Sociology and Social Science Educational Institutions

Question: Discuss about theSociology and Social Sciencefor Educational Institutions. Answer: Introduction Observational trips are important in terms of practical experience. Visits to places of educational or historical institutions or settings can prove to be helpful to the students in a thoughtful and sensitive way. At the same time, the visits to the excursion sites can contribute to the development of personality and self-esteem of the students. Especially trips to the historical or religious places makes students aware of the timeline and the history of their own society and at the same time can awaken a sense of wonderment and awe. There are many and departments, dealing with various subjects, who prefer to undertake the off-campus training through the trips than classroom seasons (ari-edu.org 2016). The following essay, through a series of analysis and judging the aspects attempts to trace the prospects of an observational field trip to the ISCON temple at Melbourne. The essay analyzes the secular and religious prospect of the temple and the religious and secular prospects of the temple and the interrelation of the secular and religious observation in the area and thus brings out the appropriateness of the temple for the observational trip. ISCON as a place to visit for an observational trip is a best choice in terms of its atmosphere. Despite being a religious place, the temple does not impose any religious segregation or hegemony upon the visitors. The religion of Krishna exercises an open approach to everyone visiting and it is one of the great features can be accounted in its appropriateness as a place for the concerned trip. At the same time, the place can give the students the experience of touch, taste, smell, seeing and hearing. The atmosphere of the place in itself is peaceful and serene. This will be able to give the students a peace of mind and a meditating feeling which when continued will be able to provide the students a development in the personality and a spiritual feeling (Ammerman 2013). Most importantly, the spiritual feeling the place provides does not impose the spirituality of a particular religion. The temple practices a secular religion of love that has a vast and open air of acceptance in it. Th us, the spirituality does not give birth to orthodoxy rather love and openness of mind. This aura of personality and openness in present times is important to develop in all students in present times. Therefore, ISCON temple, Melbourne can serve as an appropriate destination for an observational trip (Cusack 2012). The outlook of the temple itself is graceful and worth a visit. The students will be able to learn the architectural qualities of different religions. Situated in Melbourne, Australia the students have already got to see a number of churches like the Scots Church, Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne to mention a few. Therefore, the students are well aware of the architectural features of a church, the students must have a holistic approach towards their knowledge so they must know about the different religions as well. The quaint houses, Indian architecture of the main temple area, the reception of the guests, the foods, and the treatment of the people will give the students a glimpse inside the culture and religion (harekrishnamelbourne.com.au 2016). Educationally, ISCON adopts a secular approach towards every religion. Throughout the temple, there is no material or element documenting any biased opinion towards any religion. Moreover, their approach is much unbiased. Their educational plans as their official website indicates is learning-centered and favoring experiential and interactive learning (iskconeducationalservices.org 2016). Therefore, the place can be accepted as a religious place of unorthodox and unbiased view. This secular approach would be much helpful for students since, in a group of observational trip students from differing religion can be a part of. Therefore, secular places must be the preferable. ISCON temple is such a place that gives the visitors a solace of mind, which can be provided only through a spiritual approach but without any biased or partial approach. Moreover, from the descriptions of the visitors, it is well evident that the place contains a secular and spiritual approach with an unbiased reli gion that all can adopt and accept (myyatradiary.com 2016). However, before delving deep in the further discussions of secular, spiritual or religious atmosphere of ISCON it would be much fruitful to identify the terms in terms of social science. To by definition Secularism in social science indicates to a system or organization that does not allow religion to influence the government, or strongly follows the belief that government should not be influenced by any religion (Davie 2013). However, the definition involves a wide area to adhere i.e. the nation and the government. Therefore, to contextualize the definition in the discussion the government can be taken to be the governing body of an organization that does not allow any religious influence to affect them. Thus, the ISCON temple, at Melbourne can be termed to be an appropriate example of a secular organization. From the official website of the temple as well as the visitors review in several websites, it is well evident that the temple does not adhere to any certain religion or influe nces the people to adopt one. Students would be much helped in such an atmosphere to find a mental peace and at the same time a secular (unbiased) approach towards religion. From the discussion of secularism, another question comes out; what is religion? As sociologist Emile Durkheim mentions, religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices related to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community( Durkheim 2008). Religion distinguishes between the sacred and the profane. However, the ISCON temple has established sacredness in the profanity of daily life. Which gives rise to spirituality must be learnt by all the students to practice in their everyday life for it is the atmosphere and practice of spirituality that gives one the feeling of solace in turmoil (Davie 2013). However, in the atmosphere of the temple, all the students must learn a serene blend of spirituality and secularism in the present times. However, an Indian temple by origin, ISCON practices the culture and spirituality that is common and a driving factor for all the religion. Nevertheless, it would be appropriate to mention the place as a secular temple where the governing body is bereft of the influence of any unified system of beliefs and practices called religion. By definition, the term adheres to the concept of secularism. Therefore, the temple encourages all Indians as well as Australians, Hindus or Christian or Buddhists to enter and involve in their exercises of cultures and celebration. However, spirituality cannot be gained without the influence of the beliefs and practices related to sacred things (Edles 2016), but at the same time spirituality does not involve orthodoxy and above all fundamentalism of any religion. Spirituality does not contain any tangible definition. H owever, sociologists define spirituality to be the search for the sacred (Berg-Srensen 2016). Different religion distinguishes sacred differently but the essence and the search remains the same. Thus, spirituality sociologically is not different for any religion. Moreover, ISCON practices spirituality in the profanity of daily life. This makes it an appropriate place for all student to visit. Reference: Asian Rural Institute. (2012).Observation Trips. [online] Available at: https://www.ari-edu.org/en/our-training/%E3%82%AB%E3%83%AA%E3%82%AD%E3%83%A5%E3%83%A9%E3%83%A0/%E8%A6%8B%E5%AD%A6%E3%83%BB%E7%A0%94%E4%BF%AE%E6%97%85%E8%A1%8C/ [Accessed 28 Sep. 2016]. 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(2016).My Yatra Diary.... [online] Myyatradiary.com. Available at: https://www.myyatradiary.com/ [Accessed 28 Sep. 2016].