Web Exercise April 28-29-30
Social institutions are the broadest organizers of individuals' beliefs, drives, and behaviors. Institutions evolve over time to address the separate needs of society (e.g., the military institution out of the need for defense; the family out of the social needs for procreation, socialization, and intimacy).
Social institutions are free-standing social units with their own inner dynamics and rhythms. Like separate musical scores, each has its own melodies, harmonies, and rhythms. The more powerful a given institution is in any given society, the more likely it influences everyday life.
As society changes so to must the social institutions that frame society.
Social institutions change to reflect the needs of society. Your task is to identify changes occurring in the institutional framework that will impact your life in the next 50 years. Develop a well organized discussion of your world and the institutions that shape it. Be certain to identify and describe the changes occurring to each of the social institutions and how that change will impact your place in society . Use the web to generate ideas. If you find a compelling argument that you agree with—use it (but give it credit).
This task is a free form narrative; I'm more interested in your ideas—be creative.
For example, the internet has changed how we communicate and interact at the individual level—how will social skills evolve to allow meaningful interaction between human beings in the digital age? As the price of gasoline approaches $4.00 a gallon, how will society deal with the choice of driving or not? Does it mean we continue to live in suburbia, or is an urban and concentrated landscape in our future? Does the current Islamic expansion represent a return to faith, or is it a rejection of the vast technological expansion throughout the world and a response to that accelerating change?
(Don't ask me how long it should be…as long as it takes…have fun with it!)
Paper is due Friday, May 2, 2008