To understand such things as cults, the gay subculture and such concepts as a gay mafia it is necessary to grasp the concept of a total institution. Erving Goffman has done excellent work in defining the parameters and characteristics of total institutions. I would recommend his book Asylums. While in Goffman's work a total institution is characterized by a completely closed environment, many of the concepts he outlines can be applied to any social system whose values, mores and social structures permeate a person's life. While the Catholic Church cannot be characterized as a total institution because it is simply too big, there are nevertheless total institutions within it. A residential school is an example of a total institution. The hallmark of a total institution is the social isolation of its members from society at large.
There is definitely a gay subculture which functions in many of the ways a total institution does. The degree to which a gay subculture functions as a total institution is the degree of social isolation and mutual support it provides. (more...)
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