GROUPS A Positive Product of Stratification

EVIDENCE OF GROUPS THAT EMERGE FROM STRATIFICATION Some Organizations and Forces of Agency Dependent on Class (Economics) Other Organizations and Agency Forces Reliant on Status (Social Usefulness)

EARLY RECOGNITION OF IMPORTANCE OF GROUPS Alexis de Tocqueville: "Americans of all ages, all stations in life, and all types of disposition are forever forming associations. There are not only commercial and industrial associations in which all take part, but others of a thousand different types -- religious, moral, serious, futile, very general and very limited, immensely large, and very minute …. Nothing in my view deserves more attention than the intellectual and moral associations in America."

Contemporary Interpretation of deToqueville’s Perspective Measurable relationships between groups and quality of public life and performance of social institutions 1.Education 2.Unemployment and Poverty 3.Crime 4.Drug Abuse 5.Social/Physical Health

TYPES OF GROUPS CLUBS TEAMS FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS RELIGIOUS GROUPS SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

PRODUCT OF GROUP STRUCTURES 1)CIVIL SOCIETY: The totality of voluntary civic and social organizations and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society as opposed to the force-backed structures of a state (regardless of that state's political system). Civil socieities are populated by organizations such as registered charities, development non-governmental organization, community groups, women’s organizations, faith-based organizations, professional associations, trade unions, self-help groups, social movements, business associations, coalitions and advocacy groups. society state And…

2)SOCIAL CAPITAL: Features of social capital include organizations such as networks, norms and social trust that facilitate coordination and cooperation for mutual benefit.

PROBLEM: MEASURABLE DECLINE IN GROUPS PRIMARY GROUPS DECLINE IN MEMBERSHIP BY AVG 25% IN PAST 25 YEARS EMERGING IN THEIR PLACE: TERTIARY GROUPS