What’s the Point? A Presentist Social Functionalist Account of Institutional Purpose

2021 ◽  
pp. 004839312110497
Author(s):  
Armin W. Schulz
Keyword(s):  
Social Problems ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Social Institution ◽  
Cultural Environment ◽  
Novel Theory ◽  
Functionalist Account ◽  
Social Functionalism

Although it is clear that many of the major contemporary social problems center on the extent to which social institutions do or do not function as they are meant to do, it is still unclear exactly what the function of a social institution is—and thus when this function is undermined. This paper presents and defends a novel theory of social functionalism—presentist social functionalism—to answer these questions. According to this theory, the function of social institutions is grounded in those of their features that, in the current cultural environment, increase their chances to survive or reproduce. To bring out the fruitfulness of this account, the paper analyzes the (still controversial) question of the function of corporations, and shows that present social functionalism (a) points to the kinds of data that would be helpful to determine this function, (b) brings up hitherto overlooked theoretical possibilities, and (c) allows for the clearer assessment and handling of corporate corruption.

scholarly journals A suggested scenario to reduce the high divorce rates in Al- Jouf region  in view of the role of some social institutions: تصور مقترح للحد من ارتفاع معدلات الطلاق في منطقة الجوف في ضوء دور بعض المؤسسات الاجتماعية

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (29) ◽  
Author(s):  
Naeima Omar Aldraan, Amaal Mohamed AbdelMawla, Randa Hammoud
Keyword(s):  
Social Issues ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Social Institution ◽  
Main Role ◽  
Community Members ◽  
The Family ◽  
Divorce Rates ◽  
Family Associations ◽  
The University

The study aimed to build a proposed perception to reduce the high rates of divorce in the Al- Jouf region in view of the role of some social institution as, and using the survey and documentary descriptive approach, through the application and two questionnaires were prepared (the first is directed to divorced and divorced women, and the second is directed to community members), and the interviews were used to get acquainted with the opinions of officials in both: Personality, 2- Al- Jouf University, 3- The Family Development Association, and the study concluded that the reasons for divorce are [socio- cognitive] reasons, the most important of which are: the interference of others in the family life of the couple, such as (family, relatives, and friends) With an average approval of 2.54 out of 3 , The weak educational and cultural role of institutions Different society (family, school, c Spangle, family associations) in the rehabilitation of young people for marriage An average of 2.53 out of 3, Also, coordination and cooperation between social institutions in the region to reduce the high rates of divorce in the region was weak coordination, and the research has resulted in a proposed vision to limit the high divorce rates in the Al- Jouf region. Its security and stability, In it the university plays the main role in coordinating and raising awareness of knowledge and social issues such as: women's rights- children's rights- providing family, psychological and legal counseling to university employees and members of society.

scholarly journals FAMILIES, GENERATIONS AND INTERGERACIONALITY IN NET MODERNITY

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 321-330
Author(s):  
Camila Kuhn Vieira ◽  
Carine Nascimento da Silva ◽  
Ana Luisa Moser Keitel ◽  
Adriana da Silva Silveira ◽  
Solange Beatriz Billig Garces ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
19Th Century ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Nuclear Family ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Social Institution ◽  
Economic Changes ◽  
Traditional Family ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Family ◽  
The 19Th Century

We are experiencing a period of accelerated socio-cultural, political and economic changes that are reflected in practically all social institutions, including the family. This is a secular social institution, which reflects the evolution of society. There is still resistance to “idealizing” the family as the “sphere of care and love”. However, it is known that the traditional family of the 19th century gave way to the nuclear family and that, at the same time, it gives way to families with different backgrounds. Also noteworthy are the transformations that occur in complex and liquid society, as highlighted by authors such as Morin and Bauman. In this sense, these transformations also occur in the social institutions that compose it, among them the family nuclei and other social spaces where different generations are inserted, especially with the increasing presence of elderly people. Therefore, with so many important social issues involved in these relationships (society-family-aging and intergenerationality), these reflections are considered to be extremely relevant.

scholarly journals Main Trends and Priority Directions in the Use of Communicative Technologies in Work with Students From the Countries of Central Asia (on the Results of Sociological Research)

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 201-207
Author(s):  
A. S. Yufereva ◽  
◽  
Iu. S. Kukharenko ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Sociological Research ◽  
Cultural Environment ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
State Institutions ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Central Asian Countries

This article provides a systematization and specification of the established communication technologies used by Yekaterinburg universities, public and state institutions in order to adapt students to the academic and cultural environment. The study involved a group of methods, as a result of which the features of the use of communication technologies by universities, public and social institutions when interacting with students from Central Asian countries, as well as their subsequent adaptation to the educational, social, and cultural environment in general, were revealed.

