De-socialization and re-socialization often take place in
what is called total institutions, which are an all-
encompassing and often isolated from the community.
They demand a thorough de-socialization of the new
entrants before they assume full-fledged membership.
Total institutions include: mental hospitals, prisons,
religious denominations and some other political groups,
and military units. In each case, persons joining the new
setting have first to be de-socialized, before they are re-
socialized.
Re-socialization may also mean socializing individuals
again into their former values and norms, after they
rejoin their former ways of life, spending a relatively
longer period of time in total institutions. This is because
they might have forgotten most of the basic values and
skills of the former group or society. This kind of re-
socialization may also be regarded as reintegration,
helping the ex-community members renew their
memories of their former lifeways, skills, knowledge, etc.