social institution. The structural components of social institutions are

An important structural element of society are social institutions. The very term "institution" (from lat. institution- establishment, institution) was borrowed from jurisprudence, where it was used to characterize a certain set of legal norms. This concept was first introduced into sociological science by G. Spencer. He believed that every social institution develops as a stable structure of "social actions".

In modern sociology, there are different definitions of this concept. Thus, the Russian sociologist Yu. Levada defines a “social institution” as “something similar to an organ in a living organism: it is a node of people’s activities that remains stable over a certain period of time and ensures the stability of the entire social system.” In Western sociology, a social institution is most often understood as a stable set of formal and informal rules, principles, norms, and guidelines that regulate various areas human activity and organizing them into a system of roles and statuses.

With all the differences in such definitions, a generalization can be the following: social institutions- these are historically established stable forms of organization of joint activities of people, designed to ensure the reproduction public relations. reliability and regularity in meeting the basic needs of society. Thanks to social institutions, stability and order in society are achieved, and the predictability of people's behavior becomes possible.

There are many social institutions that appear in society as products of social life. The process of formation of a social institution, which involves the definition and consolidation of social norms, rules, statuses and roles and bringing them into a system that can satisfy socially significant needs, is called institutionalization.

This process includes several successive steps:

    the emergence of a need, the satisfaction of which requires joint organized action;

    formation of common goals;

    appearance social norms and rules in the course of spontaneous social interaction, implemented by trial and error;

    the emergence of procedures related to rules and regulations;

    formalization of norms, rules, procedures, i.e. their acceptance and practical use;

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

    creation of a system of appropriate statuses and roles;

    organizational design of the emerging institutional structure.

The structure of a social institution

The result of institutionalization is the creation in accordance with the norms and rules of a clear status-role structure, socially approved by the majority of participants in this process. If speak about structure of social institutions, then they most often have a certain set of constituent elements, depending on the type of institution. Jan Szczepanski singled out the following structural elements of a social institution:

    the purpose and scope of the institute;

    functions necessary to achieve the goal:

    normatively conditioned social roles and statuses presented in the structure of the institute:

    means and institutions to achieve the goal and implement functions, including appropriate sanctions.

Common and basic for all social institutions function is satisfaction of social needs for which it is created and exists. But to carry out this function, each institution performs other functions in relation to its participants, including: 1) consolidation and reproduction of social relations; 2) regulatory; 3) integrative: 4) broadcasting; 5) communicative.

The activity of any social institution is considered functional if it benefits society, contributes to its stability and integration. If a social institution does not fulfill its basic functions, then they talk about its dysfunctionality. It can be expressed in the fall of public prestige, the authority of a social institution and, as a result, lead to its degeneration.

The functions and dysfunctions of social institutions can be explicit if they are obvious and understood by everyone, and implicit (latent) when they are hidden. For sociology, it is important to identify hidden functions, since they can lead not only to an increase in tension in society, but also to the disorganization of the social system as a whole.

Depending on the goals and objectives, as well as the functions performed in society, the whole variety of social institutions is usually divided into main And minor (private). Among the first, satisfying the fundamental needs of society, there are:

    institutions of family and marriage - the need for the reproduction of the human race;

    political institutions - safe and social order;

    economic institutions - in providing means of subsistence;

    institutes of science, education, culture - in obtaining and transferring knowledge, socialization;

    institutions of religion, social integration- in solving spiritual problems, searching for the meaning of life.

  • 7. Integral sociology p. Sorokina.
  • 8. Development of sociological thought in modern Russia.
  • 9. The concept of social realism (E. Durkheim)
  • 10. Understanding sociology (m. Weber)
  • 11. Structural-functional analysis (Parsons, Merton)
  • 12. Conflictological direction in sociology (Dahrendorf)
  • 13. Symbolic interactionism (Mead, Homans)
  • 14. Observation, types of observations, analysis of documents, scientific experiment in applied sociology.
  • 15. Interview, focus group, questionnaire survey, types of questionnaire surveys.
  • 16. Sampling, types and methods of sampling.
  • 17. Signs of social action. The structure of social action: actor, motive, purpose of action, result.
  • 18. Social interactions. Types of social interactions according to Weber.
  • 19. Cooperation, competition, conflict.
  • 20. Concept and functions of social control. Basic elements of social control.
  • 21. Formal and informal control. The concept of agents of social control. conformity.
  • 22. Concept and social signs of deviation. Theories of deviation. Forms of deviation.
  • 23. Mass consciousness. Mass actions, forms of mass behavior (rebellion, hysteria, rumors, panic); features of behavior in the crowd.
  • 24. Concept and signs of society. Society as a system. Subsystems of society, their functions and interrelation.
  • 25. Main types of societies: traditional, industrial, post-industrial. Formational and civilizational approaches to the development of society.
  • 28. The concept of the family, its main characteristics. Family functions. Classification of the family according to: composition, distribution of power, place of residence.
  • 30. International division of labor, transnational corporations.
  • 31. The concept of globalization. Factors of the globalization process, electronic means of communication, development of technologies, formation of global ideologies.
  • 32.Social consequences of globalization. Global problems of our time: "North-South", "War-Peace", environmental, demographic.
  • 33. The place of Russia in the modern world. The role of Russia in the processes of globalization.
  • 34. Social group and its varieties (primary, secondary, internal, external, reference).
  • 35. Concept and signs of a small group. Dyad and triad. The structure of a small social group and leadership relationships. Collective.
  • 36. The concept of social community. Demographic, territorial, ethnic communities.
  • 37. Concept and types of social norms. The concept and types of sanctions. Types of sanctions.
  • 38. Social stratification, social inequality and social differentiation.
  • 39. Historical types of stratification. Slavery, caste system, estate system, class system.
  • 40. Criteria of stratification in modern society: income and property, power, prestige, education.
  • 41. System of stratification of modern Western society: upper, middle and lower classes.
  • 42. System of stratification of modern Russian society. Features of the formation of the upper, middle and lower classes. Basic social stratum.
  • 43. The concept of social status, types of statuses (prescribed, achieved, mixed). Status set of personality. status incompatibility.
  • 44. The concept of mobility. Types of mobility: individual, group, intergenerational, intragenerational, vertical, horizontal. Mobility channels: income, education, marriage, army, church.
  • 45. Progress, regress, evolution, revolution, reform: concept, essence.
  • 46. ​​Definition of culture. Components of culture: norms, values, symbols, language. Definitions and features of folk, elite and mass culture.
  • 47. Subculture and counterculture. Functions of culture: cognitive, communicative, identification, adaptive, regulatory.
  • 48. Man, individual, personality, individuality. Normative personality, modal personality, ideal personality.
  • 49. Personality theories of Z. Freud, J. Mead.
  • 51. Need, motive, interest. Social role, role behavior, role conflict.
  • 52.Public opinion and civil society. Structural elements of public opinion and factors influencing its formation. The role of public opinion in the formation of civil society.
  • 26. Social institution. Elements of a social institution (values, roles, norms)

    A social institution is a social invention of man. Human security, education, health, economic activity, recreation, etc. - all these phenomena make up the everyday and everyday meaning of our life. These phenomena have passed into a social institution, institutionalized, i.e. acquired a guaranteed, stable and organized character. The institutional is opposed to the chaotic, random and unstable.

