The functionalist analysis of deviance (cont.) 1/24

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The functionalist analysis of deviance (cont.)
1/24

• Norms and
• Anomie

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Functionalism in sociology e.g. E. Durkheim
(1858-1916)    

• Durkheim is discussed in most chapters of
  Sociology, Micro, Macro and Mega
• Functionalism appears in all chapters
• Functionalism believes that the society is an
  organic system
• The main forms of modern functionalism stress
  norms as the social thermostat.
• Fundamental concepts function, social
  integration norms normative integration.

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Durkheims most important empirical study Suicide

• The prediction and explanation of suicide.
• Seeing the forest for the trees rates are social
  facts p.24.
• Suicide rates are social facts.
• Durkheim argued that social facts must be
  explained by other social facts.
• i.e. if a sociologist refers to psychological
  motives or moral values, s/he must show why that
  social structure or social position was
  characterized by those motives or those values.

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How much suicide is there?

• In the US predictably more than 30,000 people
  kill themselves every year.
• Surgeon General's Report.
• This compares to about 19,000 homicides.
• These rates are stable and predictable. What
  causes them?
• Moreover, people in different social positions
  have different probabilities of committing
  suicide.

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The empirical basis of Durkheims theory of
egoistic suicide

• Some groups have consistently higher rates.
• Durkheims theory explained these rates.
• The first portion of Durkheims theory
  consistently explained the following differences
  in suicide rates.
• Rates Questions.
• Our social intuitions have to be correct most of
  the time, but they are not infallible, and they
  do not substitute for collecting and analyzing
  data.

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The concept of egoistic suicide

• Some groups have consistently higher rates
• Men, singles, childless, Protestants, peacetime,
  and the present time.
• The concept of egoistic suicide p.25.
• The theory is elegant and general, but it is only
  one portion of Durkheims theory.
• Were the suicide bombers social isolates?
• Was Cesar or Garfield a social isolate?

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Basic idea of egoistic suicide lack of social
integration.

• Lack of social ties, leaves someone uncontrolled
  free to engage in deviance.
• Applications to other behaviors
• Academic failure
• Crime.
• 187.
• Age effects on suicide adolescent peak and
  elderly
• Contrasts between Durkheim and an individualist
  explanation Re morals or individual psychology.
• Social bonds and social solidarity are not just
  important for suicide, but for all human behavior.

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The concept of altruistic suicide

• High rates in the military, Japan, India and
  preliterate societies.
• Basic idea excess of social integration.
• Possible extension to other areas.
• Bonds to the military or to the gang in 187
• Did the terrorists who killed themselves in the
  Sept. 11 attacks have a lack or an excess of
  bonds to their families and communities?
• Al Quaeda as a social bond
• Cesars bond to KOS

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Anomie

• Definition in text 41 the weakening of moral
  regulation of the self associated with personal
  and social disorder
• Examples in the text
• The Clay
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• Examples in 187
• The murder
• The classroom

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The concept of anomic suicide

• However, other groups with neither an excess or
  a lack of social relationships have high suicide
  rates
• Urban, mobile, professional, educated, divorced
• Periods of prosperity, as well as periods of
  poverty.
• The suicide rate rises when people have more
  choice and control over their lives, which is
  somewhat puzzling and paradoxical.
• Durkheim
• people need limits or life is endless
  frustration.
• traditional normative systems set those limits
  most effectively.
• Norms lack of choices low suicide
• Prosperity, urbanism, education etc. erodes those
  traditional limits.

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Anomie

• For Functionalist theory, the normative system is
  a basic features of any society.
• There is never perfect agreement on the rules
  an absolute moral consensus but maintaining
  enough agreement is crucial.
• Authoritative enforcement plays a role in
  establishing the rules.
• There is always some anomie.
• In modern society, the danger of anomie becomes
  more pressing.

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The concept of fatalism

• Durkheim argued that in the same way that you
  could have too much social integration as well as
  too little, he argued that you could have too
  much normative integration.
• Not observed in modern society, which tends to be
  anomic
• But groups and individuals with very high
  commitments may have high suicide rates.
• Islamic Jihad, 9/11, Jonestown, Waco, Buddhist
  monks protesting Vietnam

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Durkheim's theory of suicide as a whole.
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Durkheims theory of organic solidarity

• Structural differentiation The jobs the society
  needs to have done are performed by specialist in
  specialized institutions.
• Increased heterogeneity decreased common
  culture.
• If social norms are based on common culture,
  anomie is inevitable.
• Durkheim believed organic solidarity and a modern
  normative system could welcome and be based on
  complementary differences.
• Its content general principles of unconditional
  human rights, freedom of religion, speech, press
  habeas corpus equal opportunity equal treatment
  by the law

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Organic solidarity

• Definition 41 Social integration based on
  functional dependence of specialists, typical of
  modern society.
• Distinguished from Mechanical Solidarity
  human attraction based on common moral
  sentiments, typical of tribal society.
• E.g. of mechanical caning, cutting off hand
• E.g. of organic Miranda rule, Amnesty Int.
• That is, for Durkheim the expansion of human
  rights was the only way to hold together a
  complex, heterogeneous society

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Durkheim and Marx.

• Durkheims theory of social structure was that it
  was a functional system governed by norms.
• This compares to Marx theory of social structure
  as a kind of game of Monopoly.
• Durkheims theory of social change was structural
  differentiation governed by increasingly organic
  solidarity.
• This should be compared to Marx theory of social
  change as a set of class struggles

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Marx theory of change
In fact, we shall see that the relationship
between Marx and Durkheim is fairly complex.
Like Marx, Durkheim regarded the transformation
of aristocratic, medieval society as requiring
revolution, and he regarded inherited class
position in industrial, capitalist society as a
problem.