Institutions, Roles, and Social Theories: A Sociological Analysis
Establishing the Relationship Between Institutions and Roles
The social fabric precedes individuals through institutions (family, school, hospital, etc.). Integration into social life is a continuous process of institutionalization. Institutions pattern active subjects, classifying and standardizing them into “social roles” or “roles.” From the perspective of institutional order, “roles” are representations and expressions of a structured social life shared by many.
What are “Roles”?
Society is a complex web of relationships where an individual plays many roles. Each of these functions is a “role” we play as actors in different scenes of the social theater to which we belong. For example, a parent plays the roles of spouse, employee, neighbor, player, or conductor, depending on the activities performed within society.
Functionalism as a Social Theory
To understand the major institutions of society and explain the behavior of its members, we must consider society as a whole. Social life is not an institution; it is a function. Studying the function of a social institution involves analyzing its contribution to the community and society as a whole.
Cooperation as the Main Explanation of Social Life
The primary explanation of social life is mutual aid, cooperation, and trust. Social life is impossible without stable cooperation among individuals; in fact, society itself is a system of cooperation.
Structuralism as a Social Theory
To understand institutions and explain the behavior of their members, we must identify social structures. Just as we need to know the structures of a language to express ourselves properly, we need to understand the structures that generate social facts to comprehend their meaning.
The “Homo Homini Lupus” Theory
This model posits a radical distrust among humans. Relationships between humans are similar to those among animals, where survival and mutual distrust are the law, as if each of us is a wolf to our fellows (Thomas Hobbes).
The “Homo Homini Socius” Theory
This model proposes a basic trust among humans. Relationships between human beings are similar to those between partners or allies, characterized by mutual credibility. Partners cooperate to pursue a common good, a benefit they cannot achieve individually.
Conflict as the Main Explanation of Social Life
Social life is viewed as a conflict, which explains the evolution of society. Darwin, Marx, and Nietzsche, 19th-century thinkers, appealed to this idea of conflict, the first in terms of “survival of the fittest,” the second as “class struggle,” and the third as “will to power.”
Defining Civil Society
Civil society comprises a set of associations rooted in diverse cultural projects. These associations are neither economic nor commercial (companies or banks) but are formed by people with various motivations: solidarity, sports, culture, religion, recreation, etc. “Civil society” refers to the associative structure formed by these organizations. It is a network of networks or a collective project.
The Current Situation of the Family as a Social Institution
The family is the largest voluntary association in civil society. It is subject to the cultural changes of modern societies. Currently, certain behaviors related to family life once considered “social deviance” are publicly accepted. The rigidity of the traditional family has been replaced by flexible forms, opening a new way of understanding the family. This situation raises new questions about the role of the family as an institution and as a human group.
Understanding the Family as a Social Institution
The family is an institution in the sense that it constitutes a cultural structure of norms and values, permanently organized by society to regulate collective action around basic needs: procreation, sex, acceptance, intimacy, emotional security, education of infants, and even basic production and consumption of economic goods.