A social structure and its different concepts
A social structure is essentially a complicated network of practices and laws that are geographically dispersed and have an impact on the results and behavior of several players. There are at least two ways to use the phrase.
First Concept: Social Organization as an Institutional Complex
The initial hypothesis describes a social organization as an institutional complex that operates haphazardly, such as the market or the state.
Second Concept: Structure of Income, Demographic, Racial, Urban-Rural, and Ethnicity
The income, demographic, racial, urban-rural, and ethnicity structure make up the second concept. It is an explanation of the various facets of the society's structure (Little, 2007).
The Components and Functions of a Social Structure
Institutions, conventions, and practices make up a social structure. It is represented by each member of the community's behaviors, convictions, enduring character traits, and thoughts. The social structure can efficiently organize the behavior of a large number of people. The structure coerces the group and individual behavior.
Additionally, the social structure is responsible for the allocation of powers and roles to people in a specific setting that comprises of a social group such as the Federal government. The structure is dispersed to different locations and can result in outcomes that are composed of persistence and change (Little, 2007).
Micro-Foundations of Human Actions in Social Structures
Micro-foundations in human actions and mentalities are an essential aspect of any social structure. Each social setup must be represented by human beings and the entities "Supervene" upon people. A critical analysis of the enforcement powers possessed by the social structures on individuals must be supported by the theoretical concepts of the micro-foundations of the powers (Form & Wilterdink, n.d.).
The Relationship between Social Entities and Social Structures
Therefore, the social structures are combinations of complex practices and rules that influence outcomes and behaviors. Their description can be stated by considering the micro-foundations that make up the structure. There is a thin line between a social entity and social structure. From the definition of social structure, it is evident that social structure should have a regulatory aspect that influences the actions of individuals (Crossman, 2017).
Enforcement of Social Structures
Social Components in Social Setups
The social components that are contained in each social setup influence the groups and individuals. For instance, the United States comprises of the Federal government that includes other branches of government. The branches have departments that are directed by informal and formal rules. Law enforcement agencies, bank inspectors, tax auditors among other bodies are examples of socially implemented sources of power that are utilized by the states to exert control to both the individual and local level. Therefore, the social structure represented by the U.S Federal government enforces its rules to people through socially developed forms of power (Little, 2007).
Formal and Informal Methods of Control
The System of governance mentioned above is a massive social structure that comprises of highly formal institutions. However, there are also structures that primarily depend on simple setups. For example, beliefs and attitudes have a sizeable geographical influence. In fact, many social groups have attitudes and beliefs that informally influence their behavior. Their enforcement depends on the willingness of people to uphold the requirements of the social group. Examples of social structures that apply informal methods as their control mechanism include the English class system and the Indian marriage system (Little, 2007).
Conclusion
The City of Chicago is not a social structure but rather a complex social entity that consists of a mixture of systems, social practices, and relationships. A social structure should have a regulatory aspect that controls and coordinated the actions of many people (Shah, 2013). The regulations should be enforceable either through formal or informal mechanisms.
References
Crossman, A. (2017, March 2). Social structure defined: An overview of the concept. Retrieved from ThoughtCo: https://www.thoughtco.com/social-structure-defined-3026594
Form, W., & Wilterdink, N. (n.d.). Social Structure. Retrieved from Encyclopaedia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/topic/social-structure
Little, D. (2007, November 22). What is a Social Structure. Retrieved from GRIT: ttps://understandingsociety.blogspot.co.ke/2007/11/what-is-social-structure.html?m=1
Shah, S. (2013). Social Structure-Meaning, Elements and Types. Retrieved from Sociology Discussion: http://www.sociologydiscussion.com/social-structure/social-structure-meaning-elements-and-types/2224
