Saint Anthony Academy

Batuan, Bohol, Philippines

Member: Bohol Association of Catholic Schools ( BACS)
Catholic Education Association of the Philippines (CEAP)
DISCIPLINES AND IDEAS IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES 11

Name:___________________________ Year & Section:___________________________

Date:______________________________ Score: __________________
ACTIVITY NO. 9
Topic: Institutionalism and Feminism Theory
Competency: 1. Examine the constitutive nature of informal and formal institutions and their actors and how it
constrains social behavior.
2. Determine the relationship between gender ideology and gender inequality.
Objective: Suggest ways on how to stop gender-based abused that is happening in the community.
Concept Notes:
INSTITUTIONALISM
Institutionalism is a general approach to governance and social science. It concentrates on institutions and
studies them using inductive, historical, and comparative methods (Bevir 2009).Institutions, according to Alejandria-
Gonzalez (2016) are patterns, routines, norms, rules, and schemes that govern and direct social thought and action. It
is an approach that aims to understand and analyze how actions, thoughts, and meanings penetrate the social
consciousness deeply enough to embed themselves into the social psyche.
Institutionalism, at its core, studies how institutions achieve balance and stability as they manipulate their
different regulative, normative, and cognitive functions. The dynamics that happen when these three functions try to
meet or comply with environmental and organizational structures is where institutionalism as a theory presents itself
as a model for research analysis (Alejandria- Gonzalez 2016).
 It includes any form of constraint (formal or informal) that human beings devise to shape their
interaction (Arthur S. Abulencia 2017)
 “Institutions are the rules of the game in a society; more formally, they are the humanly devised
constraints that shape human interaction. In consequence they structure incentives in exchange whether
political, social, or economic” (North 1991)
 They are also social political, economic, and cultural structures, customs, practices, and mechanisms of
social cooperation, order and governance that determine the rules of games that govern the behavior of
individuals. Institutions are manifest in both formal organizations and informal social order and
organization (Arthur S. Abulencia 2017).
Features of Institutions
 Institutions are a structural feature of the society or polity. They are created with the only reason:
decrease uncertainty.
 Stable over time.
 They must pose constraints and affect individual behavior of its members.
Institutionalism as defined by Abulencia, et al (2017) is a method by which scholars take institutions as
subject of study to find and trace patterns and sequences of social, political, economic behavior and change across
time and space. It relies heavily on case studies, and most of these studies rely heavily on the study of formal
institutions or formal rules. Moreover, they were highly normative and deterministic, such as the linearity of history as
Hegel, Marx and others did. Marx’s arguments relied on “social class”, Weber on “bureaucracy”, Durkheim on “the
division of labor”, which identifies it as the sole determination of social changes.
Types of Institutionalism
1. Old institutionalism- characterized itself by legalism, structuralism, holism, historicism, and normative
analysis (Peters 1999).
2. New institutionalism- avoids the deterministic approaches to history and emphasizes the autonomous role of
institutions in shaping human behavior and history. Institutions are treated as “actors” making choices based on
some “collective” interests, preferences, goals, alternatives, and expectations. This is referred to as “rationality”
Contemporary approaches to Institutionalism
 1. Historical Institutionalism- the actors are both determined by and are producers of history. Ellen Immergut
(1998) recognizes that institutions operate in environment consisting of other institutions, called institutional
environment. Much of the research deals with the influence of institutions on human behavior through rules,
norms, and another framework. Moreover, it is path dependence.
2. Rational Choice Institutionalism- explains behavior of individuals by emphasizing how institutions can
create situations in which rational choice/collective action paradoxes are resolved. It relies on the assumption of
actors will act rationally in response to this structure of costs and benefits, and seek to maximize their utility while
minimizing costs (Arthur S. Abulencia 2017).
3. Sociological Institutionalism- behavior can be explained by reference institutions whose form and structure
are importantly influenced by culture as well as by function, with “culture” referencing symbols, ceremonies, etc.,
that are specific to modes of activities not just territorial regions (Arthur S. Abulencia 2017).

INSTITUTIONALISM
Institutions are social structures that have attained a high degree of resilience. They
are composed of cultural-cognitive, normative, and regulative elements that, together with
associated activities and resources, provide stability and meaning to social life.
Institutions provide the rules, guidelines, and structure needed to carry out everyday
activities. The main job of an institution is to regulate three parts of the society: economy,
politics, and ideologies (PHINMA-Araullo University 2020).

FORMAL INSTITUTIONS INFORMAL INSTITUTIONS

are those officially established in one are not officially established but are
way or another, often by the practices commonly accepted
government like; Family, Education, throughout society. Beliefs, Norms,
Church, Laws, Constitution, Values
Government

FEMINIST THEORY
Feminism or feminist theory, on the other hand, studies gender and its relation to power, and the
dynamics these two concepts play out in economics, politics, sexuality, race, and nationality, among others. It is
both a sociological perspective and a philosophy that aims to promotes gen der equality, social justice, and
women’s rights (Alejandria-Gonzalez 2016)
Feminism is support for equality for women and men. It strives for gender equality. The primary concern
that tries to address is the oppression of women in society and the patriarchal structures of most societies. There
are various ways to approach this theory, both females and males who identify themselves as feminists may
disagree on many things (3G Elearning FZ LLC 2017).
 Gender Roles are acquired via the process of socialization rather than biologically determined.
 Gender Ideology- a social belief that supports gender inequality. It is a social divide that establishes
perceived roles for men and women and relegating them to specific roles. Some gender ideologies include
women staying at home while men go to work, and women being more delicate, emotional, and nurturing
compared to men who are more aggressive, assertive, and dominant.
 Gender Inequality- the actualization or realization of gender ideology. There is gender inequality when
the perceived role of women subordination to men reflects hiring procedures and requirements; for
example, a secretarial post accepting only female applicants. Salaries are also unequal when it comes to
men and women.
 Feminism can be used to describe a political, cultural, or economic movement aimed at establishing
equal rights and legal protection for women. It involves political and sociological theories and
philosophies concerned with issues of gender difference, as well as a movement that advocates gender
equality for women and campaigns for women’s rights and interests (Arthur S. Abulencia 2017).
Feminist Theory Suggests:
 Attempts to develop a comprehensive account of the subordination of women, including it
supposes essence and origin.
 A prerequisite for developing effective strategies to liberate women
 Identifies the underlying causes of women subordination
 Attempts to describe women’s oppression, explain its causes and consequences
Feminist Theory Purposes:
 To understand the power differential in between men and women
 To understand women’s oppression- how it evolved, how it changes over time, how it is related to other
forms of oppression
 How to overcome oppression
Types of Feminism:
 Gender Differences
 Gender Oppression
 Structural Oppression
 Feminism and Multiculturalism
National and Local Organization Advocates:
 The General Assembly Binding Women for Reforms, Integrity, Equality, Leadership, and Action
(GABRIELA)
 Junior Chamber International (JCI) Boholana Kisses
 Baji Arts Collective

ACTIVITY
A. Instruction: Cite 5 instances or situations showing discrimination against women (or men).
(15 pts)
At Home In School Community

B. As a student, how can you stop Gender-based abuse that is happening in our
community? (10 pts)