NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Sociology - Understanding Social Institutions

Q1: Note what are the marriage rules that are followed in your society? Compare your observations with these made by other students in the class. Discuss.
Ans: In our society, the primary marriage system is monogamy. This means:

• Each person can marry only one partner at a time.
• Remarriage is allowed only after the death of a spouse or following a divorce.

Most marriages are arranged by parents, a practice known as arranged marriage. However, some individuals choose to enter into love marriages, where partners select each other. In contrast, other societies may practice polygamy, which allows individuals to have multiple spouses. This can take two forms:

• Polygyny: One man can have multiple wives.
• Polyandry: One woman can have multiple husbands.

It is important to note that while polygamy exists in some cultures, it is not legally recognised in many religions.

Q2: Find out how membership, residence pattern and even the mode of interaction changes in the family with broader economic, political and cultural changes, for instance migration.

Ans: Family is an institution where members live together and maintain cordial relationships. It is influenced by broader political, economic, and cultural activities in society. 
Here are some ways these factors affect the family:

• Cultural Change: Changes in culture can alter family membership, residence patterns, and modes of interaction. For instance:
  • In matrilineal societies, women often have a significant role in decision-making.
  • In patriarchal societies, men typically hold authority.
  • A shift towards individualism may lead to the formation of nuclear families, while stronger interpersonal relationships can result in joint families.
• Political Change: The political landscape can also impact family structures. For example:
  • In the post-unification period of the 1990s, Germany saw a decline in marriages as the new state removed welfare protections previously available to families.
• Economic Change: Economic shifts can indirectly affect families. For example:
  • Industrialisation has contributed to the rise of nuclear families.
  • Women have increasingly taken on instrumental roles within the family.
• Migration: Economic instability often drives migration. For instance:
  • People from flood-affected areas may move to cities for jobs and new homes.
  • In some cases, women remain in villages to manage households while their husbands seek work in cities.
  • Migration alters housing patterns, with migrants often living in slums or temporary shelters.
  • In cities, families may live separately from extended relatives, shifting from living with parents to a more isolated family unit.

This illustrates how membership patterns within families can change due to various societal influences.

Q3: Write an essay on `work'. Focus on both the range of occupations, which exist and how they change.
Ans: Work refers to activities that require mental or physical effort, aimed at producing goods and services to meet human needs. It can be either paid or unpaid, with paid work often regarded as the primary form of employment. There are two main types of occupations:

• Formal Employment: Found in the organised sector, where workers receive regular salaries and benefits.
• Informal Employment: Exists in the unorganised sector, often unrecorded, with payments made irregularly, sometimes in goods or services.

Historically, work was primarily conducted at home, forming the basis of informal employment. However, with industrialisation and technological advancements, work shifted to factories and offices, leading to the rise of formal employment. Occupations have evolved over time:

• As work became more complex, a specialised division of labour emerged.
• Machines began to replace human labour, breaking down tasks into simpler operations that could be efficiently managed.

In modern society, the landscape of work continues to change:

• There is a significant shift towards the service sector, with many jobs now focused on providing services rather than manufacturing goods.
• In countries like India, a large portion of the population still engages in rural agricultural work, although this too is becoming more industrialised.

Q4: Discuss the kind of rights that exist in your society. How do they affect your life?
Ans: In our society, there are three main types of rights:

• Political rights: These allow citizens to participate in government, such as voting in elections.
• Civil rights: These include freedoms like speech, religion, and the right to equal justice. Citizens can live anywhere in the country and own property regardless of gender.
• Social rights: These provide benefits such as healthcare, unemployment support, and minimum wage standards, ensuring a basic level of economic welfare.

These rights significantly impact individual lives by:

• Enabling personal growth and development.
• Allowing individuals to pursue higher education and interests, such as music or dance.
• Providing the freedom to practice any religion.
• Empowering individuals to seek justice through legal channels.

Overall, these rights contribute to a well-functioning society and enhance the quality of life for all citizens.

Q5: How does sociology study religion?
Ans: Sociology studies religion as a significant social institution through three main approaches:

• Empirical study: Examines the functions of religion and its connections to society.
• Comparative method: Compares different religions and their societal roles.
• Investigative approach: Looks at religious beliefs and practices in relation to other societal aspects.

There are different groups of religion that originated with the change and need of the society such as Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Jainism, etc.
Religion has certain beliefs, norms, rules and regulations that are expected to be followed by its members, which govern and regulate their behaviour.
Further, religion has had a very close relationship with power and politics. There have been many social movements which were carried out on the basis of religion.
Classical sociologists believed that as societies have modernised, the influence of religion on the lives of individuals has decreased, which has led to secularism.
Many thinkers of sociology have presented their theories upon religion and their origin. For example, Max Weber in his study, The Protestant Ethic and The Rise of Capitalism viewed that capitalism was a result of Calvinism and their thinking of increasing the economic activity, in order to please the god.
Similarly, Emile Durkhiem presented the view of differentiating the sacred from the profane that existed in religious societies.
Further religion is not only a private matter of individual but it also has a public character, as it holds strong ties with other institutions like politics, economics, education and marriage and kinship.

 
Q6: Write an essay on school as a social institution. Draw from both your reading as well as your personal observations.
Ans: The need for education has led to the establishment of schools, which serve as a means of transmitting group heritage across societies. Schools play a crucial role in:

• Disciplining and regulating human behaviour.
• Providing formal education, governed by specific norms and values.

According to sociologist Emile Durkheim, a society requires a common base of ideas and practices that education must instil in all children, regardless of their background. This ensures:

• Maintenance and development of the social structure and culture.
• Preparation for future roles within society.

For functionalists, education acts as a key mechanism for social stratification. It helps individuals acquire different privileges based on their socio-economic backgrounds. This can lead to:

• Children from privileged schools gaining confidence.
• Children from less advantaged backgrounds feeling less capable.

Moreover, many children face barriers to education due to factors like gender and caste discrimination, which affect their opportunities. Overall, schools are vital for socialisation, helping children learn to integrate into society by adopting its values and norms.

Q7: Discuss how these social institutions interact with each other. You can start the discussion from yourself as a senior school student. And move on to how you are shaped by different social institutions. Are you entirely controlled or can you also resist and redefine social institutions?
Ans: Social institutions such as marriage, family, politics, education, economics, and religion interact and influence one another significantly. Here are some key points regarding their interactions:

• Religion has a profound impact on various aspects of social and cultural life, affecting family structures, marriage practices, and educational systems.
• Religious institutions historically influenced political and economic systems, contributing to the rise of capitalism.
• In modern societies, the influence of religion has diminished but still affects family, marriage, and kinship.
• Economic and political policies can shape family dynamics, often leading to fragmentation.
• While social institutions can constrain individuals, they also provide opportunities for growth and change.
• Resisting and redefining social institutions is challenging but can be achieved through social movements and protests.

As a senior school student, I am shaped by these institutions, but I also have the agency to challenge and redefine them in my life.