Week 6 Flashcards
(24 cards)
Durkheim’s sociology
He was writing in a time of rapid social change:
- Revolution
- Emergence of modern states
- Industrial capitalism
- Urbanization
Thus, he wanted to know (among other things) why some societies maintain social order or cohesion better than others, and what were the effects of rapid social change
Organic solidarity
Typified by:
- Increased division of labor
- Individualism
- Personal anonymity
- Declining importance of the collective consciousness
less by retributive law than by reparative law, or restitution
- Solidarity still exists, but largely through cooperation between people who may not adhere to the same set of norms or beliefs
Mechanical solidarity
- Societies in which the principal bonds of cohesion are based upon ‘mechanical solidarity’ consist of juxtaposed politico-familial groups which are very similar to each other in their internal organization
- the members of the various clan groups all adhere to the same set of common beliefs and sentiments
Organic solidarity over mechanical solidarity
- Here solidarity stems not simply from acceptance of a common set of beliefs and sentiments, but from functional interdependence in the division of labor.
- Unhealthy level of crime more likely to occur in organic solidarity society as mechanical solidarity sees members share common values, beliefs and goals
Anomie
Anomie is generally understood by criminologists to refer to a state of breakdown in shared moral standards and normative assumptions of social behaviors
It is often referred to as “lawlessness,” but translated from the Greek it means “without norms.” Durkheim uses the term “derangement” however, not normlessness to describe this condition
Anomie in mechanical societies
- For Durkheim, traditional societies are less likely to evidence anomie
- the division of labor is lower, there is a greater degree of shared norms and expectations, and there is little or no anonymity
- Durkheim thus uses the term “mechanical solidarity,” to describe the types of interactions, beliefs and behaviours that create social cohesion in such societies
Durkheim critical of other social theories
- Durkheim did not agree with Marx that most societies were held together primarily by force, coercion or exploitation
- Also did not agree with “social contract” or utilitarian theories of society (i.e. Locke, Hobbs, Bentham, etc.) that argued society was the result of rational agreements between social actors
- > He argued there were many cases where people act in ways that do not immediately promote their own self-interests
Social facts
- Durkheim argued moreover that ALL societies have observable phenomenon that function to integrate members, maintain social cohesion, and meet people’s needs and wants.
- Examples include the family, politics, education, religion, and education.
- All societies have these social “facts” or structures, in one form or another, and all societies depend on their functions for maintenance and survival
Social functions of crime
- define moral boundaries
- articulate group solidarity
- help innovations and social movements
- reduce tensions
Functionalism
- How societies maintain equilibrium
- How different parts of society contribute to the operation or functioning of the system as a whole
- How societies adapt or evolve
- How social structures and institutions meet basic needs
- How to explain differences and commonalities between societies
Strain theories
“Strain” refers to the idea that the disconnect between social structures and individual goals or needs may pressure people to commit criminal actions
Two variants:
Structural Strain – the idea that social structures may conflict with perceived needs or opportunities on a general social level
Individual Strain – the idea that regardless of one’s place in social hierarchies that individuals may experience “strain” in relation to their perceived goals and relative opportunities to achieve these goals
Robert Merton
everyone is presumed to succeed, but those who are unable or least likely to succeed by legitimate means are under the most strain to use illegitimate or illegal opportunities
General strain theory
- Following the work of Robert Agnew, is the attempt to apply strain theory to a more “micro-level” unit of analysis
- Agnew was critical of Merton’s theory because evidence suggested crime and delinquency was not concentrated in lower SES groups
- Instead of looking at crime in relation to socio-economic stress, GST suggests that strain exists in different forms in all socio-economic strata.
Robert Agnew (1992) General Strain Theory
Overhaul of Merton’s Strain Theory
Three types of strain
- Failure to achieve valued goals
- Removal of valued stimuli
- Can’t escape noxious stimuli
- > All produce negative emotional states/feelings
- > Put a “charge” into people, motivate reactions
Failure to achieve valued goals - GST
- Money
- > Status and respect (especially important for boys and young men in ways that may manifest higher rates of crime than in young women, Broidy and Agnew, 1997)
- > Autonomy
Blockage of these may result in strain. Also disjuncture between expectations and actual achievements (regardless of SES) may result in strain
The loss of positive stimuli & the presentation of noxious stimuli- GST
Agnew argues that things such as the death of a loved one, loss of a job, or victimisation can increase strain
The presentation of negative or noxious stimuli
- Pain avoidance from things such as abuse and neglect, also negative relationships with peers, etc. Hoffman and Miller (1998), for example, found that things such as parental unemployment increase likelihood of delinquency
Outcomes of GST - Agnew
Strain -> Negative Affective States
- Anger, fear, frustration, depression
- Can lead to all sorts of delinqeuncy (not just economic crimes)
- Illegitamate channels for success (burglary, robbery)
- Attack or escape adversity (assault, truancy)
- Manage through drugs/alcohol
BUT, how do people react to these states?
Merton: modes of adaptation, but why rebel vs. innovate vs. ritualism?
Agnew: it depends on “coping ability”
Coping strategies
- Cognitive options
- Behavioural options
- Factors that facilitate coping
- Factors that inhibit coping
Cognitive options for coping
“it’s not important,” “it’s not that bad,” “I deserve it”
Behavioural options for coping
constructively reduce strain, seek positive solution
Factors that facilitate coping
intelligence, problem-solving skills, creativity…
Factors that inhibit coping
delinquent peers, criminal disposition, weak social bonds, weak moral beliefs…
Shortcomings of Merton strain theory
- cannot predict or explain why two people of the same strata may differ substantially in terms of criminal behaviour
- why do people choose to commit one crime over another
- why does “strain” lessen with age, less crime as aging
- fails to explain early delinquency -> before strain
- Why do people who are relatively well-off or who have little “strain” commit crimes?
- Criticised for his normative assumption of “cultural goals”
- > Do all people share the same aspirations
Shortcomings of GST Agnew
- Very different than Merton. Does GST measure “strain,” or rather does it measure “stress”?
- GST borrows and overlaps heavily with other theories, in particular in how people cope
- Social control theories (i.e. focus on positive relationships that reduce delinquency)
- Social Learning theories (i.e. focus on positive relationships that can either reduce or increase delinquency)
