Durkheims Theory of Egoistic Suicide review

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Durkheims Theory of Egoistic Suicide (review)

• There is both a simple (even simplistic) and a
  more complex version of Durkhiem.
• The simple story is that social integration the
  number and strength of ties to groups,
• and those with fewer ties have higher suicide
  rates.
• The more complex story anticipates his analysis
  of norms and later chapters analysis of groups.

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Durkheims Theory of Altruistic Suicide (review)

• The simple version of Altruistic suicide is that
  beyond a certain level, the increase in group
  bonds promotes suicide.
• The more complex version is that there are
  different kinds of groups, and a lack of bonds to
  some may create particularly intense bonds to
  others.
• E.g. Its all Ive got.

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Egoism and Altruism
Rate of Suicide
Altruistic suicide
Egoistic suicide
Level of social Integration
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Implications

• Social bonds are one of the most important
  elements of social structure, and different kinds
  of groups and bonds will come up in virtually
  every chapter.
• Durkheims theory of egoistic/altruistic suicide
  applies almost without change to phenomena such
  as juvenile delinquency, homicide, drug
  addiction, or political extremism.

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Anomie 41-3

• Durkheims most important contribution to
  sociology was the analysis of norms and normative
  integration.
• Talcott Parsons made that analysis the basis of
  structural-functionalism.
• Some groups that were neither too bonded not to
  individualist had high suicide rates because they
  had weak norms.
• The weakening of norms is called anomie.

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The concept of anomic suicide
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The concept of fatalistic suicide
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Conflict theory (Marx) Who Gets What and Why?
as the Basis of Social Structure

• For functionalists, social and normative
  integration is the core of society.
• For conflict theorists, the core of society is
  the structure of production and inequality.
• We have seen that social stratification and
  inequality is powerfully associated with
  virtually all behavior. (Table 1.1)

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Durkheims theory of social ChangeStructural
Differentiation

• Durkheim believed that large scale social change
  was driven by the process of structural
  differentiation 37-41.
• Activities such as economic production, health
  care, or education that used to be performed by
  kinship structures are carried out by specialists
  in specialized organizations.

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Organic Solidarity

• Durkheim argued this involved a shift in the
  basic normative principles of society
• From mechanical solidarity 40-1 --
  similarities of shared culture (Amish, tribal)
• To organic solidarity 41 -- complementary
  differences.
• Organic solidarity requires new principles of
  human rights, human dignity, equality before the
  law, inclusive citizenship, etc.

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The Forced Division of Labor

• Organic solidarity does not require equality, but
  it requires that inequalities be functional,
  based on motivation and ability, rather than
  inherited privilege and position.
• Inherited privilege is a forced division of
  labor.
• He believed that inherited wealth always tends to
  lead to inherited social position, and therefore
  that inheritance must gradually disappear.

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Marx Theory of Social Change Class Struggle

• For Marx, the structure of inequality and the
  question who gets what and why, is the basis of
  social structure.
• Homelessness and mansionization are the flip side
  of a single coin.

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An example of conflict theory

• Feagin began his 2000 ASA Presidential address by
  saying that the last 30 years have been the best
  of times for those at the top and the worst of
  times for those below.
• There have been enormous increases in inequality
  in US and around the world.
• Mansionization and homelessness are the flip side
  of a single coin.
• A spaceship with our inequality of housing,
  education, health care or power would fail.

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The game of Monopoly as a model of conflict theory

• The rules of monopoly mean that no matter how
  equal the players in ability, the rich will get
  richer and the poor will get poorer until the
  game is ended by polarization.
• There are many processes that operate this way
  those who have resources are in a better position
  to gain more.
• Marx argues that the resulting polarization
  drives history.

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A feedback representation of conflict theory

Resources e.g.wealth
Access to more resources e.g. education