The Hospital and Its Patients1

2018 ◽  
pp. 76-86
Author(s):  
Richard M. Titmuss
Keyword(s):  
National Health Service ◽  
Health Service ◽  
National Health ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Social Institution ◽  
Structure Functions ◽  
Technological Advance ◽  
Social Costs ◽  
The Third ◽  
Hospital Work

This chapter discusses the significance of the hospital as a social institution. It is one of the most complex of social institutions — an institution which in recent years has grown immensely in its complexities, and to which scholars have added newer complications as a result of the development of the National Health Service. Now, in this situation, the chapter suggests three main dangers. The first danger is that increasing complexity in structure, functions, and administration can lead to increasing economic and social costs without a proportional rise in value rendered to the community. The second danger is that the ends or aims of hospital work may be obscured by excessive preoccupation with means. The third danger is represented by scientific and technological advance.

scholarly journals Three Conceptions of a Theory of Institutions

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 550-568 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.Emrah Aydinonat ◽  
Petri Ylikoski
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Game Theory ◽  
Natural Kinds ◽  
Social Ontology ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Social Institution ◽  
Unified Theory ◽  
Social Kinds

We compare Guala’s unified theory of institutions with that of Searle and Greif. We show that unification can be many things and it may be associated with diverse explanatory goals. We also highlight some of the important shortcomings of Guala’s account: it does not capture all social institutions, its ability to bridge social ontology and game theory is based on a problematic interpretation of the type-token distinction, and its ability to make social ontology useful for social sciences is hindered by Guala’s interpretation of social institution types as social kinds akin to natural kinds.

Domination and Assertion Towards a theory of educational change

1968 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Margaret Scotford Archer ◽  
Michalina Vaughan
Keyword(s):  
Educational Change ◽  
Max Weber ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Social Institution ◽  
Necessary Condition ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Domination ◽  
History Of ◽  
Do So

In the sociology of Max Weber, the history of any social institution corresponds to the constant interplay of a dominant and an assertive group and their supportive ideologies. While Weber himself posited the relevance of such interaction for the study of educational change, he limited himself to the description of historical stages in this process without attempting to account for their sequence. To do so requires a specification of the necessary condition for successful educational domination or assertion by any group. The factors of such domination over the social institution of education may at times coincide with those required for social domination–defined as domination over the main institutions of a society. This coincidence will depend on the degree to which education is integrated with other social institutions. When education is largely unintegrated with such institutions, the group dominating it will tend to be distinct from the ruling group in society. A corresponding statement can be made about assertion. However, as education is never completely autonomous, a theory of educational change (1) necessarily goes beyond this institution to the extent to which it is integrated with others.

scholarly journals The Basic Social Values which underlies Social Institutions of Farmers In The Rural Agro-Tourism Area of Central Java

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 01 ◽  
Author(s):  
Imam Santosa ◽  
Agus Suyanto
Keyword(s):  
Social Values ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Social Institution ◽  
Case Study Method ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Central Java ◽  
Institutional Strengthening ◽  
The Social ◽  
Central Java Province

<p>This research aims to explore the basic value of social institution of farmers and find the technique of re-functionalization of social institutions of farmers. The design of this research is using a case study method based on qualitative and quantitative approach. This research is intentionally conducted in Karangreja Sub-district, Purbalingga Regency of Central Java Province.  Based on the research results, The prominent basic social values in the social institutions of farmers in the Agro-tourism area tend to be still around the proximity to the production process. Three prominent basic values: (1) the basic value of perseverance in the process of production, (2) the basic value of togetherness for making decision on production, (3) the value of carefulness in sorting and grading product. Indeed the basic value of togetherness to fight for the price is high but it has not bring such a tangible results for farmers’. The authors predicted that if the socio-economic institutions are strong, they will be able to empower farmers and vice versa if the social institution is weak then the empowerment of farmers is also weak. However, it is necessary to concern that the institution which in charge of product quality, post harvest technology and marketing has not been much strengthened, so that the welfare of farmers has not changed much. Institutional strengthening in sectors that are still weak need to get more attention from various parties so that farmers become more dynamic and more empowered.</p>

scholarly journals SISTEM INFORMASI APLIKASI PELAYANAN PANTI SOSIAL

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-48
Author(s):  
Roida Pakpahan ◽  
Yuni Fitriani ◽  
Mahdiyyah Mahdiyyah
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
Software Development ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Social Institution ◽  
Work Process ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Speed Up ◽  
Search Facility

