Concept of Society.

The term society has been derived from the Latin word “Socius” which means a companion,
association or fellowship. It is because man always lives in the company of his fellow beings.
This led George Simmel to remark that sociability is the essence of society. The term society is
understood in different sense. In our day-to-day discussion society is used to refer to the
members of specific in group; for example- Adivasi Society, Harijan Society etc.

Some Popular Definitons by famous Sociologists

1) According to Ginsberg, “A society is a collection of individuals united by certain relations or modes

of behaviour which mark them off from others, who do not enter into those relations or who differ
from them in behaviour.”

2) According to F.H. Giddings, “Society is the union itself, the organization, the sum of formal relations
in which associating individuals are bound together”.

3) According to G.D.H. Cole, “Society is the complex of organized associations and institutions within
the community”.

4) According to J.F. Cuber, “A society may be defined as a group of people who have lived long
enough to become organized and to consider themselves and be considered as a unit more or less
distinct from other human units.”

5. According to Maclver and Page, “Society is a system of usages and procedures, authority and
mutual aid, of many groupings and divisions, of controls of human behavious and of liberties”.

6. According to T.Parsons, “Society may be defined as the total complex of human relationship in so
far as they grow out of action in terms of means and relationship, intrinsic or symbolic.”

7. According to C.H. Cooley, “Society is a complex of forms and processes each of which is living and
growing by interaction with the others, the whole being so unified that what takes place in one part
affects all the rest.”

8. According to Leacock, “Society includes not only the political relations by which men are bound
together but the whole range of human relations and collective activities.”

b) Characteristics of Pakistani Society

 Pakistani society has the following characteristics:

i- Religion & Beliefs

ii- Family bonds are strong in Pakistan

 iii- National and regional languages.

iv- Mixed culture.

v- Rich literature

vi- Male dominated society.

vii- Variety of Dresses

viii- Fairs and Festivals.

ix- Sports

x- Handicrafts.

i. Religion & Beliefs

 Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu, and other (inc. Sikh) 3%
 Islam is practised by the majority of Pakistanis and governs their personal, political,
economic and legal

ii. Family bonds are strong in Pakistan

Family comes first in Pakistan due to religious, cultural, economic and societal
values. Pakistani society is not led by individualism but rather by collectivism,
where family and other relationships stand strong.

iii - National and Regional Languages:

Urdu is the national language. Punjabi, Pashtu, Sindhi, Balochi, Barohi and Kashmiri are
regional languages.

iv- Mixed Culture:

Practically speaking Pakistani culture is a beautiful blend of the Punjabi, Sindhi, Pathan,
Baluchi, Barohi, Seraiki and Kashmiri cultures.
 v- Rich Literature:
Pakistani culture is rich in the literatures of Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtu, Baruhi, Baluchi
and Kashmiri languages. E.g, Iqbal, Hali, Ghalib, Waris Shah, Shah Abdul Latif, Sachal
Sheikh Saleh, Jam Durk etc.
v- Male Dominated Society:
Pakistani society is dominated by male member who is responsible for arranging the bread
and butter of the family.

vii- Variety of Dresses:

The people of Punjab, the Pathans of NWFP, the Baluchi people and the Sindhis wear their
own distinct dresses.

ix- Sports:.

Modern games like hockey, cricket, football, badminton, squash, and table tennis are played
throughout the coutnry.
x- Handicrafts:
Wooden furniture of Chiniot, sports goods of Sialkot and embroidery of Multan and
Hyderabad is world famous.

a) Comparison of Rural and Urban Communities

The main difference between the two societies as under:

Definitions and description of Social Institution

 1. Barnus
“A social institution means a structural skeleton through which the societies complete and guide the
organizations of different activities regarding satisfaction of human needs.”

2. RT. Schaefer :
“Social institutions are organized patterns of beliefs and behaviour centered on basic social needs.”

3. Institutions have been defined by Maclver as the “established forms or conditions of procedure
characteristic of group activity.

4. According to Sumner, “An institution consists of a concept (idea, notion, doctrine or interest)
and a structure.

5. According to Woodward folkways, mores and laws which enter in some function or functions.

6. According to Green, “An institution is the organization of several folkways and mores into a unit
which serves a number of social functions.

7. According to Gillin and Gillin “A social institution is a functional configuration of culture pattern
(including actions, ideas, attitudes and cultural equipment) which possesses a certain
permanence and which is intended to satisfy felt social needs.

8. According to Ginsberg, Institutions are definite and sanctioned forms or modes of relationship
between social beings in respect to one another or to some external object.

9. According to Horton and Hunt, “An institution is an organized system of relationships which
embodies certain common rules and procedures and meets certain basic needs of the society.”

Institutions are forms of procedure. Every organization is dependent upon certain recognized and
established set of rules, traditions and usages. These usages and rules may be given the name of
institutions. They are the forms of procedure which are recognized and accepted by society and govern
the relations between individuals and groups. Thus marriage, education, property and religion are the
main institutions.

