain social practices and relations. If this is an army, then its role is to ensure the military-political security of the country by participating in hostilities and demonstrating its military power. In addition to it, there are other explicit functions, to one degree or another inherent in all social institutions, ensuring the fulfillment of the main one.

Along with explicit, there are also implicit - latent (hidden) functions. So, the Soviet Army at one time carried out a number of hidden state tasks unusual for it - national economic, penitentiary, fraternal assistance to "third countries", pacification and suppression of riots, popular discontent and counter-revolutionary coups both within the country and in the countries of the socialist camp. Explicit institutional functions are essential. They are formed and declared in codes and fixed in the system of statuses and roles. Latent functions are expressed in the unintended results of the activities of institutions or persons representing them. Thus, the democratic state that was established in Russia in the early 90s, through the parliament, the government and the president, sought to improve the life of the people, create civilized relations in society and instill in citizens respect for the law. These were the clear goals and objectives. In fact, the crime rate in the country has increased, and the standard of living of the population has fallen. These are the results of the latent functions of the institutions of power. Explicit functions indicate what people wanted to achieve within the framework of a particular institution, and latent ones - what came of it.

Revealing the latent functions of social institutions allows not only to create an objective picture of social life, but also makes it possible to minimize their negative and enhance positive influence in order to control and manage the processes taking place in it.

Social institutions in public life perform the following functions or tasks:

The totality of these social functions adds up to the general social functions of social institutions as certain types of social system. These functions are very diverse. Sociologists different directions tried to classify them somehow, to present them in the form of a certain ordered system. The most complete and interesting classification was presented by the so-called. "Institutional school". Representatives of the institutional school in sociology (S. Lipset, D. Landberg and others) identified four main functions of social institutions:

  • Reproduction of members of society. The main institution performing this function is the family, but other social institutions, such as the state, are also involved.
  • Socialization is the transfer to individuals of the patterns of behavior and methods of activity established in a given society - the institutions of the family, education, religion, etc.
  • Production and distribution. Provided by economic and social institutions of management and control - authorities.
  • The functions of management and control are carried out through a system of social norms and prescriptions that implement the appropriate types of behavior: moral and legal norms, customs, administrative decisions, etc. Social institutions control the behavior of an individual through a system of sanctions.

In addition to solving its specific tasks, each social institution performs universal functions inherent to all of them. The functions common to all social institutions include the following:

  1. The function of consolidation and reproduction of social relations... Each institution has a set of norms and rules of behavior, fixed, standardizing the behavior of its participants and making this behavior predictable. Social control provides the order and framework in which the activities of each member of the institution should proceed. Thus, the institution ensures the stability of the structure of society. The family institution code assumes that members of society are divided into stable small groups - families. Social control ensures the state of stability of each family, limits the possibility of its disintegration.
  2. Regulatory function... It ensures the regulation of relationships between members of society by developing models and patterns of behavior. All human life proceeds with the participation of various social institutions, but each social institution regulates activities. Consequently, with the help of social institutions, a person demonstrates predictability and standard behavior, fulfills role requirements and expectations.
  3. Integrative function... This function ensures the cohesion, interdependence and mutual responsibility of the members. This happens under the influence of institutionalized norms, values, rules, a system of roles and sanctions. It orders the system of interactions, which leads to an increase in the stability and integrity of the elements of the social structure.
  4. Broadcast function... Society cannot develop without the transfer of social experience. Each institution for its normal functioning needs the arrival of new people who have mastered its rules. This happens by changing the social boundaries of the institution and changing generations. Consequently, each institution provides a mechanism for socialization to its values, norms, roles.
  5. Communication functions... The information produced by the institution should be disseminated both within the institution (for the purpose of managing and monitoring the observance of social norms) and in the interaction between institutions. This function has its own specifics - formal connections. The institution of funds mass media is the main function. Scientific institutions actively perceive information. The commutative capabilities of institutions are not the same: they are inherent in some to a greater extent, others to a lesser extent.

