What is Institutionalisation?

Hello everyone!!!

Institutionalization refers to the process of embedding some conception (for example a belief, norm, social role, particular value or mode of behaviour) within an organization, social system, or society as a whole. 

                                   

This was a much scientific and theoretical definition indeed! So let me explain you the actual meaning of institutionalization through the means of a story. After all, forgetting a story is quite rare!

So sit back, grab a cup of coffee or tea and listen...

                    

Long time back there was a village where everyone lived happily and were just like family members. Their basic occupation was farming. 

                           

Then came a middle aged man who started to live in the streets of this village. After 2-3 days the villagers started to notice him and asked him about his where about. He replied that he was a wanderer and now had no place to live so he came to their village.

                

 The villagers felt empathetic towards the person and gave him a temporary shelter. Most of them also provided him with food and other basic necessities, turn by turn. He was quite happy in this village.

 After about 1 month, the wanderer felt ashamed and told the villagers that he can no longer take so much of obligation. So he told the villagers that he wanted to do some work so that he can also be help them in some way.

                     

The villagers decided amongst themselves and finally gave a work to the wanderer. They told him to take care of their farms. Basically, they wanted him to protect their farms from the wild animals and birds. The wanderer agreed and was excited to work for them. The villagers also provided him with a stick made of bamboo for self-defence purpose.

                         

The wanderer started his work and every night went to the farms to fulfil his duty. Soon he became an important member of the village. 

On one fine day, their was a small fight in the village regarding the land area. Soon the wanderer was called to solve the issue. He told that which part of the land belonged to whom. Everyone believed him as he was the one who took care of their lands.

He got married and soon had a baby boy as well. He became quite influential.

He grew old and as the wheel of life moved, he came near to his death. At the time of death he gave the Bamboo stick to his son and told him to take care of the farms of the villagers and to take care of the villagers as well. He told him that the villagers are the ones who supported them in their bad time and thus you should always do justice. The Bamboo stick was a symbol of Justice for him. 

The boy took over the work of his father and started serving the villagers. He started to take part in the major activities of the village and behaved as the head of the villagers. He was the one who was called for solving any dispute that occurred. 

Soon he got married and had a child.

As the cycle of life moved, he passed on the legacy to his son. At his death bed, he told his son that the Bamboo stick was a symbol of Power and Authority. 

Now, the second generation child took over the work of his ancestors. He started to take care of the farms but he thought that he no longer wanted food and crops in return. So he discussed this with the villagers and told them that he wanted wages instead of crop share. Thus the villagers started to provide him with money. Sooner or later, without realising the villagers started to follow this boy and did what he said and respected his decisions. The boy soon established his own house and got married and had kids.

                                                    

He transferred his legacy to his children and told them that the Bamboo stick was a symbol of kingdom and revenue. 

Thus, the third generation began behaving in an authoritative manner and soon established a kingdom of their own.

The third generation had now developed a rule over the village in which they were the kings and the villagers were the common crowd!

                             

So the story ends here! 

But paying attention to the conclusion is important. Here we saw that the family of a wanderer who initially had nothing, became the emperor of a village, which actually gave shelter to them. Ironical indeed!!!

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This is what institutionalization  means, i.e., the process of  building up a hierarchy. In this example as well, the wanderer and his future generations established a kingdom of their own.

This a concept often used in Sociology and Social Psychology. Its an important terminology that should be understood very well!

I hope you understood this concept well. Please share you views in the comment section below!

Feel free to contact me on my email:

vidyakiranfoundation@gmail.com    OR

mcssakshi@gmail.com

Source of images:
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https://mcpedl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/medieval-4.jpg