Explanation
The term Total Institution was coined by Canadian-American sociologist Erving Goffman. It refers to places where individuals live, work, and sleep in the same location for an extended period, cut off from the broader society and under the control of a centralized authority. Typical examples include prisons, psychiatric hospitals, military barracks, monasteries, and boarding schools.
What distinguishes total institutions from other social settings is their comprehensive control over daily life: routines are strictly regulated, interactions with the outside world are limited, and personal identities are reshaped by institutional roles. Goffman described these dynamics as a mortification of the self, where individuals undergo processes of depersonalization (e.g., wearing uniforms, surrendering personal belongings). The main purpose of such institutions is not only containment but also the transformation of identity and behavior in line with institutional norms.
Theoretical Reference
The concept is a key element in Goffman’s seminal work Asylums (1961) and is widely used in the sociology of institutions and deviance. It is closely linked to theories of social control, stigma, and disciplinary power. The idea of total institutions also resonates with Michel Foucault’s work on surveillance and the internalization of control (Discipline and Punish).