Functional qualities

Social institutions differ from each other in their functional qualities:

  • Political institutions - state, parties, trade unions and other kind public organizations pursuing political goals aimed at establishing and maintaining a certain form of political power. Their totality constitutes the political system of a given society. Political institutions ensure the reproduction and sustainable preservation of ideological values, stabilize the dominant social and class structures in society.
  • Sociocultural and educational institutions aim at the development and subsequent reproduction of cultural and social values, the inclusion of individuals in a certain subculture, as well as the socialization of individuals through the assimilation of stable sociocultural standards of behavior and, finally, the protection of certain values ​​and norms.
  • Normative-orienting - mechanisms of moral and ethical orientation and regulation of the behavior of individuals. Their goal is to give behavior and motivation a moral reasoning, ethical basis... These institutions affirm imperative universal human values, special codes and ethics of conduct in the community.
  • Normative-sanctioning - social and social regulation of behavior based on norms, rules and regulations enshrined in legal and administrative acts. The binding nature of the norms is ensured by the coercive power of the state and the system of appropriate sanctions.
  • Ceremonial-symbolic and situational-conventional institutions. These institutions are based on more or less long-term adoption of conventional (by agreement) norms, their official and unofficial consolidation. These norms regulate everyday contacts, various acts of group and intergroup behavior. They determine the order and method of mutual behavior, regulate the methods of transfer and exchange of information, greetings, addresses, etc., the rules of meetings, meetings, the activities of associations.

Dysfunction of a social institution

Violation of normative interaction with the social environment, which is society or community, is called dysfunction of a social institution. As noted earlier, the basis for the formation and functioning of a particular social institution is the satisfaction of a particular social need. In conditions of intensive flow social processes, the acceleration of the pace of social change, a situation may arise when the changed social needs are not adequately reflected in the structure and functions of the corresponding social institutions. As a result, dysfunction may arise in their activities. From a substantive point of view, dysfunction is expressed in the ambiguity of the goals of the institution's activities, the uncertainty of functions, in the fall of its social prestige and authority, the degeneration of its individual functions into "symbolic", ritual activities, that is, activities not aimed at achieving a rational goal.

One of the clear expressions of the dysfunction of a social institution is the personalization of its activities. A social institution, as you know, functions according to its own, objectively operating mechanisms, where each person, on the basis of norms and patterns of behavior, in accordance with his status, plays certain roles. Personalization of a social institution means that it ceases to act in accordance with objective needs and objectively established goals, changing its functions depending on the interests of individuals, their personal qualities and properties.

An unsatisfied social need can give rise to the spontaneous emergence of normatively unregulated types of activity that seek to compensate for the dysfunction of the institution, however, at the expense of violating existing norms and rules. In its extreme forms, this kind of activity can be expressed in illegal activity. So, the dysfunction of some economic institutions is the reason for the existence of the so-called "shadow economy", results in speculation, bribery, theft, etc. Dysfunction can be corrected by changing the social institution itself or by creating a new social institution that satisfies a given social need.

Formal and informal social institutions

Social institutions, as well as the social relations that they reproduce and regulate, can be formal and informal.

Role in the development of society

According to American researchers Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson (English) Russian it is the nature of the public institutions that exist in a particular country that determines the success or failure of the development of a given country.

Having considered the examples of many countries of the world, scientists came to the conclusion that the determining and necessary condition for the development of any country is the presence of public institutions, which they called publicly available (eng. Inclusive institutions). Examples of such countries are all developed democracies in the world. Conversely, countries where public institutions are closed are doomed to lag and decline. Public institutions in such countries, according to researchers, serve only to enrich the elites who control access to these institutions - this is the so-called. "Privileged institutions" (eng. extractive institutions). According to the authors, economic development society is impossible without pre-emptive political development, that is, without the formation public political institutions. .

see also

Literature

  • Andreev Yu. P., Korzhevskaya NM, Kostina NB Social institutions: content, functions, structure. - Sverdlovsk: Ural Publishing House. un-that, 1989.
  • Anikevich A.G. Political Power: Questions of Research Methodology, Krasnoyarsk. 1986.
  • Power: Essays on Contemporary Political Philosophy of the West. M., 1989.
  • Vouchel E. F. Family and relationship // American sociology. M., 1972.S. 163-173.
  • Zemsky M. Family and personality. M., 1986.
  • Cohen J. Structure sociological theory... M., 1985.
  • Leiman I.I. Science as a social institution. L., 1971.
  • Novikova S. S. Sociology: history, foundations, institutionalization in Russia, ch. 4. Types and forms of social ties in the system. M., 1983.
  • Titmonas A. On the question of the prerequisites for the institutionalization of science // Sociological problems of science. M., 1974.
  • Trots M. Sociology of Education // American Sociology. M., 1972.S. 174-187.
  • Kharchev G.G. Marriage and family in the USSR. M., 1974.
  • Kharchev A.G., Matskovsky M.S. Modern family and its problems. M., 1978.
  • Daron Acemoglu, James Robinson= Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty. - First. - Crown Business; 1 edition (March 20, 2012), 2012 .-- 544 p. - ISBN 978-0-307-71921-8

