Functionalism

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Functionalism Suicide

• Principles of Functionalism
• Functionalist Interpretations of Crime Deviance
• Durkheimian theories of suicide
• Other functionalist theories of deviance

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Principles of Functionalism

• Society the body analogy
• Manifest latent functions
• Social equilibrium vs. dysfunction

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Deviance is functional the minority view

• Deviance creates social solidarity by mobilizing
  public sentiment (I.e. Mount Cashel)
• Reactions to deviance help clarify morally
  ambiguous behaviors (I.e. sexual harrassment)
• Punishment of deviants allows conformists to feel
  morally superior
• Deviance can lead to social progress
• Minor deviance acts as a safety valve

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Deviance is dysfunctional the majority view

• Crime deviance occurs when social equilibrium
  does not exist
• Ex. Suicide as dysfunctional Canadian stats

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Durkheimian theories of suicide

• Durkheims original theory based on 26,000
  suicides
• Three patterns of suicide
• 1. Egoistic
• 2. Anomic
• 3. altruistic

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Egoistic Suicide

• Men
• Urban dwellers
• Officers
• Single or divorced
• Protestants
• Common condition?
• Weak social integration

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Anomic Suicide

• Occur during periods of rapid social change
• Ex economic booms busts
• Cultural change

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Altruistic Suicide

• Caused by excessive social integration
• Suicidal person loses own sense of ego
• Person is willing to sacrifice him/her self for
  some greater cause

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Examples of Altruistic Suicide

• Cult Suicides
• Suicide Bombers
• Culturally sanctioned suicide

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Cult Suicides

• Involves charismatic leaders
• Cults often recruit disenfranchised
• Cult is often isolated

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Examples of Cult Suicides

• David Koresh and the Branch Davidians of Waco
  Texas

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Cult Suicides

• Jim Jones the Jonestown Massacre
• Nov.18, 1978 913 people died in Guyana on South
  Americas northern coast

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Cult Suicides

• Heavens Gate Suicide
• M.H. Applewhite

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Suicide Bombers

• Individuals who sacrifice themselves for
  religious or political cause
• Often enjoy support of their community
• Examples Palestinian bombers Tamil Tigers
  Kamikazee pilots

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Suicide Bombers

• 911 Ringleader Mohamed Atta
• Planner of the 19 man hijacking gang
• You have to remind yourself to listen and obey
  that night, for you will face situations that
  require your obedience 100 letter to fellow
  highjackers

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Suicide Bombers

• From a handwritten letter found in Attas
  luggage
• Purify your heart and forget something called
  life, for the time of play is gone and the time
  of truth has come. God will absolve you of your
  sins, and be assured that it will be only moments
  and then you will attain the greatest reward.
  Check your bag, clothes, knives, tools ID,
  passportLet each find his blade for the prey..

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Suicide Bombers

• As soon as you put your feet in and before you
  enter the plane start praying and realize that
  this is a battle for the sake of God, and when
  you sit in your seat say these prayers that we
  had mentioned before. When the plane starts
  moving, then you are travelling toward God and
  what a blessing that travel is.

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Culturally sanctioned suicide

• Suttee in India
• Elder suicide among the
• Inuit

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Homicide-suicide

• Dominant themes
• Frustrated long-term relationships
• Extreme ambivalence anger/love
• Morbid jealousy
• Triggered by separation
• Severe depression
• Self-blame

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Other Forms of Suicide

• Assisted Suicide (legal in Oregon some European
  countries)
• Suicide by Cop