    A social institution is a long-term social practice that is supported and sanctioned by social norms, and also exists through the implementation of its functions through which it satisfies the needs and interests of society and its social elements.

    Volkov Yu.G. noted that sociologists consider institutions as a stable set of norms, rules, symbols that regulate various spheres of human life and organize them into a system of roles and statuses, with the help of which basic life and social needs are satisfied. Each institution is built around a standard solution to a particular set of problems. The Institute of the Family focuses on the reproduction, socialization and material support of children; economic institutions - production and sale of goods and services; political institutions - protecting citizens from each other and from external enemies; religious institutions - strengthening social solidarity and harmony; institutions of education - the transfer of cultural heritage from generation to generation. Of course, this classification is too simplistic. One institution may be multifunctional, while several institutions may be involved in the same function.

    According to the typical definition of sociologists, an institution includes both the concept of cultural models (patterns) and the concept of social structure.

    Thus, institutions are, firstly, more or less standard solutions (cultural models) that serve as a guide for people in solving problems. public life and, secondly, relatively stable systems of relationships that characterize people in the actual implementation of these decisions. In this sense, a set of cultural models (a set of rules, values ​​and symbols) establishes the behavior expected of us as a specific person (for example, a student) in relation to other persons (teacher, dean, assistant). This set of cultural patterns determines the place of the individual in the system of relations. In this case, the concept of a social institution means that we are united within the framework of systems of relations (groups) in which we interact with each other (play a role) on the basis of mutual understanding (cultural models) that determines the behavior expected of us as a given type of people ( status).

    Signs of a social institution:

    1) a clear distribution of functions, rights and obligations of participants in institutional interaction, each must properly perform its function, therefore, the behavior of an individual within a social institution has a high degree of predictability;

    2) division of labor and professionalization of the performance of functions;

    3) a special type of regulation of the actions of individuals belonging to a social institution;

    4) a certain mechanism for regulating the behavior of individuals through social norms and social control;

    5) the presence of institutions within which the activities of a social institution are organized. Health Institute - hospitals, polyclinics, etc.

    6) each institution must have its own means and resources necessary for the implementation of its activities.

    Any social institution arises and functions, fulfilling a certain social need. If such a need becomes insignificant or completely disappears, then the existence of a social institution becomes meaningless, hindering social life. His activities are gradually being phased out. With the emergence of new social needs, which take on a stable and permanent character, new social institutions arise. The process of establishing institutions is called institutionalization.

    Volkov Yu.G. noted that institutionalization is a process when a certain social need begins to be recognized as a general social, and not private, and for its implementation in society, special norms of behavior are established, personnel are trained, resources are allocated.

    The well-known sociologist G. Lensky identified a number of key social needs that give rise to the processes of institutionalization: the need for communication (language, education, communication, transport); the need for the production of products and services; the need for the distribution of benefits (and privileges); the need for the safety of citizens, the protection of their lives and well-being; the need to maintain a system of inequality (placement of social groups according to positions, statuses depending on various criteria); the need for social control over the behavior of members of society (religion, morality, law, the penitentiary system).

    Stages of institutionalization:

    1) the emergence of social needs, the implementation of which requires joint organized actions;

    2) the emergence of constantly recurring social actions and norms that regulate it;

    3) adoption of these norms;

    4) the establishment of sanctions to maintain norms and rules, the creation of a system of statuses and roles for individuals included in a social institution.

    An institutional crisis is a reverse process that characterizes the decline in the authority of a given institution, such as the family, and a decrease in trust in it. The reason for the crisis is the inability of this institution to effectively perform its main functions, such as education - to teach children, medicine - to treat people, families - to strengthen the bonds of marriage, raise children. At the same time, institutional norms exist, they are proclaimed, but society does not observe them. The consequence of such a crisis is the redistribution of functions. For example, in the mid-1980s in Russia there was a crisis in the secondary school, which could no longer cope with the preparation of graduates for the university, and tutors immediately appeared - the institution of intermediaries. Crises happen all the time, they represent the natural state of the institution. The crisis of political institutions is manifested in a decrease in public confidence in them. It is known that in transforming societies there is a growing mass distrust of citizens in political parties, as in civil institutions in general. More than two-thirds of the Russians polled in December 1998 did not trust practically any institution. The crisis exposes the malfunctions that have arisen in the mechanism of the functioning of the institution, and helps to get rid of them, and as a result, it is better to adapt to the changing reality. Without crises, there can be no development of the institution.

    The activity of social institutions is functional if it contributes to the preservation of stability and fully satisfies the needs of society and its social elements. The activity of social institutions is dysfunctional if it does not meet the needs of society and harms it.

    Types of social institutions according to the degree of their formalization:

    1) non-formalized - activities are carried out on the basis of informal relations, norms. For example, the institution of friendship - the regulation of behavior is not formalized in laws, administrative regulations, etc., although there are certain sanctions and control.

    2) formal - activities are carried out on the basis of formally agreed rules, laws, regulations and regulations. Their functioning is quite often regulated and controlled by the state, because they determine the strength of society.

    Types of social institutions according to the functions they perform:

    1) economic - the most stable, subject to strict regulation, carrying out the production and distribution of goods and services, division of labor, regulation of money circulation. (Institutes of industry, agriculture, finance, trade, etc.)

    2) political - implementation and control, distribution of power, activities of political parties, distribution of power, activities of parties. Ensures the reproduction of ideological values ​​(state, army, parties).

    3) socio-cultural and educational - reproduction, distribution of cultural, spiritual values, socialization of the younger generation, transfer of scientific knowledge and professional skills to them (education, science, art).

    4) the institution of the family - the reproduction and education of new generations, ensuring the reproduction of the social structure of society.

    5) normative-sanctioning - carry out regulation social behavior on the basis of norms, rules and regulations enshrined in legal and regulatory acts (police, court).

    Society is an integral system of interrelated institutions. The interdependence of social institutions is expressed in the fact that the same person is included in different social institutions. In the institution of the family - is a father, mother, son, sister, etc. In a political institution - a voter, in an economic institution - an employee of an enterprise. At the same time, each social institution has autonomy. It is expressed in relative independence, because. each of them solves specialized problems. External autonomy is expressed in the presence of separate professions and institutions that are not inherent in other social institutions. Internal autonomy - the norms governing the activities of a social institution have significant originality and specificity. For example, the norms that govern relationships at work differ significantly from those in the family.

    Changes in social institutions:

    1) changes arise as a result of the emergence of new needs in society and its social elements;

    2) changes cannot affect only a part of a social institution, because disorganization of one of the structures of a social institution leads to a change in the entire social institution. Domino effect".

    3) changes in the social institution are fraught with the risk of its discord.

    4) for a systematic change in a social institution, it is necessary to interest people in this so that they recognize the need for these changes.

    5) the changes must be legitimate.