Footnotes and notes

  1. Social Institutions // Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy
  2. Spencer H. First principles. N.Y., 1898. S. 46.
  3. Marx K. P. V. Annenkov, December 28, 1846 // K. Marks, F. Engels, Soch. Ed. 2nd. T. 27, p. 406.
  4. K. Marx, To the criticism of Hegel's philosophy of law // K. Marx, F. Engels, Soch. Ed. 2nd. T.9. P. 263.
  5. see: Durkheim E. Les formes elementaires de la vie religieuse. Le systeme totemique en Australie.Paris, 1960
  6. Veblen T. Theory of the leisure class. - M., 1984.S. 200-201.
  7. Scott, Richard, 2001, Institutions and Organizations, London: Sage.
  8. See Ibid.
  9. Fundamentals of Sociology: A course of lectures / [A. I. Antolov, V. Ya. Nechaev, L. V. Pikovsky, etc.]: Otv. ed. \. G. Efendiev. - M, 1993.S. 130
  10. Acemoglu, Robinson
  11. Institutional Matrix Theory: In Search of new paradigm... // Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology. No. 1, 2001.
  12. Frolov S.S.Sociology. Textbook. For higher educational institutions... Section III. Social relationships. Chapter 3. Social institutions. Moscow: Nauka, 1994.
  13. Gritsanov A.A.Encyclopedia of Sociology. Publishing House "Book House", 2003. -. p. 125.
  14. See more: Berger P., Luckman T. Social construction of reality: a treatise on the sociology of knowledge. M .: Medium, 1995.
  15. Kozhevnikov S. B. Socium in the structures of the life world: methodological research tools // Sociological journal. 2008. No. 2. S. 81-82.
  16. Bourdieu P. Structure, habit, practice // Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology. - Volume I, 1998. - No. 2.
  17. Collection "Knowledge in the ties of sociality. 2003": Internet source / Lektorsky V. A. Foreword - http://filosof.historic.ru/books/item/f00/s00/z0000912/st000.shtml
  18. See Shchepansky J. Elementary concepts of sociology / Per. from Polish - Novosibirsk: Science. Sib. department, 1967. S. 106].

The first, most often used meaning of the term "social institution" is associated with the characteristics of any kind of ordering, formalization and standardization of public relations and relations. And the very process of ordering, formalization and standardization is called institutionalization. The process of institutionalization, that is, the formation of a social institution, consists of several successive stages:

· The emergence of a need, the satisfaction of which requires joint organized actions;

· Formation of common goals;

· The emergence of social norms and rules in the course of spontaneous social interaction, carried out by trial and error;

· The emergence of procedures related to the rules and regulations;

· Institutionalization of norms and rules, procedures, that is, their adoption, practical application;

· Establishment of a system of sanctions to maintain norms and rules, differentiation of their application in individual cases;

· Creation of a system of statuses and roles, covering all members of the institute without exception;

· So, the final of the institutionalization process can be considered the creation in accordance with the norms and rules of a clear status-role structure, socially approved by the majority of participants in this social process.

The process of institutionalization, therefore, includes a number of points.

One of the necessary conditions for the emergence of social institutions is a corresponding social need. Institutions are called upon to organize joint activities of people in order to meet certain social needs. So the institution of the family satisfies the need for the reproduction of the human race and the upbringing of children, realizes relations between the sexes, generations, etc. existence, etc. The emergence of certain social needs, as well as the conditions for their satisfaction are the first necessary moments of institutionalization.

A social institution is formed on the basis of social ties, interaction and relations of specific individuals, social groups and communities. But he, like other social systems, cannot be reduced to the sum of these individuals and their interactions. Social institutions are supra-individual in nature, have their own systemic quality. Consequently, a social institution is an independent public entity, which has its own logic of development. From this point of view, social institutions can be considered as organized social systems characterized by the stability of the structure, the integration of their elements and a certain variability of their functions.

First of all, we are talking about a system of values, norms, ideals, as well as patterns of activity and behavior of people and other elements of the socio-cultural process. This system guarantees similar behavior of people, coordinates and directs their specific aspirations, establishes ways to satisfy their needs, resolves conflicts arising in the process of everyday life, provides a state of balance and stability within a particular social community and society as a whole.

By itself, the presence of these sociocultural elements does not yet ensure the functioning of a social institution. In order for it to work, it is necessary that they become the property of the inner world of the individual, be internalized by them in the process of socialization, embodied in the form of social roles and statuses. The internalization by individuals of all socio-cultural elements, the formation on their basis of a system of individual needs, value orientations and expectations is the second most important element of institutionalization.

