SOCIAL INSTITUTION (Concept Note)
to one father.
The Family
The family as a social institution plays an
important role in the establishment of the
government. Sociologists and anthropologists
maintain that the state arose through a process
of social change.
KINSHIP- The bond of blood or marriage which
binds people together in a group.
KINSHIP BY BLOOD
There are two kinds of kin:
• Consanguineal kin are people who are
biologically related to one another,
such as brothers and sisters or parents
and their children.
• Affinal kin are people who are related
to you by virtue of marriage bond, such
as husband and wife or parents in law.
Kinship by marriage
1. Monogamy- It is a form of marriage in which
one man marries one woman. It is the most
common and acceptable form of marriage.
2.Polygamy- It is a form of marriage in which
one is entitled to marry many partners.
2.a Polygyny- It is a form of marriage in which
one man marries more than one woman at a
given time.
2.b Polyandry- It is the marriage of one
woman to more than one man. It is less
common than polygyny.
Endogamy - It is a rule of marriage in which the
life-partners are to be selected within the
group.
Exogamy- It is a rule of marriage in which an
individual has to marry outside his own group.
It prohibits marrying within the group.
Types of Family on the Basis of Marriage:
• Polygamous or Polygynous Family - It
is a family wherein there are either two
fathers to one mother or two mothers
• Polyandrous Family - It is a family
where one woman has more than one
husband.
• Monogamous Family - It is a family
with one husband and one wife,
exclusive to one another.
Types of Family on the Basis of Size or
Structure
• Nuclear Family - Single (monogamous
couple along with their children only.
• Matrilocal Family - The dominant
parent in such families is usually the
mother.
• Extended Family - may consist of two
or more monogamous parents, and
members that extend beyond the
nuclear members.
Types of Family on the Basis of the Nature
Relations
• Conjugal Family - It consists of adult
members among whom exists a sexual
relationship.
• Consanguine Family - It consists of
members among whom there exists
blood relationship brother and sister,
father, and son, etc.
The Religion
The functionalist point of view on religion
originates from the idea of Emile Durkheim
that emphasized the function of religion in
encouraging social cohesion and social control
to maintain social solidarity.
The Major Religions of the World
• Judaism is a strictly monotheistic
religion believing in only one God and
practiced by the Jewish people.
• Christianity is a monotheistic religion
centered around the teachings of Jesus
of Nazareth.
 • Islam is a religion whose teachings also
believed in only one God.
• Hinduism, in so many considerations,
is believed to be the oldest religion in
the world due to its origins in Vedic
beliefs.

Education as a social institution, helps in the

promotion of the existence of society.

Government is one of the major components

of social institution where its activities are
entrusted with making and enforcing the rules
of a society.

• Monarchy is a political system in which

a representative from one family
controls the government and power.
• Democracy is a system in which the
citizens choose officials to run their
government through popular or
majority votes.
• Authoritarianism is a political system
that does not allow citizens to
participate in any political activity.
• Totalitarianism is a political system
under which the government
maintains control all aspects of its
citizens’ lives.

Economy is an institution that deals with the

distribution, production, and consumption of
goods and services.

• Capitalism is an economic system

where the production of goods and
services rely mainly on private
ownership.
• Socialism is the economic system in
which the means of production are
collectively owned by the government
and its goal is the promotion of work
for the collective good.