Functions of the Family

Generally the family is recognised as an element of a broader kinship network

that links ancestors and descendants of a person. It is the most permanent
and most persistent of all social institutions which exerts constant influence in
life of the members from the moment of birth to the moment of death.
 Functions of family
The family as a social institution performs several functions which is
categorised into primary and secondary.
Primary functions
Biological functions
 It regulates and satisfies the sexual behaviour of Husband and wife
through the marriage.
 It fulfils the desire of human to procreate children and thus regulates the
perpetuation of human race.
 Psychological Function
 Family provides emotional satisfactions to its members through love,
sympathy and affection and Mental Security.
Secondary functions
Economic function:
 There is no other institute than family where the members feel free to
ask for support during financial crisis.
Educational Functions
 The child gets its basic and formal learning within the family. It provides
training in social attitudes and habits which are important for an adult in its
social life.
Religious functions
 It teaches its members all religious values, way of worship, morals
precepts.
The Recreational Functions
 Family always aims to bring its member together and this is possible
through the recreational activities. It is foster by various family functions such
as reunions, hoisting relatives, playing indoor games, social gatherings, sport
etc.

Religion as Institution

Definitions: 1. As a social institution, religion is a pattern of social action organized around

the beliefs and practices that people develop to answer questions about the meaning of
existence.

2. “Emile Durkheim”. Religion is an integrative force in society because it has the power to
shape collective beliefs. It provides cohesion in the social order by promoting a sense of
belonging and collective consciousness
Functions:

Political institution

Political institutions are the organizations in a government that create,

enforce, and apply laws. They often mediate conflict, make
(governmental) policy on the economy and social systems, and otherwise
provide representation for the population.
Functions:

1. Political institution is the organization which is responsible for formulation and

execution of law.

2. It also work as mediator to resolve conflict and formulate economic and social
system policies.

3. It is responsible for representing the general population.

4. To maintain the integration of society by determining norms.
5. To adapt and change elements of social, economic, and
religious systems necessary for achieving collective (political)
goals.
6. To protect the integrity of the political system from outside
threats.

7. Political institution have impact on economy, education, culture and society.

8. Political parties, trade unions, legislature and judiciary are the examples of
political institutions.

9. Political institution may also refer to the state norms under which the above
mentioned organizations operate.

10. Political institution also influences the economy and businesses. Unstable
political environment have negative impact on economy, whereas, stable political
environment bring peace and prosperity in the country.

11. Political institution include both politics and government. There are many political
systems in the world however, the most eminent and applied systems are as
follow, democracy, republic, communism, socialism, dictatorship and monarchy.
Recreational Institution

Social Change

Social Change

Change means differentiation in anything observation over sometime. If

we feel that there's come alteration we call it changes. It this change is in

contest to social structure, institution etc, i.e. social context then it is

social change.

According Fictor "Change means variations from previous state or mode

of existence".

Definition of Social Change

Ginsberg (By social change I understand a change in the social structure).

Kingsley Doris "By social change is meant only such alternations as occur

in social organization i.e. the structure & functions of society".

Merril & Elbridge "Social change means, that large no. of persons are

engaging in activities that differ from those which they or their

immediate fore-fathers engaged in some time before."

Gillin & Gillin "Social changes are variations from the accepted mode of

life, whether due to alteration in geographical condition, in cultural

equipment, composition of the population. Or ideologies & whether

brought about by diffusion or inventions within the group."

Jones' "Social change is a term used to describe variations in or

modification of any aspect of social process, social patterns, social

interaction or social organization."

M.D.Jenson – Describes –Social change as "modification in ways of doing

& thinking of people."

Opioid users (estimated number of 628,000 opioid users in Pakistan)

 Heroin Users: Heroin remained the most popular drug being abused by 77% or
approximately 484,000. These findings mirror those of Drug Abuse Assessment
undertaken in 2000 (estimated number of heroin users in 2000 drug abuse assessment
was 500,000). Given the massive increase of opium and heroin production in
neighboring Afghanistan this stability in prevalent rates is a notable achievement.
 Age Group: The opioid users fall in the age bracket of 15-64 years which is very
high rate.
Drug injecting users
 Over the last one decade the drug abuse problem has become more complicated as
the number of IDUs has doubled. There are an estimated 125,000 injecting drug users
 It is important to note that in the year 2000 the absolute number of injecting drug
users in Pakistan was 60,000, which almost doubled in 2006, an alarming trend that
needs to be addressed on priority
 In 1990’s the proportion of injecting users was reported between 2 and 8 percent of
opiod users
 In 2000 injecting was reported among 15 percent (60,000)
 In 2006 up to 29 percent (125,000) injected drugs
POPULATION
UNEMPLOYMENT