Social institutions function to provide skills training to women who were previously commercial sex workers to have skills so they are able to find decent jobs or able to build independent businesses. At present the Harapan Mulia Social Institution has used an information system to manage the data of the assisted citizens but the use of its information system still has several disadvantages including; the program does not have a data search facility that has been fostered so that the search for data of the assisted citizens will take a long time, the certificate of the assisted citizens is not systemic so that the printed certificate will take a long time because the staff will manually retrieve the data again. This study aims to design information systems using software development using the waterfall method by adding data searches on applications and storing certificates in the system to speed up the work process of employees.

scholarly journals THE CULTURAL MISSION OF CLASSICAL UNIVERSITY

2018 ◽  
pp. 74-78
Author(s):  
O. Y. O. Y.
Keyword(s):  
Educational Institution ◽  
Classical Model ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Social Institution ◽  
Value Orientations ◽  
Social Technology ◽  
Historical Period ◽  
Social Production ◽  
Material Production ◽  
The University

The article is devoted to the analysis of historical dynamics of university and its classification of cultural types. The main part of attention is concerned over the classical model of university and its transformations. The university carries out a social institution. It has absence of its own an autonomous field of culture, which is a form of spiritual rather than social production. Education is a set of social institutions that produce the social structure directly, that is, social technology with the purpose of human and social production of the new model. The society of the late Modern becomes a collection of social institutions (not only educational, but also legal, political, economical, and even in a certain sense cultural) and industries (specialized fields of material production). Education in this sense is a form of human production in general, while economics, politics and law are generally aimed at the indirect production of people through the logic of much complicated institutes movement: economics, politics, law (goods, power structures and laws). Depending on the national model of education, universities determine the priority of certain educational strategies. The university as a social technology, based on the new sample of the anthropological model, forms disciplinary practices that function for production of habitus and cultural capital, and also provides identification "under the auspices of the concept of culture" (B. Readings) in the Modern era. This cultural-historical period is characterized by the fact that social control is carried out not with the help of personal coercion, but of the passage through institutions. A higher educational institution in the era of Modernity is the most consistent embodiment of the idea of a social institution as an intermediary between spiritual and material production. Culture in this context acts as a form of "high culture," that is, as a way of human existence just like this, with value orientations on the foundations of universal cult of reason. The "Cultural Mission" of the University is a mediation between the regulatory ideas of the Modern and a certain type of state that is, to be a social technology of nation-building. The technology of cultivating reason is provided by studying at the Philosophy Faculty and is an obligatory philosophical component for other faculties in the German model, created by V. Humboldt. The formation of the cult of universal reason and self-sufficient subject is the basic task of the classical university and its leading sociocultural function and cultural mission.

scholarly journals Corporate Education in Russia. Prerequisites for Development, Current Tasks, Construction Models

Discourse ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 112-125
Author(s):  
K. Yu. Kazantsev ◽  
S. I. Chernykh
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Cognitive Model ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Social Institution ◽  
Corporate Education ◽  
State Education ◽  
Qualified Personnel ◽  
The World ◽  
Education Market ◽  
Education Today

Introduction. The period of active global cybernetization and business automation was marked by a problem for Russian employers in the form of a shortage of qualified personnel capable of ensuring the development and competitiveness of business in the world markets.Methodology and sources. Sociology of education as a social institution has been developing since 1970 s. Its current theoretical foundation is based on two principles: 1) The principle of mutual convergence of social institutions (education – business, education – state, education – family); 2) Variety of educational practices as a factual manifestation of the phenomenon of continuous education. Today corporative learning is one of such practices that radically change the ecosystem of traditional education.Results and discussion. There was a problem of forming a system of training new human resources that meet the changing economic realities. Until the 1990s, before the collapse of the country and the beginning of political and economic reforms, the Russian Federation had a system of higher education as one of the most stable and well-established mechanisms for training personnel for all sectors of the economy. An indicator of the effectiveness of this system was that graduates of Russian universities were invited to work by well-known corporations from many countries of the world.Over the years of reforms, Russia has lost its previous model of education, which today significantly affects the quality of training. Many Russian enterprises are forced to follow the path of independent training and retraining of specialists. Development of corporative is necessary to compensate for the limitations of traditional higher education. At first, the training was organized locally and had a haphazard character, but over time, Russian entrepreneurs began to adopt foreign experience in forming a knowledge system in the company and even create corporate universities.Conclusion. The study examines the prerequisites for the formation of the system and the development of the corporate education market, provides current models of knowledge accumulation and suggests the author's cognitive model of professional development of personnel.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document