Scope note

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An instance of institutional status is the collective ascription of a social function to a group by a community. The substance of the institutional status is the communal commitment to relating to and acting toward the group in question according to the designated status.

Instances of institutional status are recognizable through evidence of community members adopting the intentional stance of so relating or acting toward the group in question, as observable from direct witnesses, through the reports of competent observers or through evidence of a declarative act [e.g.: ZE31 Group Role Assignment] initiating this status.

Instances of institutional status may come to be through a formal process such as a group role assignment, or may have arisen through habit, fiat or be of unknown origin. Instances of institutional status may end either though a formal process, such as a new declarative act of role assignment, the formal stripping of a status, or may simply fade out of use, be eliminated by fiat or be of unknown reason.

Language

en