Emile DurkheimEmile Durkheim (1858-1917)(1858-1917)

Personal InformationPersonal Information Born April 1858

Jewish section of Epinal, France

Family: Close-knit

Not wealthy but respected Hey Hey DurkheimHey Hey Durkheim

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgA41FMY0oQhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgA41FMY0oQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxVImdGYu3Ihttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxVImdGYu3I FunctionalismFunctionalism

Personal InformationPersonal Information 1887 first faculty appointment1887 first faculty appointment

1st Sociology course

Chair: Dept. of Social Sciences . of Social Sciences 1896-1902 (University of Bordeaux)1896-1902 (University of Bordeaux)

Married, 2 children , 2 children (Son, Andre died in WWI)(Son, Andre died in WWI)

Died at at 5959

Social EnvironmentSocial Environment Rapid industrializationRapid industrialization

Conflict: Workers and Owners

Paris Commune (1871) Workers seized Paris

Established egalitarian republic

Government destroyed commune

Killed 20,000 working-class people

Social Environment: FranceSocial Environment: France

History of Political Instability Monarchy of Louis XVI

French Revolution (1789)

Dictatorship of Napoleon I (1799-1815)

Restoration of Bourbon monarchy

Bourbons overthrown (1830)

Louis XVI & Marie Louis XVI & Marie AntoinetteAntoinette

Napoleon INapoleon I

History of Political Instability

Monarchy of Louis Philippe

Revolution ended monarchy (1848)

2nd Republic (1848-1852)

Emperor Napoleon III (1852-1870) Nephew of Napoleon I

Deposed after defeat in Franco-Prussian War

Louis PhilippeLouis Philippe

Napoleon IIINapoleon III(Nephew of Napoleon I)(Nephew of Napoleon I)

History of Political Instability

Durkheim lived in 3rd Republic People had lost moral unity

Remnants of previous governments

People supported:DemocracyMonarchySocialism

Durkheim’s 3 Basic Durkheim’s 3 Basic ConcernsConcerns

1) Instability1) Instability EconomicEconomic PoliticalPolitical

2) Violence2) Violence Workers & employersWorkers & employers Between nationsBetween nations Anti-SemitismAnti-Semitism

3) Decadence3) Decadence Self-centeredSelf-centered No sense of communityNo sense of community

Sociology the SolutionSociology the Solution Purpose of SociologyPurpose of Sociology=Explain =Explain

how to make modern society how to make modern society workwork

Develop positivist lawsDevelop positivist laws

Solve problemsSolve problems

Address moral crisesAddress moral crises

Create stabilityCreate stability

MoralityMorality Morality composed of three

elements:

1. Discipline (Constrains egoistic impulses)

2. Attachment (Voluntarily join groups)

3. Autonomy (Individual responsibility)

Sources of MoralitySources of Morality

Education Provides children with moral

tools

Occupational associations Adults acquire morals

Intellectual InfluencesIntellectual Influences KantKant

Morality without divinity Morality without divinity Sense of dutySense of duty

Saint-SimonSaint-Simon Sociology->Moral lawsSociology->Moral laws Hold society togetherHold society together

Intellectual InfluencesIntellectual Influences

ComteComte Focus: Social stability & Focus: Social stability & changechange

SpencerSpencer Social evolutionSocial evolution

IdeasIdeas Social SolidaritySocial SolidarityDynamic DensityDynamic DensitySocial FactsSocial FactsCollective ConsciousnessCollective ConsciousnessCollective RepresentationsCollective RepresentationsSocial CurrentsSocial CurrentsSociety as a distinct social Society as a distinct social realityrealityIndividual as DualisticIndividual as Dualistic

Social SolidaritySocial Solidarity A set of A set of normsnorms, , values,values, and and

moralsmorals that hold a certain that hold a certain group of people togethergroup of people together

““The ties that bind”The ties that bind” Social context: Social context:

Growing individualismGrowing individualism Social dislocationSocial dislocation Moral diversificationMoral diversification

Social SolidaritySocial Solidarity

1) Mechanical SolidarityNon-industrial societiesMinimal division of laborFew occupationsSimilarity bound people together

Social SolidaritySocial Solidarity

2) Organic SolidarityMore advanced societies

(industrial) Increased division of labor Many occupationsDifference and Interdependency

create solidarity

Social FactsSocial Facts ““Ways of acting, thinking, & feeling, Ways of acting, thinking, & feeling,

externalexternal to the individual & endowed to the individual & endowed with the with the power of coercionpower of coercion, by , by reason of which they control him.”reason of which they control him.”

Independent of any single individualIndependent of any single individual

Only explained by other social factsOnly explained by other social facts

Social Facts-3 General Social Facts-3 General TypesTypes

1. Material factsSocial structures

Economy, Family, Social class

Morphological Facts Form and Structure

Population size and density Geographical location

Social FactsSocial Facts (cont.)(cont.)

2. Nonmaterial facts

Norms

Values

Collective representations

Collective consciousness

Social FactsSocial Facts (cont.)(cont.)

3. Social currents3. Social currents Not as clearly formedNot as clearly formed

Examples:Examples:Enthusiasm in crowdsEnthusiasm in crowdsIndignation in crowdsIndignation in crowdsDepression in particular Depression in particular social groupssocial groups

Collective ConsciousnessCollective Consciousness

Totality of Totality of beliefs & sentiments beliefs & sentiments common to the average member common to the average member of societyof society

Exists beforeExists before individuals individuals

SurvivesSurvives individuals individuals

Collective ConsciousnessCollective Consciousness

(cont.)(cont.)