    6) in changes that are not legitimate, an action can exercise power that is able to impose new norms and rules of behavior, redistribute rights, duties and privileges

    One of the factors that characterize society as a whole is the totality of social institutions. Their location seems to be on the surface, which makes them especially successful objects for observation and control.

    In turn, a complex organized system with its own norms and rules is a social institution. Its signs are different, but classified, and it is they that are to be considered in this article.

    The concept of a social institution

    A social institution is one of the forms of organization. For the first time this concept was applied. According to the scientist, the whole variety of social institutions creates the so-called framework of society. The division into forms, Spencer said, is produced under the influence of the differentiation of society. He divided the whole society into three main institutions, among which:

    • reproductive;
    • distributive;
    • regulating.

    E. Durkheim's opinion

    E. Durkheim was convinced that a person as a person can realize himself only with the help of social institutions. They are also called upon to establish responsibility between inter-institutional forms and the needs of society.

    Karl Marx

    The author of the famous "Capital" evaluated social institutions from the point of view of industrial relations. In his opinion, the social institution, the signs of which are present both in the division of labor and in the phenomenon of private property, was formed precisely under their influence.

    Terminology

    The term "social institution" comes from the Latin word "institution", which means "organization" or "order". In principle, all the features of a social institution are reduced to this definition.

    The definition includes the form of consolidation and the form of implementation of specialized activities. The purpose of social institutions is to ensure the stability of the functioning of communications within society.

    The following short definition of the term is also acceptable: an organized and coordinated form of social relations, aimed at meeting the needs that are significant for society.

    It is easy to see that all of the definitions provided (including the above opinions of scientists) are based on "three pillars":

    • society;
    • organization;
    • needs.

    But these are not yet full-fledged features of a social institution, rather, key points that should be taken into account.

    Conditions for institutionalization

    The process of institutionalization is a social institution. It occurs under the following conditions:

    • social need as a factor that will satisfy the future institution;
    • social ties, that is, the interaction of people and communities, as a result of which social institutions are formed;
    • expedient and rules;
    • material and organizational, labor and financial necessary resources.

    Stages of institutionalization

    The process of establishing a social institution goes through several stages:

    • the emergence and awareness of the need for an institution;
    • development of norms of social behavior within the framework of the future institution;
    • the creation of its own symbols, that is, a system of signs that will indicate the social institution being created;
    • formation, development and definition of a system of roles and statuses;
    • creation of the material basis of the Institute;
    • integration of the institution into the existing social system.

    Structural features of a social institution

    Signs of the concept of "social institution" characterize it in modern society.

    Structural features cover:

    • Scope of activity, as well as social relations.
    • Institutions that have certain powers in order to organize the activities of people, as well as perform various roles and functions. For example: public, organizational and performing the functions of control and management.
    • Those specific rules and norms that are designed to regulate the behavior of people in a particular social institution.
    • Material means to achieve the goals of the Institute.
    • Ideology, goals and objectives.

    Types of social institutions

    The classification that systematizes social institutions (table below) divides this concept into four separate types. Each of them includes at least four more specific institutions.

    What are the social institutions? The table shows their types and examples.

    Spiritual social institutions in some sources are called institutions of culture, and the sphere of the family, in turn, is sometimes called stratification and kinship.

    General signs of a social institution

    The general, and at the same time the main, signs of a social institution are as follows:

    • the range of subjects that, in the course of their activities, enter into relationships;
    • the sustainability of these relationships;
    • a certain (and this means, to some extent formalized) organization;
    • behavioral norms and rules;
    • functions that ensure the integration of the institution into the social system.

    It should be understood that these signs are informal, but logically follow from the definition and functioning of various social institutions. With the help of them, among other things, it is convenient to analyze institutionalization.

    Social institution: signs on specific examples

    Each specific social institution has its own characteristics - signs. They closely overlap with roles, for example: the main roles of the family as a social institution. That is why it is so revealing to consider examples and the signs and roles corresponding to it.

    Family as a social institution

    A classic example of a social institution is, of course, the family. As can be seen from the above table, it belongs to the fourth type of institutions covering the same area. Therefore, it is the basis and ultimate goal for marriage, fatherhood and motherhood. In addition, the family also unites them.

    Features of this social institution:

    • marriage or consanguinity ties;
    • overall family budget;
    • cohabitation in the same dwelling.

    The main roles are reduced to the well-known saying that she is a "cell of society". Essentially, that's exactly what it is. Families are particles that together form society. In addition to being a social institution, the family is also called a small social group. And it is no coincidence, because from birth a person develops under its influence and experiences it for himself throughout his life.

    Education as a social institution

    Education is a social subsystem. It has its own specific structure and characteristics.

    Basic elements of education:

    • social organizations and social communities (educational institutions and division into groups of teachers and students, etc.);
    • sociocultural activity in the form of an educational process.

    The characteristics of a social institution include:

    1. Norms and rules - in the institute of education, examples can be considered: craving for knowledge, attendance, respect for teachers and classmates / classmates.
    2. Symbolism, that is, cultural signs - anthems and coats of arms of educational institutions, the animal symbol of some famous colleges, emblems.
    3. Utilitarian cultural traits such as classrooms and cabinets.
    4. Ideology - the principle of equality between students, mutual respect, freedom of speech and the right to vote, as well as the right to one's own opinion.

    Signs of social institutions: examples

    Let's summarize the information presented here. The characteristics of a social institution include:

    • kit social roles(for example, father/mother/daughter/sister at the family institute);
    • sustainable behavior patterns (for example, certain models for the teacher and student at the institute of education);
    • norms (for example, codes and the Constitution of the state);
    • symbolism (for example, the institution of marriage or a religious community);
    • basic values ​​(i.e. morality).

    The social institution, the features of which were considered in this article, is designed to guide the behavior of everyone specific person directly being a part of his life. At the same time, for example, an ordinary senior student belongs to at least three social institutions: the family, the school, and the state. It is interesting that, depending on each of them, he also has the role (status) that he has and according to which he chooses his behavior model. She, in turn, sets his characteristics in society.

    Social institution - it is a set of norms, rules, symbols that regulate a certain area of ​​public life, social relations and organize them into a system of roles and statuses.

    These are relatively stable types and forms of social practice through which social life is organized, the stability of ties and relationships is ensured within the framework of the social organization of society.

    Each social institution is characterized by the presence of its own signs:

    1. Codes of conduct, their codes (written and oral). For example, in a state it will be a constitution, laws; in religion - church prohibitions; in education - the rules of student behavior.

    2. Attitudes and patterns of behavior. For example, in the institution of the family - respect, love, affection; in the state - law-abiding; in religion, worship.

    3. cultural symbols . For example, in the state - a flag, emblem, anthem; in the family - a ring; in religion - icons, crosses, shrines.

    4. Utilitarian features of culture. In education, libraries, classrooms; in religion, temple buildings; in the family - an apartment, dishes, furniture.

    5. The presence of an ideology. In the state - democracy, totalitarianism; in religion - Orthodoxy, Islam; in the family - family cooperation, solidarity.

    The structure of the social institution:

    1) Outwardly social institution looks like a set of persons, institutions, equipped with certain material resources and performing a specific social function.

