Durkheim
Durkheim’s view of society:
Organic change- Society continues to evolve from pre-industrial to industrial society
Growth of urbanisation and industrialisation has led to social mechanical solidarity
Experiences of modern life have impacted the cohesion of society - led to the development of anomie - drifting away from the norms and values of society
Durkheim’s functions of deviance:
Durkheim suggested that crime is a normal part of a healthy society and performs a function for society
The optimal amount of crime for society to function - is too much and society would begin to atrophy - too little and it would stagnate
Crime performs both positive and negative functions for society would begin to atrophy - too little and it would stagnate
Crime performs both positive and negative functions for society
Boundary maintenance:
Criminal and deviant behaviour helps to reinforce the value consensus of society
Some behaviours help to reinforce people’s belief in the collective conscience - Society’s moral code
Society unites to condemn the wrong-doers and this leads to a collective agreement that the behaviour is wrong and should not be repeated
Examples of boundary maintenance:
Public reactions to terrorist activities - such as terrorism in London and Manchester bombings
Society condemns the actions of terrorism and vows to ‘not let them win’
Riots of 2011 - public condemnation of the behaviour of rioting and looting
People support harsh measures taken against looters and this reinforces collective conscience
Adaption and Change:
Deviant behaviours demonstrate a changing attitude of the population to the established way of doing things
As small groups deviate, others in society will accept these behaviours as the norms
As the behaviours become the norm for more people, they cease to be deviant and society accepts the change
Examples of social change as a result of deviant behaviour:
Civil rights movements began with protests and sit-ins in white-only establishments
Gay rights movements accelerated after the Stonewall riots and the women’s liberation movement used unconventional means to push for equality
Removal of Edward Coulston statue symbol of the Black Lives Matter campaign and subsequent removal of other figures associated with slavery
Evaluation of Durkheim:
Contemporary examples illustrate the legacy of Durkheim’s view of the impacts of crime on society
It’s difficult to measure the ‘optimal amount’ of crime that can exist in a society
In contemporary society, has deviance led to social changes or have other social institutions acted to nullify movements? E.g climate change protests and Black Lives Matter protests in the USA
Durkheim’s view of society:
Organic change- Society continues to evolve from pre-industrial to industrial society
Growth of urbanisation and industrialisation has led to social mechanical solidarity
Experiences of modern life have impacted the cohesion of society - led to the development of anomie - drifting away from the norms and values of society
Durkheim’s functions of deviance:
Durkheim suggested that crime is a normal part of a healthy society and performs a function for society
The optimal amount of crime for society to function - is too much and society would begin to atrophy - too little and it would stagnate
Crime performs both positive and negative functions for society would begin to atrophy - too little and it would stagnate
Crime performs both positive and negative functions for society
Boundary maintenance:
Criminal and deviant behaviour helps to reinforce the value consensus of society
Some behaviours help to reinforce people’s belief in the collective conscience - Society’s moral code
Society unites to condemn the wrong-doers and this leads to a collective agreement that the behaviour is wrong and should not be repeated
Examples of boundary maintenance:
Public reactions to terrorist activities - such as terrorism in London and Manchester bombings
Society condemns the actions of terrorism and vows to ‘not let them win’
Riots of 2011 - public condemnation of the behaviour of rioting and looting
People support harsh measures taken against looters and this reinforces collective conscience
Adaption and Change:
Deviant behaviours demonstrate a changing attitude of the population to the established way of doing things
As small groups deviate, others in society will accept these behaviours as the norms
As the behaviours become the norm for more people, they cease to be deviant and society accepts the change
Examples of social change as a result of deviant behaviour:
Civil rights movements began with protests and sit-ins in white-only establishments
Gay rights movements accelerated after the Stonewall riots and the women’s liberation movement used unconventional means to push for equality
Removal of Edward Coulston statue symbol of the Black Lives Matter campaign and subsequent removal of other figures associated with slavery
Evaluation of Durkheim:
Contemporary examples illustrate the legacy of Durkheim’s view of the impacts of crime on society
It’s difficult to measure the ‘optimal amount’ of crime that can exist in a society
In contemporary society, has deviance led to social changes or have other social institutions acted to nullify movements? E.g climate change protests and Black Lives Matter protests in the USA
