Characteristics of a total institution that colleges *might* exhibit:
* Enclosed environment: Colleges often have a distinct campus, creating a somewhat enclosed environment, especially residential colleges.
* Formalized routines: Students follow scheduled classes, meals, and activities.
* Hierarchical authority: Colleges have a clear chain of command, from professors and deans to administrative staff.
* Control over resources: The college controls access to educational materials, facilities, and often even food and housing.
* Stripping of identity: Students often adopt a new identity within the college community, perhaps through uniforms, ID cards, and participation in campus culture.
Characteristics of a total institution that colleges generally *lack*:
* Complete control over all aspects of life: Colleges generally don't dictate every detail of a student's personal life outside of academic requirements. Students maintain some autonomy regarding their leisure time, social activities, and personal beliefs (within reasonable limits).
* Mortification of the self: While there can be pressures to conform, college generally doesn't aim to systematically break down and rebuild an individual's identity in the same way a prison or mental institution might.
* Strict surveillance and control: While attendance is monitored and behaviour is subject to codes of conduct, the level of surveillance and control in a college isn't as intense or pervasive as in a true total institution.
* Separation from the outside world: Students generally maintain contact with family and friends outside of college.
Conclusion:
Colleges share some similarities with total institutions, primarily in their structured environment and control over resources. However, the degree of control and the impact on individual identity are far less pronounced. Therefore, while exhibiting certain characteristics, colleges aren't considered a prime or complete example of a total institution. They are better described as possessing *some* characteristics of total institutions, perhaps better fitting the description of a "modified total institution" or existing on a spectrum of total institutional characteristics.