    2) From the content side - this is a certain set of expediently oriented standards of behavior of certain persons in certain situations. Thus, justice as a social institution outwardly is a set of persons (prosecutors, judges, lawyers, etc.), institutions (prosecutor's offices, courts, places of detention, etc.), material means, and in content it is a set of standardized patterns of behavior of authorized persons performing a certain social function. These standards of behavior are embodied in the social roles characteristic of the justice system (roles of judges, prosecutors, lawyers, etc.).

    Structural elements social institution:

    1. A certain area of ​​activity and social relations.

    2. Institutions for the organization of joint activities of people and a group of persons in them authorized to perform social, organizational and managerial functions and roles.

    3. Norms and principles of relations between officials, as well as between them and members of society included in the orbit of this social institution.

    4. The system of sanctions for non-fulfillment of roles, norms and standards of behavior.

    5. Material resources (public buildings, equipment, finance, etc.).

    The process of forming an institution is called institutionalization. It needs the following conditions:

    · in society, a specific social need for this institution must exist and be recognized by the majority of individuals,

    · society must have necessary funds satisfaction of this need (resources, system of functions, actions, norms, symbols).

    In carrying out their functions, social institutions encourage the actions of their members that are consistent with the relevant standards of behavior, and suppress deviations in behavior from the requirements of these standards, i.e. control and regulate the behavior of individuals.

    Functions of social institutions:

    1) the function of consolidating and reproducing social relations- A social institution supports the stability of certain systems of society.

    2) regulatory function- regulation of relations and behavior of people with the help of norms, rules of conduct, sanctions.

    3) integrative function- rallying and strengthening ties between groups of people united by this social institution. It is realized through the strengthening of contacts and interactions between them.

    4) communicative function- is aimed at ensuring connections, communication, interaction between people through a certain organization of their joint life and activities.

    Typology of social institutions:

    1. Depending on the need, which this institution satisfies:

    · Institute of Family and Marriage

    · Political institution, institution of the state

    · Economic institutions

    · Institutes of education

    · Institute of Religion

    2. By nature, institutions are

    · Formalactivities are based on strict guidelines. They exercise management and control functions on the basis of strictly established sanctions.

    · informalthey do not have clearly defined and fixed in special legislative acts and documents instructions concerning functions, means, methods of activity (for example, political movements, associations of interest, etc.). Here, control is based on informal sanctions(for example, approval or condemnation).

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    Page 15

    Branch of the St. Petersburg State Wow

    University of Engineering and Economics in Cher e povce

    S.V. Boyko

    Sociology

    Lecture

    Cherepovets, 2005


    Topic 2.6. Social institutions

    The concept of a social institution and its characteristic main features.institutional features. Process and characteristic stages of institutionalization. Explicit functions of social institutions: consolidation and reproduction of social relations, regulatory, integrative, broadcasting, communicative. latent functions. Dysfunctions.

    Typology of social institutions.Reasons for classification the nature of the need being satisfied. Institutes of the family, education and upbringing, material and spiritual production, health protection, leisure and recreation, management and security of members of society. Institute of State and Law in Russia. Russian problems of civil society and the rule of law.

    Lecture questions.

    2. Types and functions of social institutions.

    * * *

    Social institutions are historically established stable forms of organization A tions of joint activity of people.

    There is a widespread point of view among sociologists that an "institution" is one of the A sis definitions that express the very essence of ordered social life. Tr A The tradition of this approach comes from G. Spencer, who believed that the study of institutions is the study of the structure and development of society, the analysis of the emergence, growth, changes, etc. O mov, and therefore, it is the essence of sociology as a science. Institutionalists (per hour T nosti, T. Veblen) put forward the study of institutions as the main task of all e natural sciences. Developing the concept of an institution, representatives of this A boards interpreted it incontent planas a group of people And nesnye any ideas to perform any functions, and in form lyzed, categorical formas a system of social roles, an organ And a system of behavior and social relations.

    Like many other basic scientific concepts, "institution" is interpreted in the literature in a broad and vague way. Nevertheless,organization can be noted as a defining feature of institutional interaction, and the most important elements e cops of the institutional structure to consider social norms, roles, expectations.The term "social institution" is used in A my various values. They talk about the institution of the family, the institution of the image O vaniya, public health, institute of the state, etc. The most commonly used meaning of the term "social institution" is associated with the nature And stylistics of any kind of streamlining, formalization and standardization public relations and relationships. And the process of streamlining, formalization and standardization is called n institutionalization.

    Lecture objectives

    • Give the concept of a social institution and determine its content.
    • Determine the elements of a social institution and the stages of its emergence.
    • Reveal the functions and types of social institutions.
    • Show the causes of the dysfunction of social institutions and ways to overcome it.

    I. The concept of "social institution". Institutionalization of public life

    1.1. The concept of "social institution".

    The concept of "social institution" in Russian sociology is given significant place. A social institution is defined as a leading component of the social structure of society, integrating and coordinating a multitude of individual actions of people, streamlining social relations in certain areas of public life. In other words, social institutions are large-scale associations of social statuses and roles. By institution, in addition, they mean a relatively stable and integrated set of symbols, beliefs, values, norms, roles and statuses that governs a specific area of ​​social life: this is the family, religion, education, economics, management.

    Sociologist N. Smelser gives a shorter definition:social institution is a set of roles and statuses designed to meet a specific need.From this definition follows:

    1. A social institution does not mean any particular social organization, but denotes large groupings of social roles.

    2. Unlike social group in which the interaction of people serves to satisfy a variety of needs, a social institution is aimed at realizing a specific and especially important need for both the individual and society.

    3. Changing the structure of needs leads to a change in the typology of social institutions: new institutions appear, old, unnecessary ones die.

    But what needs exist in society that social institutions serve to satisfy? Although each individual has his own, special set of needs, it is possible to distinguish fundamental, enduring needs. These include needs:

    in the reproduction of the human race;

    in love and participation;

    in safety and social order;

    in obtaining means of subsistence;

    in the transmission of culture;

    in god, etc.

    The satisfaction of these vital needs is served by such institutions as the institution of the family and marriage; economic institute (manager of economic activity, production and distribution of material goods); political institution (associated with the conquest and distribution of power in the person of the state, political parties, public organizations); Institute of Culture and Socialization (engaged in the creation and dissemination of culture, education young man); an institution of religion that helps a person find the meaning of life 1 .

    WITH the development of society multiplies, differentiates the system of social institutions. If we sum up the whole set of approaches to the definition of the concept of "social institution", then we can single out the following meaning of this term. The social institution is:

    A set of customs, traditions and rules of conduct;

    Formal and informal organization;

    Role-playing system, which also includes norms and statuses;

    A set of norms and institutions that regulate a certain area of ​​public relations;

    A separate set of social actions social procedures.

    Thus, an institution (from Latin institutum establishment) a concept used in most sociological theories to refer to a stable set of formal and informal rules, principles, norms, and guidelines that regulate various areas human activity and organizing them into a system of roles and statuses.

