In this thesis, I examine some of the relationships between hierarchy and
community that exist in institutions. Within institutions, individuals are
separated from one another and organized hierarchically based on arbitrary
inequalities. In general, I discusses inequalities based on race, class, gender,
sexual orientation, age, ability, etc. Institutions organized based on arbitrary
inequalities cannot create and sustain a whole community since such inequalities
result in hostile or coercive treatment of individuals based on characteristics or
criteria over which they have no control. If it is true that people want and/or
need community, then it matters a great deal for us to know whether or not
community can exist in hierarchical institutions, since certain kinds of
hierarchies interfere with building and sustaining community. I explain how the
concept of "whole community" allows for the unity of unequal beings, provided
that the inequalities are based on merit. Furthermore, I describe two fictitious
institutions. One, Cloister University is organized on the basis of arbitrary
inequalities. The other, Mores University is a whole community, organized on
the basis of merit. / Graduation date: 2004
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/30867 |
| Date | 12 May 2004 |
| Creators | Matheis, Christian G. |
| Contributors | Roberts, Lani |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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