Experienced as external forceExperienced as external forceShapes behaviorShapes behavior

Varies from society to societyVaries from society to societyBased on division of laborBased on division of labor

Collective ConsciousnessCollective Consciousness4 dimensions4 dimensions

1. 1. VolumeVolume=Number of people =Number of people involvedinvolved

2. 2. IntensityIntensity=How deeply people feel =How deeply people feel about the beliefabout the belief

3. 3. RigidityRigidity=Clarity of the definition=Clarity of the definition

4. 4. ContentContent=Form collective =Form collective consciousness takesconsciousness takes

4 Dimensions4 DimensionsMarriage in Feudal Societies Marriage in Feudal Societies

(Mechanical Societies)(Mechanical Societies) Volume=Most people involved

Intensity=Felt deeply about it

Rigidity=Clearly defined

Content=Religious & economic

4 Dimensions4 DimensionsMarriage Today Marriage Today (Organic Society)(Organic Society)

VolumeVolume=Large # but smaller =Large # but smaller % of population% of population

IntensityIntensity=Feel less deeply=Feel less deeply

RigidityRigidity=Less clearly defined=Less clearly defined

ContentContent=Personal choice=Personal choice

Society & Social RealitySociety & Social Reality

Society as a Society as a distinct formdistinct form of of social realitysocial reality

Cannot be reduced Cannot be reduced to biology to biology or psychologyor psychology

Society is not the mere sum Society is not the mere sum of its partsof its parts

Individual as DualisticIndividual as Dualistic Individual part and Social partIndividual part and Social part

Individual partIndividual part

BioorganicBioorganic

InbornInborn

Self-centeredSelf-centered

Individual as DualisticIndividual as Dualistic

Social PartSocial Part Develops through interactionDevelops through interaction

Socialization Socialization

Altruistic Altruistic

Group orientedGroup oriented

Needs nurturing & Needs nurturing & developingdeveloping

AnomieAnomie NormsNorms (expectations for (expectations for

behavior) are:behavior) are: Confused Confused Unclear or Unclear or Not presentNot present

Normlessness Normlessness

AnomieAnomie Modern individuals Modern individuals insufficiently insufficiently

integratedintegrated into society -> into society ->

Weakening bondsWeakening bonds

Social regulation Social regulation breaks downbreaks down

Societal controlSocietal control on individual on individual desires & interests is ineffectivedesires & interests is ineffective

IndividualsIndividuals on their own on their own

AnomieAnomie

Human’s Human’s dual naturedual nature-> -> Breakdown of moralsBreakdown of morals

Rising rates of devianceRising rates of deviance Social unrest Social unrest UnhappinessUnhappiness StressStress

ResearchResearch

Suicide rates are social factsSuicide rates are social facts

4 types of suicide:4 types of suicide:

1.1. EgoisticEgoistic

2.2. AltruisticAltruistic

3.3. AnomicAnomic

4.4. FatalisticFatalistic

Research on SuicideResearch on Suicide

Durkheim Durkheim defined suicide as:as:

““death resulting directly or death resulting directly or indirectly from a positive or indirectly from a positive or negative act of the victim negative act of the victim himself, which he knows will himself, which he knows will produce this result.”produce this result.”

Egoistic SuicideEgoistic Suicide Low social integrationLow social integration Group solidarity declinedGroup solidarity declined Individual must depend on selfIndividual must depend on self Excessive individualismExcessive individualism

Vulnerable groups:Vulnerable groups: Urban dwellersUrban dwellers Industrial workersIndustrial workers ProtestantsProtestants Unmarried menUnmarried men

Altruistic SuicideAltruistic Suicide High social integrationHigh social integration Excessive integrationExcessive integration into groupinto group Completely Completely absorbed by groupabsorbed by group DutyDuty to commit suicide for groupto commit suicide for group

Examples:Examples: Observed more in Observed more in less less

“civilized” “civilized” societiessocieties One group in modern society—One group in modern society—

ArmyArmy

Anomic SuicideAnomic Suicide Low social regulationLow social regulation Breakdown of moral Breakdown of moral

communitycommunity No rules or vague rulesNo rules or vague rules

Examples:Examples: AdolescentsAdolescents Older white menOlder white men

Fatalistic SuicideFatalistic Suicide Excessive social regulationExcessive social regulation Too tightly controlledToo tightly controlled Few choicesFew choices

Examples:Examples: SlavesSlaves Very young husbandsVery young husbands Married women--when Married women--when divorce is not availabledivorce is not available

Contribution to SociologyContribution to Sociology

Institutionalized SociologyInstitutionalized SociologyTaughtTaught first class first class

DefinedDefined sociology’s area of sociology’s area of researchresearch

ResearchResearch illustrated illustrated sociology’s usefulnesssociology’s usefulness

Contribution to SociologyContribution to Sociology

Set the standard for research Set the standard for research style & presentationstyle & presentation Literature reviewLiterature review Theoretical contextTheoretical context Testable hypothesesTestable hypotheses Use of statisticsUse of statistics Implications of findingsImplications of findings