The third most important element of institutionalization is the organizational design of a social institution. Outwardly, a social institution is a collection of organizations, institutions, individuals, supplied with certain material resources and performing a certain social function. Thus, the institute of higher education is activated by the social corps of teachers, service personnel, officials who operate within the framework of institutions such as universities, ministries or the State Committee for Higher Education, etc., which have certain material values ​​(buildings, finance, etc.).

Thus, social institutions are social mechanisms, stable value-normative complexes that regulate various spheres of social life (marriage, family, property, religion), which are hardly susceptible to changes in the personal characteristics of people. But they are set in motion by people who carry out their activities, "playing" according to their rules. Thus, the concept of "the institution of a monogamous family" does not imply a separate family, but a set of norms that are realized in an innumerable number of families.

Institutionalization, as P. Berger and T. Luckman show, is preceded by the process of habitualization, or "habituation" of everyday actions, leading to the formation of patterns of activity, which are subsequently perceived as natural and normal for a given occupation or solutions to problems typical in given situations. Patterns of action serve, in turn, as the basis for the formation of social institutions, which are described in the form of objective social facts and are perceived by the observer as “social reality” (or social structure). These tendencies are accompanied by signification procedures (the process of creating, using signs and fixing meanings and meanings in them) and form a system of social meanings, which, folding into semantic connections, are fixed in natural language. Signification serves the purposes of legitimation (recognition as legitimate, socially recognized, legitimate) of the social order, that is, to justify and substantiate the usual ways to overcome the chaos of destructive forces that threaten to undermine the stable idealizations of everyday life.

The emergence and existence of social institutions is associated with the formation in each individual of a special set of socio-cultural dispositions (habitus), practical schemes of action, which have become for the individual his inner "natural" need. Due to habitus, individuals are included in the activities of social institutions. Therefore, social institutions are not just mechanisms, but “a kind of 'factories of meanings' that set not only patterns of human interactions, but also ways of comprehending, understanding social reality and people themselves.”

Topic 1. Society

Test 1. What is society

Part 1

    A part of the world that is isolated from nature, but closely related to it, which includes the ways of interaction between people and the forms of their unification, is called

    1. the state

      society

      civilization

      tribe

    Relationships between people, established in the process of their joint practical and spiritual activities, are called

    1. public

      civilizational

      economic

      political

    Which position of the named not refers to public relations?

    interaction of two people

    relationship between countries

    relationship between citizen Russian Federation and the district court

    christmas tree decoration

    Which of the above statements applies to nature and not to society?

    the center of this concept is a person

    exists and develops according to its own, independent of the will of man, laws

    based on a specific production method

    includes the ways people interact

    Which of the namednot refers to the concept of "social institution"

Part 2

    The totality of material and spiritual values, as well as the ways of their creation, application and transmission, created by mankind in the process of social development, is called .

    Karl Marx wrote: "The concept of society makes sense, obviously, only if it is somehow opposed to a simple sum of people." What is mandatory component part thereby he emphasizes the concept of society?

Answer: .

    A set of interconnected elements, which represent a certain holistic formation, is called .

    Note the signs related to the concept of "social group". Write down the numbers under which they are indicated.

    stable population of people

    performs specific public functions

    is built on the basis of certain ideal norms and rules of behavior

    has no defined standards of conduct

Answer: .

    Note the signs that are common to all types of social norms. Write down the numbers under which they are indicated.

    are general rules of conduct

    has some degree of obligation

    their execution is ensured and protected by the state

    aimed at streamlining public relations

Answer: .

Part 1

    The ability of a social system to include new parts, new social formations, phenomena and processes into a single whole is the ability to

    1. socialization

      integration

      exploitation

      diversification

    The process of adaptation of the body to the environment is called

    1. adaptation

      cooperation

      integration

      determinism

    Elements of social and cultural heritage, transmitted from generation to generation and preserved in certain societies, classes and social groups for a long time, are called

    1. civilization

      formation

      tradition

    The process of streamlining, formalizing and standardizing is called

    1. institutionalization

      cooperation

      consolidation

      denomination

    The main element of society is

    state

    social group

    political system

Part 2

    A number of terms are listed below. All of them, with the exception of one, characterize the concept of "social norms".

Permission, morality, society, prohibition, traditions, law.

Find and specify a term that refers to another concept.

Answer: .

    Insert the missing concept: “Historically established sustainable forms of organizing joint activities governed by norms, traditions, customs and aimed at meeting the fundamental needs of society are called .

    Find in the list below the concepts that characterize the main types of human activity. Write down the numbers under which they are indicated.

    a game

    upbringing

  1. thinking

Answer: .

    Search the list below for concepts related to the political institutions of a society. Write down the numbers under which they are indicated.

    family

    state

    trade unions

Answer: .

