DurkheimMerton Anomie or Strain Theories Emile Durkheim n
- Slides: 12
Durkheim&Merton Anomie or “Strain” Theories
Emile Durkheim n French Sociologist n Suicide n Crime is “Functional” n Mechanical vs. Organic Solidarity n Altruistic vs. Common Criminal
Durkheim as the Root of all Sociological Theory n Durkheim emphasized several different themes – Social Integration – Humans as greedy, self-interested • “Insatiable Desires” – Anomie
Two Main Traditions in Sociolgoy n Chicago School of Crime/Social Disorganization – Social Integration – Capping Human Desires • Differential Association • Informal Social Control (Control Theories) n Anomie/Strain – Industrial Prosperity – Anomie
Robert K. Merton n Social Structure and Anomie (1938) n From Durkheim: Institutionalized norms are weakened in societies that place an intense value on economic success n Applied this to the United States – The “American Dream” as a virtue and VICE
Anomie -- Macro Level n The “road not taken” n Explanation of high crime rates in the United States? – Follows close to Durkheim – Gist = Unrestrained American capitalism and fetish with money creates anomie n Picked up by Messner and Rosenfeld
Strain Theory--Anomie at the Micro Level n Cultural Goals in U. S. ? – The American Dream = $ = Universal n Institutionalized Means? – Given social structure in the U. S. , the means are to achieve $ are unequally distributed – Segment of society with no way to attain goal b/c they lack means
Strain Theory (Micro) MODES OF ADAPTATION CULTURAL GOALS INSTITUT. MEANS 1. Conformity + + 2. Innovation + - 3. Ritualism - + 4. Retreatism - - 5. Rebellion +/-
Support for Micro Strain Theory First tested as the disjuncture between educational or economic “aspirations” and “expectations” n Little empirical support for this n – Delinquents tend to have low expectations and aspirations – BUT—is this really a great measure of strain?
More recent empirical studies n “Blocked Opportunities” – 50/50 odds study finds a relationship – Even here, weak association n Disappointment status with current financial – One study, but found moderate relationship, even after controlling for other theories
Criticisms of Merton and “Strain” Theory n Is crime a “lower class” phenomena? n Cannot explain “expressive” crimes – In Merton’s defense, this was a “mid-range” theory of crime n Why ritualist vs. innovator? n Weak empirical support n Hirschi = “Oversocialized Man”
ANOMIE—The Legacy n 1950 s-1960 s = “Subcultrual” theories – Mix anomie tradition with differential association n 1990 s = Revisions of Merton’s theory – Individual Level = “General Strain Theory” – Macro Level = “Institutional Anomie”
- Anomie definition sociology
- Durkheim anomie
- Durkheim anomie
- Durkheim anomie
- Nociones vulgares
- Social integration by emile durkheim
- Vida e obra de émile durkheim
- Emile durkheim intihar teorisi
- Social facts
- Social fact examples
- émile durkheim (1858-1917)
- Emile durkheim childhood
- Fakta sosial menurut emile durkheim