    At present, we most often use the concept of "social institution" in the event that we consider large groupings of formal roles. Yes, the concept"institute of material production"does not mean a specific social organization of one of the enterprises, but a set of norms that are implemented in a variety of social organizations, enterprises that produce material products.

    1.2. The main elements and features of a social institution.

    Can be distinguished main elements of a social institution at that.

    1. The system of values, norms, ideals,as well as patterns of activity and behaviorpeople and other elements of the sociocultural process (social b procedures). This system guarantees similar behavior of people who agree s defines and directs their specific aspirations, establishes ways to meet their needs, resolves conflicts that arise in the process of everyday life, ensures a state of balance and A strength within a particular social community and society as a whole.

    In itself, the presence of these sociocultural elements does not yet provide fun To positioning of a social institution. They need to be set in motion, personification And to inculcate, introduce into the consciousness and behavior of people.

    2. Systems of needs, expectations.In order for the institute to work, it is necessary and mo to values, norms, ideals,sample activities and about reference people and other elements of the sociocultural process have become worthy I niem inner world personalities, were internalized by them in the process of O socialization, embodied in the form of social roles and statuses, socio-cultural elements. Formation on their basis of a system of mutual And Denmark is the second most important element of institutionalization and tsii.

    3. Organizational design of a social institution through the constitution A lization of legal norms, rights, obligations and sanctions.Externally, a social institution is a collection of individuals, institutions, equipped with certain material b by means and performing a certain social function.

    Yes, the Institute higher education consists of a certain set of persons: pr e givers, service personnel, officials who operate within institutions such as universities, the ministry, etc., who, for their activities, have P limited material values O (knowledge, finances, etc.).

    According to the domestic sociologist S.S. Frolov, it is more correct to speak not about the elements that make up the structure of the institution, but about institutional features, i.e. features and properties common to all institutions. There are five of them:

    1) attitudes and patterns of behavior (for example, affection, loyalty, responsibility and respect in the family, obedience, loyalty and subordination in the state);

    2) symbolic cultural signs ( wedding ring, flag, coat of arms, cross, icons, etc.);

    3) utilitarian cultural features (home for the family, public buildings for the state, shops and factories for production, classrooms and libraries for education, temples for religion);

    4) oral and written codes (prohibitions, legal guarantees, laws, rules);

    5) ideology ( romantic love in the family, democracy in the state, freedom of trade in the economy, academic freedom in education, Orthodoxy or Catholicism in religion).

    1.3. Institutionalization of public life no matter what.

    The process of institutionalization, i.e. formation of a social institution, consists of several successive stages:

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

    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 rules and regulations;

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

    Constitutionalization of norms and rules, procedures, i.e. their adoption, practical application;

    Creation of a system of statuses and roles covering all members of the institute without exception.

    The main stages of the emergence of the institutecan be called e blowing:

    1. One of the necessary conditions for the emergence of social institutions is the appropriatesocial need.Institutions are designed to organize the 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, implements relations between the sexes, generations, etc. The institute of higher education provides training for the labor force, enables a person to develop his abilities in order to realize them in subsequent activities and ensure his existence, etc.

    social needcan be calleddetermining condition for the emergence of the institution.In the broadest sense, the need can be characterized as the subject's need for something, for the satisfaction of which this or that form of activity, this or that object is necessary. This need reflects the connection of the subject with the environment of his existence. It can be said thatthe need is the need to maintain the equilibrium state of the system "subject - environment".The criteria for identifying needs (the necessary maintenance of an equilibrium relationship between the subject and the environment of its existence) are the main goals of the subject's activity, the performance of functions in systems of a higher rank, in which the subject is included as an element or subsystem.

    The essential needs of social groups (communities) can only be explained in connection with their positions in the socio-economic structure of society and the development trends of the latter. To perform functions in these positions, people must reproduce themselves in a certain way by consuming food, clothing, knowledge, etc. Different labor functions require different amounts of expenses for the training of workers, for their reproduction, i.e., different duration of training, different volumes and composition of goods and services. And from this it follows that the socio-economic heterogeneity of labor also leads to heterogeneity of needs.

    The size of these needs is limited by the scale of social production, the nature of production relations, the level of culture of the country, and historical traditions. The needs of people, a social group (community) is an objective necessity for the reproduction of a given community of people in its specifically concrete public position. The needs of social groups are characterized by: mass manifestation, stability in time and space, invariance in the specific conditions of life of representatives of the social group. An important property of needs is their interconnectedness. Conjugation of needs is that the emergence and satisfaction of one need entails a whole range of other needs. Conjugate needs form the longest chains, passing one into another.

    It is advisable to take into account the following major types of needs, the satisfaction of which ensures normal conditions for the reproduction of social groups (communities):

    1) in the production and distribution of goods, services and information required for the survival of members of society;

    2) in normal (corresponding to existing social norms) psychophysiological life support;

    3) in cognition and self-development;

    4) in communication between members of society;

    5) in simple (or extended) demographic reproduction;

    6) in the upbringing and education of children;

    7) in controlling the behavior of members of the society;

    8) in ensuring their safety in all aspects.

    Social needs are not satisfied automatically, but only by the organized efforts of members of society, which are social institutions.

    Institutes serve Not only organization of joint activities of people in order to meet their social needs, but alsoto regulate the use of resources,which society has. Consider,e.g. economic institutionsassociated with the production activities of commercial firms, manufacturing enterprises, family farms and other organizations. Economists believe that in order to produce goods and services, they all must have four types of resources at their disposal:

    1) land, or the totality of natural resources and technical knowledge;

    2) labor, or people's motivation and skills;

    3) capital, or wealth invested in the means of production;

    4) organization, or a way of combining and coordinating the first three types of resources.

    Resources are also needed for the activities of other institutions.Family, for example,cannot exist in the absence of certain necessary conditions: a salary that ensures the satisfaction of material needs, love and a sense of duty between parents and children, as well as the reasonable use of power (of one or both parents) to overcome intra-family conflicts.educational institutesrequires equipment for physical education, teachers with the appropriate level of knowledge and erudition, and at least a minimal desire of students to acquire knowledge and socialize.

    Therefore, institutions are social education, created to use the resources of society in the forms of interaction in order to satisfy a particular social need.One of the important functions of institutions is to stabilize people's activities by reducing them to more or less predictable patterns of social roles.

    Thus, the emergence of certain social needs, as well as the conditions for their satisfaction, are the first necessary moments of institutionalization.

    1. A social institution is formed on the basis ofsocial ties, interactions and relationships of specific individuals, individuals, social groups and other communities.But it, like other social systems, cannot be reduced to the sum of these individuals and their interactions. From this point of view, social institutions can be considered as organizational social systems characterized by the stability of the structure, the integration of their elements and a certain variability of their functions.

    The category of "social exchange" is essential in understanding the institution and its functioning.institutionalizationcan be seen as an exchange between different individuals, groups, organizations and spheres within society. Three questions arise here: 1) who exchanges with whom, 2) what is exchanged for what, and 3) what are the patterns, mechanisms and conditions of this exchange (s). Institutional interaction and exchange take placebetween people in different structural positions (cultural, political, economic, family), i.e. having a system of statuses and roles, which in themselves may be the consequences of previous processes of institutional exchange.

