Unit 12 Introduction
Reading: Chapter 13 in Macionis, pp. 371 - 407
In Unit 12 we consider two of the important traditional institutions in society: family and religion. Family, the basic building block of society, regulates reproduction and sexual behavior, provides for primary socialization, and serves as the basic economic unit in most societies. Religion organizes our spiritual needs and offers explanations for phenomena that are outside the purvey of other institutions, such as the "big questions" like why life exists on this planet and what happens when we die.
 Fig. 12-1: Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France |
Unit 12 introduces the variety of ways in which families are organized around the world, theories sociologists use to explain why and how humans live in families, the various stages of family life, the nature of families in the U.S., and current issues related to the family. Although there is a lot of variation in how people think about family, they are the primary institution in all societies, and the most important agents of socialization.
Unit 12 also presents theories that explain religious behavior and the role of religion is the emergence of industrial society, types of religious organizations, the evolution of religion over time, the nature of religion in the United States, and current trends in religion. Religious communities provide many people, particularly in traditional cultures, with the ability to interact meaningfully with others who are not members of their family. People generally feel a very close, emotional connection to their religious communities and to the tenets of their religion, and fervently defend their beliefs.
In Unit 12, you will see how your own family experiences compare to others, and what family means in different cultures. A family is a social institution that everyone participates in, and when people marry they engage in the process of constructing their own institution. Some of the insights from sociology can help you in forming your own family institution successfully. Also in Unit 12, you will appreciate the variation in religious beliefs and experiences around the world, and see why religion is such a serious subject to so many people. This chapter may help you place your own religious experiences into a larger context, as you read about how religion is practiced and how it is changing in the U.S.
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