C4(2): Emile Durkheim

Question 1

Emile Durkheim talks about?

Syllabus of Emile Durkheim

Answer 1

1. DOL
2. Social Fact
3. Suicide
4. Religion and Society

Question 2

Define Social Facts

Answer 2

Social facts are the social structures and cultural norms that constrain people in all areas of social life

Question 3

Social facts are classified as?

Answer 3

1. Material Social Facts
2. Non - Material Social Facts

Question 4

DOL is classified into?

Answer 4

1. Functions of DOL
2. Causes of DOL
3. Abnormal Forms of DOL

Question 5

Under Functions of DOL, Emile divided societies into?

State the differences with definition

Answer 5

1. Primitive Society
   - Mechanical Solidarity
   - Low Interdependence
   - Low Material Density
   - Low Moral Density
2. Modern Society
   - Organic Solidarity
   - High Interdependence
   - High Material Density
   - High Moral Density

Note: DOL ∝ Material Density & Moral Density

Question 6

What are the Causes of DOL?

Answer 6

1. Increase in material density (Increase in Population)
2. Increase in moral density (Increase in Interactions)

Question 7

What are the Abnormal Forms of DOL?

Answer 7

1. Anomie - New rules and norms governing DOL do not arise
2. Inequality - Resulting in discontent, tension, conflict
3. Inadequate Organization - Resulting in disunity and disintegration

Question 8

What are the two major reasons of suicide?

Answer 8

1. Integration - Degree to which collective sentiments are shared
2. Regulation - Degree of external constraints on people

Question 9

What are the types of suicide?

Answer 9

There are 4 types which relate to integration and regulation:
1. Altruistic - High Integration - Suicide for the Good
(Eg) Military Soldier voluntary sacrifice for the nation
2. Egoistic - Low Integration - Individual feels isolated
(Eg) Young adult feeling alienated in modern society
3. Fatalistic - High Regulation - Oppressed by rampant rules
(Eg) Child taking life for stringent rules imposed by parents
4. Anomic - Low Regulation - Feeling of purposelessness during upheaval (Society fails to provide norms)
(Eg) Financial trader taking life during a financial crisis

Question 10

What are the two basic components of Religion?

Answer 10

1. Beliefs - Collective representations
2. Rites - Modes of action determined by Beliefs

Question 11

Religious beliefs are classified into?

Answer 11

1. Sacred (Pavithra)
2. Profane (Apavithra)

Note: There is a middle ground which is Mundane, which states that it is neither of them

Question 12

Define Physical World and Social World

Answer 12

Durkheim in his book: Montesquieu and Rousseau

Physical World: Directly observable facts

Social World: Indirectly observable facts

Question 13

Nature of social facts

Answer 13

Social facts are external and coercive in nature.

They should be treated as things

Question 14

How did Durkheim differentiate Sociology from Psychology and Philosophy?

Answer 14

1. By empirical research
2. Social facts - External and coercive
3. Psychological facts - Internal (Inherent)

Question 15

What are the characteristics of Social Facts? (Hint: ECGI)

Answer 15

1. Externality
2. Constraint
3. Generality
4. Independence

Question 16

What are Material Social Facts?

Provide examples - Basic and Linked to Generality

Answer 16

Real, material entities which define the externality of the social facts
(Eg) Law and Architecture

(Eg) Descending order of Generality
- Society
- Structural Components of Society
(Such as Church and the State)
- Morphological Components of Society
(Population distribution, and communication channels)

Question 17

What are Non Material Social Facts?

Provide examples - Basic and Linked to Generality

Answer 17

Non - material entities which are found in the mind of actors
(Eg) Culture and Norms

(Eg) Descending order of Generality
(Not stringent)
- Collective Conscience
- Morality
- Collective Representation
- Social Currents (Waves of enthusiasm (or) indignation)

Question 18

Study of Social Facts (Hint: OCDE)

Answer 18

1. Observation: Identifying manifestations and symbols
2. Classification: Grouping diverse set of facts into broader categories
3. Distinction: Difference between Normal and Pathological
4. Explanation: Define precisely - Complete objectivity

Question 19

Define DOL

Answer 19

Splitting up an activity into number of smaller processes which are undertaken by different persons or groups of persons

Question 20

Adam Smith about DOL (Source his work)

Answer 20

Adam Smith in his book Wealth of Nations (1776) said that DOL is the primary source of economic progress

Question 21

Transition from Primitive to Modern Society and emphasize on how is it achieved?

Answer 21

Rise in Population leads to Conflict for sharing limited resources and to achieve peaceful coexistence the society transits from mechanical solidarity to organic solidarity

This occurs because of dynamic density

Question 22

Define Dynamic Density

Answer 22

Dynamic density is the increase in material density and moral density

Question 23

DOL as a social fact

Answer 23

1. Exists everywhere such as Family, Religion, and so on
2. It is sui - generis, that is it evolves with society
3. Integrates people

Question 24

Law - Primitive Society v/s Modern Society

Answer 24

Primitive Society - Repressive Laws
Strong common morality - anyone caused an issue seen as a damage to common morality rather damage to a specific individual

Modern Society - Restitutive Laws
Weak common morality - anyone caused an issue seen as a damage to a specific person/group rather to common morality

Question 25

Anomie

Answer 25

1. Individuals do not face sufficient moral constraints and do not know what is not proper and acceptable behavior 2. _Durkheim_ says anomie as a *Social Pathology* caused due to rise of organic solidarity and isolation in modern society with minimal regulation

Question 26

Define Suicide

Answer 26

Any death caused directly/indirectly, by a positive/negative action of the victim himself which he knows will produce this result

Question 27

Broadly, Cause of Suicide is?

Answer 27

Changes in collective sentiments lead to changes in social currents contributed to increase in suicide rates

Question 28

Generally, Cause of Egoistic Suicide is?

Answer 28

Social disintegration leads to currents of depression and disillusionment contributing to suicide _Note(1):_ Strongly integrated group discourages suicide _Note(2):_ Religion protects man against the desire for _self - destruction_ and it supports integration of religious community

Question 29

Suicide as a social fact

Answer 29

1. Rate of suicide of various societies is fairly constant 2. Suicide is not a psychological phenomenon - As normal people committed suicide whereas ill people did not 3. Suicidogenic Forces: Integration and Regulation 4. Certain rate of suicide is considered as normal

Question 30

Define Religion (and Source)

Answer 30

_Book: The Elementary Forms of Religious Life (1912)_ Religion is a unified system of beliefs and rites focused on sacred things—things considered special and set apart. It brings together everyone who follows these beliefs and practices into a single moral community, often called a Church.

Question 31

What is the dynamogenic quality of Religion?

Answer 31

Religion has the capability not only to dominate the individuals but also to elevate them above their ordinary abilities and capabilities

Question 32

What is totem?

Answer 32

Material representation of the non - material force _Note:_ Durkheim refers non - material as society and refers *totem* as the symbol of society

Question 33

Durkheim's views on Science?

Answer 33

All those who follow science - integrate with each other and it becomes a common source of identity Therefore, he refers _science as a modern religion_