02. Structural Functionalism and Interactionism

Emile Durkheim views sociology as a … discipline

scientific/positivist

sources of solidarity: pre-capitalist, pre-industrial society, sameness, defined rules and norms, belongingness, clear punishments

mechanical solidarity

sources of solidarity: capitalist, industrial society, difference and interdependence, freedom = loneliness, declining forms of integration and regulation

organic solidarity

Durkheim and crime: on the one hand crime is …, but too much signifies that society is …

normal; dysfunctional (anomie)

crime as dysfunction: anomie

normlessness, state of under-regulation and integration

altruistic suicide

too much integration (suicide bombers)

fatalistic suicide

too much regulation (prisoners, enslaved)

egoistic suicide

not enough integration (isolated individuals)

anomic suicide

not enough regulation (stock market crash)

21st century sources of anomie

AI, social media, climate change, gender/sexuality, pandemic

timeline of crim theories: 1890s-1910s

Durkheim and anomie

timeline of crim theories: 1940s-60s

strain and labelling theories

timeline of crim theories: 1960s-70s

critical theories

timeline of crime theories: 1970s-90s

left realism and feminist theories

timeline of crim theories: 1980s-2000s

right realism, cultural criminology

timeline of crim theories: 2010s-present

renewed interest in structure, decolonising, abolitionist feminism, race-conflict theory

structural strain theory originated from…

Robert K. Merton

2 elements of culture and structure

culturally defined goals and the defined means of reaching those goals

structural theory: as emphasis on goals comes to dominate, a society becomes unstable >

develops anomie, valuing ends over means

structural theory: contemporary social values and goals are criminogenic >

institutional norms will weaken, unreachable goal through conventional means

structural theory: structurally-induced strain >

e.g. global financial crisis, worry about consequences later

understand how people make meaning out of their social situations

Max Weber interactionist tradition

self and society as product of social interaction, how we create shared reality

George Hebert Mead interactionist tradition

structural functionalism: level of analysis

macro (societal structures)

symbolic interactionism: level of analysis

micro (social interaction)

structural functionalism: focus

social order, regulation, integration

symbolic interactionism: focus

meaning, identity, social reaction

structural functionalism: crime seen as a result of

norm breakdown

symbolic interactionism: crime seen as a result of

social labelling

structural functionalism: key theorists

Durkheim and Merton

symbolic interactionism: key theorists

Becker, Goffman and Braithwait

interactionism in criminology adopts a more appreciative stance toward … and a more critical stance toward the … and … that defined them as …

deviants; state; system; deviant

labelling theory

shifts attention from crime towards deviance, deviance not in the act but the reaction to it (labelling),

key idea: deviance is ‘a consequence of the application by others of rules and sanctions’. 

Becker

key idea: stigma occurs within and through institutions; deviance starts as reinforced/restricted by criminal justice system

Goffman

key idea: response to wrongdoing may be disintegrative or reintegrative - underpins work on restorative justice

Braithwaite

where do we see labelling today?

media, school discipline, social media, criminal justice system