Question

Discussion: Sociology

1. What are the most striking similarities between religion and education as social institutions? What are the most significant differences?

2. Using your sociological imagination, why is the transmission of cultural norms and values a complex process in diverse societies such as the United States? How can schools cope with this problem in the future?

Answer 1

1. Education and Religion as Social institutions:

Education is the process or art of imparting knowledge, skill and judgement whereas the Religion can be referred as a Particular system of faith and Worship.

Social institution means ' A custom or pactice of a society or community ' or it might be group of people who have joined or come together for a common goal or goals. The major social institutions are family, marriage, education, religion, Government and schools.

Education and Religion are acting as a powerful social institution that largely take part in the development of personality and morality of an individual.

Similarities between Education and Religion as Social institutions:

* They both acting as the agents of Socialization; Individuals learn to socialize more and more ones they started with the Education and Religion. Education or the schools give plenty of opportunities to mingle with other students , to learn the social behaviours, customs and norms. When an individual start to attend religious entities such as church, they learn to understand others, to train themselves in ' how to behave with others ', norms and customs.

* Both helps the individual in identifying ' right and wrong ' in society and daily life. But Education give them the idea in a broad view but religion will work on constrained ideas based on the particular beliefs.

* Both helps in ' transmission of cultural norms '. Cultural transmission largely happens in Religion and educational relem. In schools through studying history and sociology and in Religion through learning different customs, an individual get to know and learn to practice the societal culture.

2. Transmission of cultural norms and values as a complex process:

Cultural transmission is distinct feature of Human beings, that we can't see in animal world, they have only birth instincts. Human beings across the Globe and across the race, used to transmitt their language, culture, beliefs, norms, values to generations. Cultural transmission is very important in the process of existence of a society. Across the country different cultural group ma have there own practices, that they will pass to their future Generations.

Cultural transmission is a complex process especially when it is in a diverse society such as US. In societies, where there is a number of different cultural groups, nationalities, races and ethnicities, it will be difficult to stand as a unique culture. It makes the parents or senior people more difficult to transmit the cultural knowledge, norms, values to the young generations as they are growing up in a diverse society. In schools and outside world, they are witnessing many number of children , their different customs, attitudes, beliefs, values etc. Children may learn from their peer group more and from the society, where there is number of different cultures. Children may learn different customs and norms other than the parents'. Influence of Mass media and modernism in society like US , makes the cultural transmission as a complex process.

Example: Many native Indian languages and their traditional practices got erased from the society as the cultural transmission became a difficult task for them.

Schools' role in cultural transmission: Schools can act as a powerful agent for the cultural transmission, where the children learns the language , history, folks etc. Each schools should give importance to the different culture from which their students come from, they have to respect it and should make the children to learn about different culture. Allot some days, specially for each ethnic or cultural group, let them show and present their culture and practices such as traditional fashions, dressing, cooking methods , folks, literature etc. Other students can also learn from it and every individual students may feel proud to present their culture.