durkheim, anomie, strain theory

Question 1

what are the durkheims four features of modernity?

Answer 1

-industralization
-secularization
-urbanization
-division of labour

Question 2

what is urbanization?

Answer 2

an increase in proportion of total human population living in major cities vs rural areas

Question 3

what is industralization?

Answer 3

an increase in production driven by the mechanization of labour and the use f inanimate energy

Question 4

what is secularization?

Answer 4

the social, cultural and political significance of religion diminshes

Question 5

what is division of labour?

Answer 5

increases in occupational differentiation

Question 6

what are durkheims two forms of social solidarity?

Answer 6

mechanical and organic

Question 7

what are the attributes of mechanical solidarity?

Answer 7

-low degree of occupational differentiation
-solidarity based on homogenity
-idenity of economic interets and pursuits

Question 8

what are the attributes of organic solidarity?

Answer 8

-high degree of occupational differentiation
-solidarity based on heterogeneity
-diversity of language, customs, beliefs

Question 9

What were the key takeaways of durkheims theories?

Answer 9

-Crime and deviance are, in part, the product of weak moral integration and poor social regulation
-Social change, such as the transition to modernity, can generate anomie and with this an increase in levels of crime and deviance

Question 10

anomie as a psychological state?

Answer 10

-a troubling sense of limitless possibility
-disturbance, agitation and discontent
-weariness and disillusionment
-a sense of futility and a lack of purpose
-emotions emptiness and despair

Question 11

anomie as a property of societies?

Answer 11

-temporary consequences of the division of labour
-historically specific problem of societies in transition to modernity
-contingent symptom of modernization
-state of moral or normative deregulation
-social condition that produces high rates of suicide and crime

Question 12

mertons two elements of a social system?

Answer 12

-culturally defined goals
-means of achieving those goals

Question 13

Fruit machine metaphor for the 4 deviant adaptations?

Answer 13

It is as though individuals in society are
playing a gigantic fruit machine, but the
machine is rigged and only some players are
consistently rewarded. The deprived ones
then either resort to using foreign coins or
magnets to increase their chances of winning (innovation) or play on mindlessly
(ritualism), give up the game (retreatism)
or propose a new game altogether (rebellion).

Question 14

examples of innovation?

Answer 14

-illegal drug dealers
-robbery, burglaries
-sellers of counterfeit items
-al capones career

Question 15

examples of rebellion?

Answer 15

-This might be the political radical proposing an entirely new set of culturally approved goals and means for their achievement.

Question 16

criticism of merton?

Answer 16

-overpredicts lower class crime
-exaggerates level of consensus around “universal” normative aspirations
-tendency to focus on lower-class crime
-does not explore the structural causes of strain
-overlooks barriers to achievement other than lack of opportunity
-individualistic

Question 17

what is retreatism?

Answer 17

-cultural goals and legitimate means are rejected
-ex: hobos and drug addicts

Question 18

what is ritualism?

Answer 18

-cultural goals are rejected but legitimate means are accepted
-playing by the rules w no desire to get ahead

Question 19

what is rebellion?

Answer 19

-rejecting, and seeking to replace, dominant normative aspirations and opportunity structures

Question 20

what is innovation?

Answer 20

-the application of illegitimate means to the achievement of a socially approved ends

Question 21

what is mertons defintion of anomie?

Answer 21

-the result of a lack of symmetry between the cultural and structural components of a social system