The Sociology of Emile Durkheim Agenda Objective: 1. To
understand the sociology of Emile Durkheim and its contributions to
the field of sociology. Schedule: 1.Discussion of Durkheims Theory
2. Jesus Camp Homework 1.Read Durkheim Packet & keep track of
evidence of your work. 2.Critical Thinking Assignments: Due Wed
10/17 3. Marx, Weber, Durkheim Paper: Due Wed 10/24
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Emile Durkheim 1858-1917 French Originally planned to become a
rabbi but turned away from religion and became agnostic. Became a
professor of philosophy at the University of Bordeaux In 1913
became the first of official sociologist in France with his
professorial title being Professor of the Science of Education and
Sociology Founded the field of sociology by defining its subject
matter and its methodology Major Works The Division of Labor (1893)
Suicide (1897) The Elementary Forms of Religious Life (1912
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Historical Context Durkheims thinking was influenced by two
theories gaining prominence in the late 1800s: Sociological
positivism Social Realism
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Historical Context: Sociological Positivism Idea developed by
Auguste Comte (man who coined the phrase sociology) Sought to apply
the scientific method to the social sciences. Said that true social
science should use empirical facts to discover the universal laws
that govern social life. Durkheim adopts this positivism and uses
this methodological approach in all his words. In all his works he
looks to empirical social facts and from them tries to deduce
universal social laws.
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Historical Context: Social Realism Durkheim adopted a realist
perspective and sought to demonstrate the existence of social
realities outside of the individuals. Durkheim blended realism with
positivism to argue that sociology would not only discover social
laws but would be able to discover the inherent nature of
society.
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The Rules of the Sociological Method
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Durkheims Definition of Social Facts A social fact is every way
of acting, fixed or not, capable of exercising on the individual an
external constraint; or gain, every way acting which is general
throughout a given society, while at the same time existing in its
own right independent of its individual manifestations.
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Get in the Elevator!
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Violates Social Facts (Faces Social Sanctions) Acts in
Accordance with Social Facts Social Facts Norms, Values, Customs,
Laws
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Suicide
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Written in 1897. Goal was to use the study of suicide to prove
the existence of social facts. To prove that behavior is guided by
social forces.
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Understanding Suicide What are some reasons why people might
commit suicide? Is suicide a personal trouble or a social issue? Do
you think rates of suicide vary from place to place?
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Durkheims Response to Country Level Suicide Data Durkheim noted
that suicide rates differed, by country. He felt that differences
in the rates of suicides suggested that more than individual
factors were operating. He thought that suicide must reflect
changes in social circumstances. The problem was to discover the
nature of these circumstances and their causes.
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Durkheims Hypothesis Durkheim arrived at his hypothesis that
the basic causes of suicide were social in nature. So he looked at
how social factors might shape the likelihood of an individual to
commit suicide: Religion Marital Status Geography Gender Military
Affiliation
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Findings Suicide Rate Higher Among Protestants Single People
Married, but Childless City Dwellers Men Soldiers Suicide Rates
Lower Among Catholics Married People Rural Residents Parents Women
Civilians
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Whats Going on Here? Given these findings, what do you think
explains why people commit suicide? What are your theories? Suicide
Rate Higher Among Protestants Single People Married, but Childless
City Dwellers Men Soldiers Suicide Rates Lower Among Catholics
Married People Rural Residents Parents Women Civilians
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Durkheims Theory of Suicide From his evidence, Durkheim
concluded that the suicide rate was determined by the degree of
social attachment. He discovered, however, that the relationship
was a complex one. Suicide seemed to result from both unusually
high levels and unusually low levels of social attachment.
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The Four Types of Suicide AltruisticEgoisticAnomicFatalistic
From his findings, he was able to generalize that there were four
basic types of suicide:
ANOMIE A lack of regulation occurring with breakdown of order
in modern life Anomie is a constant feature of modern life Where do
you see a similarity to Marx and Weber?
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Fatalistic Suicide Excessive Regulation The Suicide of Tyler
Clementi
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Elementary Forms of Religious Life
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RELIGION: A unified system of beliefs and practices relating to
sacred things which unite into one single moral community called a
church all those who adhere to them. Durkheim studies religion as
the fundamental institution of social life, upon which the
collective identity is structured. Religion unites members through
the creation of a collective conscience. All religious expression
is founded on the identification of members to a group. Shared
religious beliefs and values also reinforce the strength of the
collective conscience. Religion: The Origins of Collective
Conscience
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Why did Durkheim study primitive society to understand
religion? Simplicity allows for analysis of essential
features.Simplicity allows for analysis of essential features.
These societies are different enough from our own experience that
we are able to see important features.These societies are different
enough from our own experience that we are able to see important
features. Durkheim looked for the elements which constitute that
which is permanent and human in religion; they form all the
objective contents of the idea which is expressed when one speaks
of religion in general.Durkheim looked for the elements which
constitute that which is permanent and human in religion; they form
all the objective contents of the idea which is expressed when one
speaks of religion in general. Totemism
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Sacred V. Profane Religion is defined by the cultural
distinction between the sacred and profane.Religion is defined by
the cultural distinction between the sacred and profane. Sacred
objects extraordinary and set apartSacred objects extraordinary and
set apart Profane everyday, ordinary objectsProfane everyday,
ordinary objects Notions of the sacred are given external
representation through objects or symbols, called collective
representations.Notions of the sacred are given external
representation through objects or symbols, called collective
representations.
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Religion and Collective Conscience These social categories
shape how we think and orient ourselves to world: time, space,
quality... Establish our basic categories of thought! If men did
not agree upon these essential ideas at every moment all contact
between their minds would be impossible, and with that, all life
together. Thus societies could not abandon the categories to the
free choice of the individual without abandoning itself. Collective
conscience guides human action! We have the feeling that we cannot
abandon them if our whole thought is not to cease being fully
human.
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Function of Religion? Religion is a way of expressing and
reaffirming shared social beliefs, a functional element of
society.Religion is a way of expressing and reaffirming shared
social beliefs, a functional element of society. There can be no
society which does not feel the need of upholding and reaffirming
at regular intervals the collective sentiments and collective
ideals This moral remaking cannot be achieved except by the means
of reunions, assemblies, and meetings where individuals reaffirm
their common sentiments.There can be no society which does not feel
the need of upholding and reaffirming at regular intervals the
collective sentiments and collective ideals This moral remaking
cannot be achieved except by the means of reunions, assemblies, and
meetings where individuals reaffirm their common sentiments.
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Small Group Discussion: Other Institutions as Religions Pick
another social institution (ex. Education) and apply Durkheims
theory of the elementary forms of religion to it. What are some
examples of the sacred and the profane in your institution?
(Beliefs, values, cultural objects, etc.) Describe the group that
it defines Whose collective conscience does the institution
reinforce? What are some important collective representations of
the religion? Describe the positive and negative rituals associated
with the institution how do members reaffirm their membership?
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Applying Durkheim Analysis of the Documentary Jesus Camp
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Jesus Camp About the film: 2006 documentary about a charismatic
Christian (Pentecostal Evangelicals) summer camp for children.
Questions: How are the religious beliefs of the church profiled a
reflection of their society? What do they hold sacred, what do they
deem profane? How is their worship an act of worshipping society?
How is the mindset/worldview of the people an example of anomie?
How is the church an example of extreme social integration? How
would Marx interpret the film?