    The true aspirations and goals of these people largely depend on their structural positions and corresponding priority settings. Similarly, the resources they have at their disposal (power, money, knowledge, prestige, etc.) depend on their institutional positions and vary according to the specifics of different institutional spheres. These resources serve as a means to achieve various individual goals and can themselves be goals or objects for individuals.

    Institutionalized exchange has a special character. It is different from the individual exchange between people, because it is "cleared" from the personal moment. Analysis of the mechanism of social exchange shows that the individual acts in a social institution in a specific and limited role of a functionary. For example, for a teacher or a doctor, the institutionalized “commodity” is their professional skills, and their personal attitude towards this or that counterparty (“buyer”) does not matter here.A necessary condition for the activity of the institution is the fulfillment by individuals of their social roles, based on the implementation of expected actions and compliance with patterns (norms) of behavior.Norms are both the conditions for choosing role behavior and the means of its “measurement”. They streamline, regulate, formalize the activity and interaction of individuals within the institution. Each institution is characterized by a certain set of norms, which are objectified most often in symbolic forms (regulatory documents).

    3. The third most important stage of institutionalization isorganizational design of a social institutionin various regulations.

    As society develops (and becomes more complex), the system of social institutions multiplies and differentiates. We now live in a highly institutionalized society. The institutions of the family, education, health care, material and spiritual production, leisure and recreation, ensuring the safety of members of society, and many others form a system that determines the functioning of the social organism.

    So, each social institution is characterized by the presence of a goal of its activity. O sti, specific functions that ensure the achievement of such a goal, a set of social b positions and roles typical for this And mulberries. Based on the foregoing, we can give the following definition of a social institution.Social institutions are forms of organized association of people that perform certain social functions. A chimable functions that ensure the joint achievement of goals based on O members of their social roles, set by social values O sti, norms and patterns of behavior e niya.

    2. Dynamics of social institutions

    2.1. Types and functions of social institutions.

    o b ny institutions as certain types of social system. These functions are very b are different. Sociologists in various fields e They tried to somehow classify them. present in the form of a certain ordered system. The most complete and interesting classic A The so-called “institutional school” presented the idea. Representatives of the institution O nal school in sociology (S Lipset, D. Landberg and others) identifiedfour main functions of social institutions at Comrade:

    1. Reproduction of members of society. The main institute, performing Yu This function is carried out by the family, but other social institutions are also involved in it.
    2. Socialization the transfer by individuals of the established in a given society h behaviors and ways of doing things institutions with e myi, education, religion, etc.
    3. Production and distribution. Provided by economic, social and n institutions of management and control authorities.
    4. Management and control functions are carried out through the social And cial norms and regulations that implement the appropriate types of behavior, moral, etc. A new norms, customs, administrative decisions, etc. Social institutions govern the individual's behavior through a system of rewards and dignity. to tsy.

    Social institutions differ from each other in their functional qualities and goals of activity:

    1) Economic institutions– property, exchange, money, banks, economic associations of various types provide the entire set of production and distribution e social wealth, at the same time connecting economic life with other spheres e framework of social life

    2) Political institutionsthe state, parties, trade unions and other b public organizations pursuing political goals aimed at establishing e nie and maintenance of a certain form of political power. Their totality is O lytic system of this community e stva.

    3) Sociocultural institutionsdevelopment and subsequent reproduction of cool b cultural and social values, the inclusion of individuals in a certain subculture, and that To the same socialization of individuals through the assimilation of sustainable socio-cultural standards e denia i. finally, the protection of certain values ​​and norms.

    4) Normative-orienting institutions Creation and implementation of mechanisms for moral and ethical orientation and regulation of the behavior of individuals. Their goal is to give e deniya and motivation moral argumentation, ethical basis. These institutes approved R waiting in the community for imperative common e human values, special codes and ethics e Denia.

    5) Regulatory institutionspublic and social regulation I tion of behavior based on norms, rules and regulations enshrined in legal and administrative And nistrative acts, which is ensured by the principle at punitive sanction.

    6) Ceremonial institutions institutions based on more or less And positive adoption of norms, their formal and informal consolidation. These regulations And daily contacts are made by various acts of group and intergroup about th behavior.

    In a social institution, economic, political, legal, moral and other relations are intertwined in a very complex way. Thanks to the social institution, continuity in the use of cultural property, the transfer of skills and norms of social behavior, the socialization of individuals is carried out.

    A mature, "become" institution is organizationally formalized; it is ordered, organized by a system of managerial relations. The external aspect of it appears in the respective systems of institutions. The emerging social institutions are not necessarily institutionalized.

    During periods of “normal” development of society, institutions remain fairly stable and stable. Their inefficiency, inconsistency of actions, inability to organize public interests, establish the functioning of social ties, minimize conflicts and prevent catastrophes are a sign of a crisis in the institutional system, i.e. basic system of any society.

    The development of a social system can be said to be reducible to the evolution of institutions. The sources of this evolution are people as actors and the impact of culture. The latter is associated with the accumulation of new knowledge by people, as well as with changes in value orientations.

    The dynamics of social institutions is also expressed in three interrelated processes:

    1) in the life cycle of an institution (from the moment of appearance to disappearance);

    2) in the functioning of a mature institution (including explicit and latent functions, overcoming dysfunctions);

    3) in the evolution of the institution (change in form and content, the death of old functions and the emergence of new ones).

    There are several stages, or phases, in the life cycle of an institution.

    The first phase is the birth of the institution, when a charter appears, tasks and symbols are defined, functions and roles are distributed, leaders are singled out and managers are appointed.

    The second phase is the maturity phase.

    The third phase is the period of formalization, or bureaucratization, of the institution. Rules and norms cease to be a means of social control and become an end in themselves. The dominance of instructions, paperwork ultimately lead to his death. This last phase means the loss of the viability of the social institution, the accumulation of dysfunction. This situation portends the liquidation of the institution or its reorganization.

    2.2. Dysfunction of social institutions

    Violation of normative interaction with the social environment, which is a society or community, is called a 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. Under conditions of intensive social processes and their acceleration, a situation may arise when the changed social needs are not adequately reflected in the structure and functions of the relevant social institutions. As a result, their activitiesdysfunction, which is expressed in the ambiguity of the goals of the institution, the uncertainty of the function, in the fall of its social prestige and authority, the degeneration of its individual functions into a symbolic, "ritual" activity, that is, an activity not aimed at achieving a rational goal.

    One of the clear expressions of the dysfunction of a social institution is staff and station his activities. Personalization of the social institution h begins that he ceased to act in accordance with objective needs O and objectively established goals, changing their functions depending on O sti from the interests of individuals, their personal qualities and properties.

