大学思辨英语教程 精读3U4教师用书.docx

Unit4OrganizationandInstitution

UnitOverview

Thisunitdiscussestherelationshipsbetweenindividualsandorganizations/institutions.Asindividualsweareallboundbyorganizationsorinstitutions.Inthissense,sociologycanbedefinedasthescienceoftheinstitutionsofmodernity;specificinstitutionsserveafunction.Inthesocialandpoliticalsciencesingeneral,anorganizationmaybemorelooselyunderstoodastheplanned,coordinatedandpurposefulactionofhumanbeingsworkingthroughcollectiveactiontoreachacommongoalorconstructatangibleproduct.Thisactionisusuallyframedbyformalmembershipandform(institutionalrules).Sociologydistinguishesthetermorganizationintoplannedformalandunplannedinformal(i.e.spontaneouslyformed)organizations,andanalysesorganizationsinthefirstlinefromaninstitutionalperspective.Inthissense,organizationisanenduringarrangementofelements.Theseelementsandtheiractionsaredeterminedbyrulessothatacertaintaskcanbefulfilledthroughasystemofcoordinateddivisionoflabor.

TextA

In“ThePathologyofImprisonment”,PhilipG.Zimbardo’sprisonexperimentatStanfordUniversityrevealshowpowerfulorpowerlessindividualscanbewhenassignedrolesinaninstitutionsuchasaprison.Itdiscussesthephenomenonof“institutionalization”weareusedtobutnotconsciouslyaware.ZimbardoalsomentionstheothersimilarexperimentbyanothersocialpsychologistStanleyMilgram(experimentonindividuals’obedienceor“groupthinking”underauthoritative,groupororganizationalpressure).

TextB

“SocialInstitutions”exploresthedialecticalrelationshipbetweenindividuals,agencyandsocialstructure.Asstructuresormechanismsofsocialorder,socialinstitutionsgovernthebehaviorofasetofindividualswithinagivencommunity.Institutionsareidentifiedwithasocialpurpose,transcendingindividualsandintentionsbymediatingtherulesthatgovernl