Free Essays on Emile Durkheim

EMILE DURKHEIM Functionalism as a Sociological Perspective Functionalism is often referred to as ‘consensus’ theory because it doesn’t address the issue of conflict in society, rather it projects and ideal picture of harmonious social relationships. Historical Background It emerged in Europe in the 19th century as a response to what was perceived as a crisis of social order. This crisis seemed to be the result of two developments: - 1. The emergence of a new industrial society with it’s subsequent loss of community – poor working conditions, increase in crime, growth of housing slums, poverty etc. 2. The French revolution which suggested ideals of equality, happiness and freedom of the individual. 3. These historical conditions which were seen to approximate a crisis of economic and political order thus gave rise to a very conservative type of sociology which reflects a concern with the need for social order and integration. This is necessary if the social and economic crisis was to be overcome and controlled. Main ideas in Functionalism The starting point of all Functionalism is that all societies have certain basic needs - Functional requirements which must be met if a society is to survive. Functionalists are therefore concerned with the contribution the various parts of a society make towards those needs. All Functionalism is concerned with the basic need and desirability for social order and stability to prevail in society. Explaining Social Order In explaining the basis of social order in societies the starting point for Functionalists is to look at whole societies and not the individual; they explore the ways in which the various parts which make up a society function to maintain social order. Emile Durkheim Emile Durkheim draws an analogy between the way a biological organism works and society. The various organs of a living thing work together in order to maintain a healthy whole in much the same way that... Free Essays on Emile Durkheim Free Essays on Emile Durkheim EMILE DURKHEIM Functionalism as a Sociological Perspective Functionalism is often referred to as ‘consensus’ theory because it doesn’t address the issue of conflict in society, rather it projects and ideal picture of harmonious social relationships. Historical Background It emerged in Europe in the 19th century as a response to what was perceived as a crisis of social order. This crisis seemed to be the result of two developments: - 1. The emergence of a new industrial society with it’s subsequent loss of community – poor working conditions, increase in crime, growth of housing slums, poverty etc. 2. The French revolution which suggested ideals of equality, happiness and freedom of the individual. 3. These historical conditions which were seen to approximate a crisis of economic and political order thus gave rise to a very conservative type of sociology which reflects a concern with the need for social order and integration. This is necessary if the social and economic crisis was to be overcome and controlled. Main ideas in Functionalism The starting point of all Functionalism is that all societies have certain basic needs - Functional requirements which must be met if a society is to survive. Functionalists are therefore concerned with the contribution the various parts of a society make towards those needs. All Functionalism is concerned with the basic need and desirability for social order and stability to prevail in society. Explaining Social Order In explaining the basis of social order in societies the starting point for Functionalists is to look at whole societies and not the individual; they explore the ways in which the various parts which make up a society function to maintain social order. Emile Durkheim Emile Durkheim draws an analogy between the way a biological organism works and society. The various organs of a living thing work together in order to maintain a healthy whole in much the same way that... Free Essays on Emile Durkheim Emile Durkheim was born in the eastern French province of Lorraine on April 15, 1858. He was the s on of a rabbi and descending from a long line of rabbis, he decided early that he would follow the family tradition and become a rabbi himself. He studied Hebrew, the Old Testament, and the Talmud, while following the regular course of in secular schools. He soon turned away from all religious involvement, though purposely not from interest in religious phenomena, and became a freethinker, or non-believer. At about the time of his graduation he decided that he would dedicate himself to the scientific study of society. Since sociology was not a subject either at the secondary schools or at the university, Durkheim launched a career as a teacher in philosophy. Emile Durkheim made many contributions to the study of society, suicide, the division of labor, solidarity and religion. Raised in a time of troubles in France, Durkheim spent much of his talent justifying order and commitment to or der. Durkheim was a pioneer French sociologist, taught at Bordeaux (1887-1902) and the University of Paris (1902-17). He introduced the system and hypothetical framework of accurate social science. Durkheim was author of The Division of Labour (1893), Rules of Sociological Method (1895), Suicide (1897), Elementary Forms of Religious Life (1915). Emile Durkheim has often been characterized as the founder of professional sociology. He has a great closeness with the two introductory sociologists, Comte and Saint-Simon. Durkheim willingly noticed the ideas of the Division of Labor and the Biological Analogy. Both ideas which had been differently well developed by Comte and Saint-Simon. Durkheim’s holism approach said that sociology should focus on and study large social operations and cultures. He used functionalism, an approach of studying social and cultural phenomena as a set of interdependent parts, to find out the roles these institutions and processes pl...