    An unsatisfied social need can bring to life the spontaneous emergence of normatively unregulated activities that seek to make up for the dysfunction of the institution by violating existing norms and rules, expressed in their extreme forms in illegal (delinquent) activities. Thus, the dysfunction of some economic institutions is the reason for the existence of the so-called "shadow economy", resulting in speculation, bribery, theft, etc. 2

    Offenses and crime.Crime that arises in connection with the dysfunction of social institutions is predominantly instrumental, i.e. aimed at achieving a specific goal, and structured, i.e. internally interconnected, character. Its features are the plannedness of criminal activity, systematicity, elements of organization, i.e. distribution of criminal roles, etc. Similar features of structured crime are associated with its function to satisfy illegally an objective need that is not adequately provided by normal social institutions. Its narrow functionality, i.e. the satisfaction of a particular social need leads at the same time to the dysfunction of broader social systems.

    The problem of crime becomes especially acute in a situation where society A knits individuals with common symbols of success (wealth, acquisition of mater and al x a rakter), however social structure of the same society makes it difficult (or impossible) for certain social groups to acquire these powers. m oxen legally. The resulting social tension is pouring out T into mercenary-violent, aggressive crime.

    Prevention of this kind of offense can be ensured if:

    a) the corresponding social need will be adequately reflected in the functioning of existing or newly created social institutions;

    b) there will be a change, a transformation of this social need itself;

    c) there will be a change in the assessment of this need in the public consciousness.

    Disorganization of social communities and personality.The dynamics of social processes (demographic, migration, urbanization, industrialization) as an undesirable result can have a destructive effect on social groups and communities, lead to their partial disorganization.

    The phenomena of disorganization are reflected both in the external (formal) structure of social communities and in their internal, functional characteristics. The disorganization of the functions of such communities is expressed in the loosening of values, the inconsistency of standards and patterns of behavior, the weakening of the normative structure of the group, which, in turn, leads to an increase in deviations in the behavior of members of the relevant communities and social groups.

    Among social causes disorganization of the personality should be noted the following:

    1) the participation of the individual in several social groups that impose on him conflicting systems of social values ​​and patterns of behavior;

    2) the participation of the individual in disorganized groups, which are characterized by the uncertainty of social roles, i.e. social requirements for the individual;

    3) lack of public control, unclear criteria for evaluating behavior.

    Under these conditions, normal social communities are not always able to perform a number of their inherent functions, i.e. to provide the individual with a consistent, internally consistent system of behavioral standards, a sense of solidarity and belonging to a community, to provide an ordered system of levels of social prestige and recognition, etc.

    The degree of unity of people in social groups, their cohesion (collectivity), the unity of their positions is a value inversely proportional to the number of offenses. If the degree of unity (integration) of a social group (class, society) grows, then the number of deviations in the behavior of members of this group decreases and, conversely, an increase in the number of deviations in behavior is an indicator of the weakening of the integration of social groups.

    In some cases, the ineffectiveness of the influence on the individual from the side th our social group, the weakness of the process of its socialization (inclusion of a person in the system e values ​​and norms of behavior characteristic of society as a whole) can lead to the And the influence of spontaneously formed groups in which there are against O right views and ideas and anti-social norms O reference. These groups include some groups of adolescents who follow anti-social norms. O conducting, grouping of recidivist thieves, alcoholics, people's commissar A new, etc. Their influence is often directly proportional to the decrease in the influence of normal social groups in society. e community (family, peer groups, etc.) O professional groups, communities at the place of residence, etc.).

    Institutional functions of social groups.Social groups (communities) can be, like social institutions, defined from the standpoint of analyzing their institutional functions. From a functional point of view, such formations are characterized by the orientation of the actions of their members towards achieving group goals. This ensures the coordination of relevant actions, which leads to increased intra-group cohesion. The latter is ensured by the presence of patterns of behavior, norms that determine relations within the group, as well as other institutional mechanisms that guide the behavior of group members within the specified framework.

    Various social communities (specific family, work collective, groups joint holding leisure, village, township, small city, micro-districts of large cities, etc.) are of particular importance, in terms of their influence on behavior,

    The family ensures the socialization of young people in the course of the children's assimilation of the norms of social life, communicates a sense of security to family members, satisfies the emotional need for joint experiences, in the exchange of feelings and moods, prevents psychological imbalance, protects against feelings of isolation, etc. One of the results of the successful functioning of the family as a social group is the effective prevention of deviations from the requirements of social norms in the vast majority of areas of public life.

    The state of the territorial community also affects the nature of the behavior of members of this community, in the field of informal contacts, joint leisure activities. In the case of successful functioning, professional groups, in addition to the possibility of solving purely professional tasks, "supply" its members with a sense of labor solidarity, provide professional prestige and authority, and control the behavior of members of such groups from the standpoint of professional morality and ethics.

    Correction of dysfunction can be achieved

    a) a change in the social institution itself;

    b) the creation of a new social institution that satisfies a given society new need;

    c) formation and implementation public opinion in the making and n

    2.3. Public opinion as an institution of civil society

    Civil society is a type political structure where priority is given not to maintaining internal order and external security, but to human rights and freedoms and improving the quality of life. The main directions for the realization and development of rights and freedoms in civil society are:

    Recognition and affirmation of the natural human right to life, free activity and happiness;

    Recognition of the equality of citizens within the framework of uniform laws for all;

    Statement of the rule of law, subordinating its activities to the ideal of social justice;

    Flexible correlation of politics and economics according to the formula “more market, less state»

    Overcoming the gap with the sacralization of power, characteristic of traditional and totalitarian regimes, with its claims to possess the ultimate truth;

    Approval of democratic mechanisms of public administration, focused on ensuring equal opportunities for subjects;

    The establishment of institutions of self-government that restrain and balance the various parts of society and, if necessary, use the state as a legal arbiter.

    The most important direction in the formation of civil society is the development of public opinion (PO) 3 .

    In public opinion, specific states of public consciousness are manifested in one or another period of time. At the same time, OM can be recognized as an independent form of social consciousness, which differs from others precisely in its inclusiveness and non-specialization.

    Experts identify the following necessary and sufficient conditions for the emergence and functioning of OM.

    1. Public significance, vital relevance of the problem(questions, topics, events). OM is inevitably formed only in relation to those social phenomena that affect the social interests of people and, as it were, are in the center of their everyday reflections and discussions.

    2. Debatable opinions and assessments.There is no dispute about the "correctness" or usefulness of the multiplication table. But about whether it is worth “going to capitalism” or “returning to socialism”, “what to do with Chechnya”, how to reform the agricultural sector, “what to do with corruption”, etc. in our society there is a constant clash of opinions. Thus, in order for a topic or event to become the subject of public consideration and public opinion is formed regarding them, they must be debatable, naturally involving differences in opinions and assessments on the part of various groups of society.

    3. The third mandatory condition is competence.The “competence” of OM is determined not so much by its real competence as by the vital significance of phenomena, as a result of which no one can remain aloof from their discussions and not feel themselves well-versed in them. And the more people who are aware of certain problems, the more real public opinion becomes in relation to them.

    Most researchers agree on the following three characteristics of OM content.

    The mass judgments of people have varying degrees objectivity (truth). This is explained by the fact that OM is formed both on the basis of reliable information and on the basis of one-sided information or erroneous ideas. In case of a lack of objective information, people compensate for it with rumors, intuition, etc.

