Emile Durkheim (1858-1917)

Personal Information Born April 1858 Jewish section of Epinal, France Family: Close-knit Not wealthy but respected Hey Hey Durkheim http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgA41FMY0oQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxVImdGYu3I Functionalism

Personal Information 1887 first faculty appointment 1st Sociology course Chair: Dept. of Social Sciences 1896-1902 (University of Bordeaux) Married, 2 children (Son, Andre died in WWI) Died at 59

Social Environment Rapid 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: 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 Antoinette

Napoleon 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 Philippe

Napoleon III (Nephew of Napoleon I)

History of Political Instability Durkheim lived in 3rd Republic People had lost moral unity Remnants of previous governments People supported: Democracy Monarchy Socialism

Durkheim’s 3 Basic Concerns 1) Instability Economic Political 2) Violence Workers & employers Between nations Anti-Semitism 3) Decadence Self-centered No sense of community

Sociology the Solution Purpose of Sociology=Explain how to make modern society work Develop positivist laws Solve problems Address moral crises Create stability

Morality Discipline Attachment Autonomy Morality composed of three elements: Discipline (Constrains egoistic impulses) Attachment (Voluntarily join groups) Autonomy (Individual responsibility)

Sources of Morality Education Occupational associations Provides children with moral tools Occupational associations Adults acquire morals

Intellectual Influences Kant Morality without divinity Sense of duty Saint-Simon Sociology->Moral laws Hold society together

Intellectual Influences Comte Focus: Social stability & change Spencer Social evolution

Ideas Dynamic Density Social Facts Collective Consciousness Social Solidarity Dynamic Density Social Facts Collective Consciousness Collective Representations Social Currents Society as a distinct social reality Individual as Dualistic

Social Solidarity A set of norms, values, and morals that hold a certain group of people together “The ties that bind” Social context: Growing individualism Social dislocation Moral diversification

Social Solidarity 1) Mechanical Solidarity Non-industrial societies Minimal division of labor Few occupations Similarity bound people together

Social Solidarity 2) Organic Solidarity More advanced societies (industrial) Increased division of labor Many occupations Difference and Interdependency create solidarity

Social Facts “Ways of acting, thinking, & feeling, external to the individual & endowed with the power of coercion, by reason of which they control him.” Independent of any single individual Only explained by other social facts

Social Facts-3 General Types 1. Material facts Social structures Economy, Family, Social class Morphological Facts Form and Structure Population size and density Geographical location

Social Facts (cont.) 2. Nonmaterial facts Norms Values Collective representations Collective consciousness

Social Facts (cont.) 3. Social currents Not as clearly formed Examples: Enthusiasm in crowds Indignation in crowds Depression in particular social groups

Collective Consciousness Totality of beliefs & sentiments common to the average member of society Exists before individuals Survives individuals

Collective Consciousness (cont.) Experienced as external force Shapes behavior Varies from society to society Based on division of labor

Collective Consciousness 4 dimensions 1. Volume=Number of people involved 2. Intensity=How deeply people feel about the belief 3. Rigidity=Clarity of the definition 4. Content=Form collective consciousness takes

4 Dimensions Marriage in Feudal Societies (Mechanical Societies) Volume=Most people involved Intensity=Felt deeply about it Rigidity=Clearly defined Content=Religious & economic

4 Dimensions Marriage Today (Organic Society) Volume=Large # but smaller % of population Intensity=Feel less deeply Rigidity=Less clearly defined Content=Personal choice

Society & Social Reality Society as a distinct form of social reality Cannot be reduced to biology or psychology Society is not the mere sum of its parts

Individual as Dualistic Individual part and Social part Individual part Bioorganic Inborn Self-centered

Individual as Dualistic Social Part Develops through interaction Socialization Altruistic Group oriented Needs nurturing & developing

Anomie Norms (expectations for behavior) are: Confused Unclear or Not present Normlessness

Anomie Modern individuals insufficiently integrated into society -> Weakening bonds Social regulation breaks down Societal control on individual desires & interests is ineffective Individuals on their own

Anomie Human’s dual nature-> Breakdown of morals Rising rates of deviance Social unrest Unhappiness Stress

Research Suicide rates are social facts 4 types of suicide: Egoistic Altruistic Anomic Fatalistic

Research on Suicide Durkheim defined suicide as: “death resulting directly or indirectly from a positive or negative act of the victim himself, which he knows will produce this result.”

Egoistic Suicide Low social integration Group solidarity declined Individual must depend on self Excessive individualism Vulnerable groups: Urban dwellers Industrial workers Protestants Unmarried men

Altruistic Suicide High social integration Excessive integration into group Completely absorbed by group Duty to commit suicide for group Examples: Observed more in less “civilized” societies One group in modern society—Army

Anomic Suicide Low social regulation Breakdown of moral community No rules or vague rules Examples: Adolescents Older white men

Fatalistic Suicide Excessive social regulation Too tightly controlled Few choices Examples: Slaves Very young husbands Married women--when divorce is not available

Contribution to Sociology Institutionalized Sociology Taught first class Defined sociology’s area of research Research illustrated sociology’s usefulness

Contribution to Sociology Set the standard for research style & presentation Literature review Theoretical context Testable hypotheses Use of statistics Implications of findings