Test 9. Science. Education

Part 1

    Which of the named concepts was given such a definition: "Observation, classification, description, experimental research and theoretical explanation of natural phenomena"?

    1. practice

      art

    Which of the definitions not belongs to the definition of science

    the area of ​​human activity that develops objective knowledge about the world

    observation, classification, description, experimental research and theoretical explanation of natural phenomena

    system of views, concepts and ideas about the world around

    a form of social consciousness, representing a historically developed system of ordered knowledge, the truth of which is verified and constantly refined in the course of social practice.

    The level of knowledge, which deals primarily with the facts that form the basis of any science, as well as with the laws that are established as a result of generalizations and systematization of the results of observations, is called

    theoretical knowledge

    empirical knowledge

    intellectual cognition

    experimental cognition

    Experimental natural science arose

    1. in the X century.

      in the XV century.

      in the 17th century.

      in the XIX century.

    Empirical knowledge cannot be obtained by

    observations

    experiment

    mathematical modeling

Part 2

    Insert the missing words: “Observations of the pure, devoid of component just doesn't exist. All observations, especially experimental ones, were carried out in the light of one or another » ( K. Popper)

    Insert the missing word: “Under I mean the scientific achievements recognized by all, which throughout the entire time provide the scientific community with a model for staging and their solutions ”( T. Kuhn).

    Establish a correspondence between scientific paradigms and their authors: for each position given in the first column, select the corresponding position from the second column.

BUT) geocenric model of the world

1) A. Einstein

B) Mechanics

2) K. Linnaeus

IN) plant classification

3) C. Darwin

G) evolutionary theory

4) I. Newton

D) theory of relativity

5) Claudia Ptolemy

    Insert the phrase: “The development of science is a sequential transition from one paradigm to another through "(T. Kuhn).

    What word is missing? “The strength of science lies in its generalizations, in the fact that behind the random, chaotic, it finds and investigates objective , without the knowledge of which conscious, purposeful practical activity is impossible ”.

Test 10. Morality. Religion

Part 1

    Are the following moral judgments correct?

A. Morality, like law, is a social regulator.

B. For violation of moral norms, sanctions of the state are assumed.

1) only A is true

2) only B is true

3) both judgments are true

4) both judgments are wrong

    Morality not performs such a social function as

    1. regulatory

      law enforcement

      value-orientational

      socializing

    What type of worldview is the source of the Bible, Talmud and Koran?

    scientific outlook

    religious worldview

    everyday worldview

    official doctrine

    The conscious need of a person to act in accordance with their value orientations is called

    1. persuasion

      conscience

    Choose the correct statement.

    beliefs are inherent in a person with any type of worldview

    beliefs are inherent only in a person with a scientific type of worldview

    beliefs are inherent only in a person with an ordinary type of worldview

    beliefs are inherent in a person only with a religious type of worldview

Part 2

    Insert the missing word: “ - practical philosophy, applied science. They study not in order to know what virtue (morality) is, but in order to become virtuous (moral). "

    Insert the missing word: “The spiritual-practical situation of self-determination of an individual in relation to any principles, decisions and actions is called moral ».

    Establish a correspondence between concepts and their definitions: for each position given in the first column, select the corresponding position from the second column.

CONCEPTS

DEFINITIONS

BUT) axiology

1) the view that moral criteria are relative and depend on the circumstances, time, or people who apply them

B) eudemonism

2) value teaching

IN) nihilism

3) one of the directions in ethics that arose in ancient philosophy and is represented by the names of Democritus, Socrates and Aristotle. The main motive in human behavior is the pursuit of happiness.

G) relativism

4) denial of all positive ideals and any dictates of morality in general

Write down the selected numbers in the table under the corresponding letters.

    The ethical theory of Epicurus, where good is defined as that which brings people pleasure or deliverance from suffering, and evil as that which leads to suffering, is called .

    Insert the missing word: “Friedrich Nietzsche believed that - energetically, purposefully, aristocratic, good is respectable only because of weakness in life.

Topic 1. Society

Test 1. What is society

Part 1

tasks

Answer

Part 2

tasks

Answer

Culture< или>culture

Public relations

System< или>system

Test 2. Society as a complex dynamic system

Part 1

tasks

Answer

Part 2

tasks

Answer

Social institutions

Test 9. Science. Education

Part 1

tasks

Answer

Part 2

tasks

Answer

Theoretical / theory

Paradigms

Scientific revolution

Test 10. Morality. Religion

Part 1

tasks

Answer

Part 2

tasks

Answer

Ethics / Ethics

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