    OM acts as a specific motivating force that regulates people's behavior. It not only reflects a certain level of people's awareness, but also captures their active attitude towards the object of opinion, forming a kind of alloy of rational, emotional and volitional components. Existing in the minds of people and expressed publicly, OM acts as a powerful means of social influence.

    OM is a specific product of human interaction, a kind of synthesis of many statements that form a new quality that cannot be reduced to a simple sum of individual opinions.

    The German OM researcher E. Noel-Neumann says that there are two main sources that generate public opinion. First this is direct observation of the environment, approval or disapproval of certain actions, decisions or statements (spontaneously developing and practically not amenable to purposeful regulation). Second media that give rise to the so-called "zeitgeist".

    When solving the problem of the source of public opinion, it is necessary to distinguish between the concepts of “subject” and “expressor” of PO. The subject of OM is social communities and public groups, public organizations and parties, the international community, and the media. Individuals, groups of people can act as spokesmen.

    Central issue functioning of the PO is the problem of its effectiveness, the definition of conditions and factors that allow society to effectively use public opinion as a tool for solving social problems and forming a civic culture. There are three main functions of OM: expressive, advisory and directive. 1 .

    1. Expressive functionthe broadest in scope. Public opinion always takes a certain position in relation to significant facts and events. It is especially biased towards those who are credited with a priority role in solving the most important life problems State institutions and their leaders, effectively assuming the role of controller of their activities.

    2. OM advisory functionnot only expresses attitude to significant events, but also seeks the best solution to certain problems. Being an arena of clashes of different positions and opinions, OM has the ability to detect the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed solutions, the hidden threats and dangers rooted in them. The attention of the political leadership to the debate of the public allows for more informed decisions.

    3. Directive function of OMmanifests itself when the will of the people acquires an imperative character. This situation takes place in elections, referendums and plebiscites. By expressing confidence in certain political forces or leaders, the OM actually gives them a mandate to exercise political leadership.

    In authoritarian social systems, OM is either ignored or used by the ruling elite to strengthen their omnipotence. As democratization political regime interest in identifying the true opinion of people and taking it into account in the decision actual problems public life is growing.

    This pattern is clearly demonstrated by the socio-political development of Russia in recent decades. The first official body for the study of public opinion (the All-Union Center for the Study of Public Opinion VTsIOM) was established in 1987. In 1992, in connection with the collapse of the USSR, it was transformed into All-Russian Center study of public opinion. Currently, there are more than two dozen centers for the study of OM in Russia. The most famous among them, along with VTsIOM, are: the Public Opinion Foundation, Vox populi B. Grushina, Russian Independent Institute for Social and national problems(RNIS and NP), Agency for Regional Political Studies (ARPI), Russian Public Opinion and Market Research (ROMIR), A. Kisselman Center (St. Petersburg), etc.

    It is impossible to absolutize the importance of OM in any type of political system.

    First, in XX century, it turned out that the absolutization of this attitude was not justified: the most cruel totalitarian regimes enjoyed fairly broad popular support. The same inconsistency of public opinion is also found in contemporary Russia. In this regard, one can refer to the ambiguity of the position of the majority of the population regarding reforms and reformers, the absence of generally recognized political and moral leaders of society, the readiness of a significant part of the population to be carried away by populist slogans, support authoritarian methods and political adventurism.

    Secondly, the second danger of public opinion being absolute as a political tool, connected with the possibility of manipulating public consciousness, was also revealed. Even ancient authors noted that out of several options for resolving a particular issue, the majority, endowed with the right to decide, as a rule, chooses not the most advantageous option for them, but the best way submitted. IN modern conditions the possibilities of manipulating mass consciousness are expanding many times over. For Russia, this problem is especially relevant. We have not inherited from the past a solid system of democratic guarantees, either in the form of structures or in the form of traditions. Under these conditions, the elite that controls access to the media can make public opinion completely manageable. How this is done was clearly demonstrated by the 1999 parliamentary elections.

    * * *

    Social institutions are forms of an organized association of people that perform certain socially significant functions that ensure the joint achievement of goals based on the social roles performed by members, set by social values, norms and patterns of behavior.

    One of the main conditions for the emergence of social institutions is the corresponding social need. Institutions are designed to organize the joint activities of people in order to meet certain social needs.

    The main elements of a social institution are values, norms, ideals, as well as patterns of activity and behavior of people shared by the majority of members of the community. b societies that have become the property of the inner world of the individual and constituted into a system of legal norms, rights, I concerns and sanctions.

    The process of institutionalization, i.e. formation of a social institution, consists of several successive stages: the emergence of a need requiring joint organized action; formation of common goals; the emergence of social norms and rules in the course of spontaneous social interaction; development of procedures related to rules and regulations; establishing a system of sanctions to maintain norms and rules; constitutionalization of norms, rules and procedures.

    Each institution performs its own characteristic social function. WITH O The totality of these social functions is formed into the general social functions of the social b ny institutions as certain types of social system.

    As society develops and becomes more complex, the system of social institutions multiplies and differentiates. We now live in a highly institutionalized society. The institutions of state and law, family, education, health care, material and spiritual production, leisure and recreation, ensuring the safety of members of society, and many others form a system that determines the functioning of the social organism.

    During periods of “normal” development of society, institutions remain fairly stable and stable. Their inefficiency, inconsistency of actions, inability to organize public interests, establish the functioning of social ties, minimize conflicts and prevent catastrophes are a sign of a crisis in the institutional system, i.e. her dysfunction.

    Correction of the dysfunction can be achieved by either changing the O social institution, or the creation of a new social institution that satisfies yes n nuyu public need, or the formation and implementation of public opinion e in the process of becoming and n institution of civil society.

    Questions for self-control

    1. What is a social institution?
    2. What is the name of the system of a social institution that guarantees similar behavior of people, coordinates and directs their actions into a single channel?
    3. What is the name of the system of social institution that forms the mutual expectations of people?
    4. What does the system of statuses and roles of a social institution express?
    5. What are the main stages in the process of establishing an institute?
    6. Highlight the main stages in the process of establishing the institute
    7. Define economic, political, sociocultural, normative-orienting, normative-sanctioning and ceremonial institutions.
    8. What are the functions and dysfunctions of social institutions?
    9. What are the dysfunctions of social institutions?
    10. What are the main functions of social institutions?
    11. What corrects the dysfunction of a social institution?
    12. What characterizes the realization and development of rights and freedoms in civil society?
    13. Define and disclose the content of public opinion.
    14. What is the necessary condition for the emergence and functioning of public opinion?
    15. Expand the content of the advisory, directive and expressive functions of public opinion

    1 Konchanin T.L., Podoprigora S.Ya., Yaremenko S.I. Sociology. Rostov n/a: Phoenix, 2001. P.127.

    2 See in detail: Sociology. Fundamentals of the general theory: Proc. allowance / G.V. Osipov, L.N. Moskvichev, A.V. Kabyshcha and others / Ed. G.V. Osipova, L.N. Moskvichev. M.: Aspect Press, 1996. P. 240-248.

    3 See in detail: Konchanin T.L., Podoprigora S.Ya., Yaremenko S.I. Sociology. Rostov n/a: Phoenix, 2001. P.132-153.

    
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