Review terms for second exam:

Egoistic suicide – The form of suicide identified by Durkheim as being associated with excessive egoism, or individualism. As suggested by Durkheim, the incidence of egoistic suicide varies with the degree of integration in society. For example, the reason why Protestants more frequently commit suicide that Catholics, Durkheim suggests, is that collective beliefs and practices of the latter involve a stronger societal integration of the individual within the religious community and far less sanction for individualism.

Altruistic suicide – The form of suicide that Durkheim identified as occurring in highly organized societies and in certain types of social organizations where social organization is also strong. Examples of altruistic suicide are the euthanasia of the old and infirm as practiced in some simple societies, or suicides of honor (for example among certain militaries).

Anomic suicide – The form of suicide associated with anomie, or without norms or with serious disruption to the social order, such as an unexpected catastrophe or rapid economic growth, or with any similar disturbances in social expectations. Anomic suicide is the third of the three main types of suicide identified by Durkheim.

Fatalistic suicide – A form of suicide identified by Durkheim that arises from “oppressive regulation” and from “physical or moral despotism” for example the suicide of slaves. Thus, Durkheim suggests that this form of suicide could be considered the opposite of anomic suicide.

Anomie – Without norms, a concept introduced to sociology by Durkheim. A condition of society or of personal relation to society in which there exists little consensus or a lack of certainty on values or goals; a loss of effectiveness in the normative and moral framework the regulates collective and individual life. Durkheim saw anomie as pervasive in modern societies. For example the anomic division of labor existed within these societies since they failed to allocate jobs fairly, that is, according to talents. In more general terms, economic activity in these societies remained essentially unregulated.

Conscience collective (collective conscience) – The shared beliefs and associated moral attitudes that operate as a unifying force within a society. As used especially by Durkheim, the term particularly refers to simpler societies based on mechanical solidarity, in which division of labor is not advanced. In more complex societies, according to Durkheim, a shared collective conscience becomes less important, and social solidarity is based on reciprocity rather than likeness. In a society of mechanical society the effect of c.c. is very high, the opposite in a society of organic solidarity.

Durkheim conceptualized the conscience collective as having four variables:

1. Volume – degree to which values, beliefs, and rules of the C.C. are shared by members of society.

2. Intensity – Extent to which c.c. has power to guide a persons thoughts and actions.

3. Rigidity – Degree of clarity in the components of the c.c.

4. Content – The ratio of religious to purely secular symbolism in the c.c.

Collective representations – The shared - hence social rather than individual - conceptions w/in a society. The term is Durkheim’s, who argued that these conceptions must be the fundamental subject matter of sociology. For Durkheim, collective representations must be studied as social facts external to any one individual. A specific function of the c.c. These are the c.c. of highly specific groups w/in the overall society.

Division of labor – A material social fact. The process of occupational specialization in society as a whole, and the separation of social life into different activities and institutions such as the family, the state and the economy, denoted by the term social division of labor. Sociological analysis of occupational specialization may refer to divisions within society, sectoral patterns of employment, and also to the concentration of particular occupations or productive tasks in Third World or advanced capitalist societies respectively. Durkheim concentrated comparing and contrasting primitive and modern societies. The primitive are characterized by a low division of labor, a segmentary structure, and a strong collective conscience, or mechanical solidarity, as the basis of social order; modern societies exhibit a differential structure, greater individual consciousness and organic solidarity.

Dynamic density – The transition from mechanical to organic solidarity. This concept refers to the number of people in a society and amount of interaction that occurs between them.

Functionalism – A theory that suggests society is organized similar to an organic structure in that all parts are interrelated and dependant on one another to function at al, i.e. the foot can’t function w/o the heart pumping blood to it.

Homo duplex – There are two beings in a man: an individual whose foundation is in his body and whose circle of activity is very limited, and a social being which represents the intellectual and moral order of society.

Internalization – When during the course of growing up people take the beliefs of their parents and society and internalize them, or take the beliefs as their own. Not the same as conformity which is taking the outward appearance of a certain belief due to social pressure but not taking it to heart.

Mechanical organic solidarity – The distinction drawn by Emile Durkheim between the two types of social solidarity: mechanical solidarity, based on the similarity between individuals, he form of solidarity predominant in simple less advanced societies, and organic solidarity, based on the division of labor, and complementarities between individuals, the form of solidarity ideally occurring in modern advanced societies. Durkheim argued that in reality organic solidarity had yet to be realized.

Religion – According to Durkheim religion has the capacity not only to dominate individuals but also to elevate them above their ordinary abilities and capabilities. Religion in primitive societies is an all-encompassing collective morality. As societies move from mechanical to organic religion looses its power to the more modern functions such as law and science. Despite the fact that religion has lost its direct influence on society, all things that currently exist in society are a growth of religion, in one way or another.

Sacred and profane – A distinction particularly enjoyed in sociology by Durkheim in that the sacred, which includes all phenomena that are set apart and revered, is distinguishable from all other phenomena, the profane. For Durkheim, beliefs and practices in relation to the sacred are the defining feature of any religion. X . He felt that society is the root of religion. It does this by defining certain phenomena as profane and others as sacred. The sacred are impued with some sort of respect that takes them from sacred to profane.

Social facts – A controversial idea among sociologist Durkheim believed in the existence of “a category of facts” with distinctive characteristics, “consisting of ways of acting, thinking and feeling, external to the individual and endowed with a power of coercion by means of which they control him” (Durkheim, The rules of Sociological Method, 1895). Durkheim formulated his sociology as resting “wholly on the basic principle that social facts must be studied as things.” Durkheim recognized that “there is no principle for which he had received more criticism” but argued, “none is more fundamental” (Durkheim, 1897)

Social norms (norms) – A standard or rule regulating behavior in a social setting. The idea that social life as an ordered and continuing process is dependant on shared expectations and obligations is commonly found in sociological approaches, although some place more emphasis on it than others. For Durkheim, society was theorized as a moral order.

Normal and the pathological -

Repressive and restitutive law – Repressive law is concerned primarily with retribution for the transgression committed, is more punitive in nature and is found primarily in traditional societies. On the other hand restitutive law is a component of modern society and is concerned with rectifying a situation and trying to return things back to the way they were, to make things “whole” again.

Human passions -

Magic and religion (see online notes #5, from Elementary Forms of Religious Life)

topics for the written responses
- anomie
- social facts
- mechanical and organic solidarity
- collective representations
- conscience collective

		Adoption of	Acceptance of
		Culturally	Culturally
		Approved means	Approved goals
a)	Innovation	+	-
b)	Ritualism	-	+
c)	Ritualism	-	-
c)	Rebellion	+ Or -	+ Or -
Anomie. Merton's typology.