A total institution can be defined as: “a place of residence and work where a large number of like-situated individuals, cut off from the wider society for an appreciable part of the day, together lead an enclosed, formally administered round of life.” This definition is taken from Erving Goffman’s 1961 book Asylums. It sounds like a prison doesn’t it? That is because in many ways it is. In this blog post you will learn what exactly a total institution is and why they are so dangerous to those who live there. A total institution can be defined as “a place of residence and work where a large number of like-situated individuals, cut off from the wider society for an appreciable part of the day, together lead an enclosed, formally administered round of life.” This definition is taken from Erving Goffman’s 1961 book Asylums. It sounds like a prison doesn’t it? That is because in many ways it is. In this blog post you will learn what exactly a total institution is and why they are so dangerous to those who live there. In his text about mental institutions called ‘Asylums’, Erving Goffman uses four basic features which define that something or someone may be considered a total institution: They
