Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 403 views

    Sleepy Classes - Emile Durkheim PDF

    Uploaded by

    sonu kumar
    Durkheim analyzes religion as a social fact in his book "Elementary Forms of Religious Life". He argues that religion originated from the collective effervescence experienced by early humans during social gatherings. They attributed this feeling to a supernatural force like mana or bonga, which they represented physically through totems. In reality, this force was society itself. Religion acts to unite people into a moral community and reinforce social bonds, even in modern complex societies. For Durkheim, religion is the expression of society's autonomous development, and science can function similarly as a modern religion.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Sleepy Classes - Emile Durkheim PDF

    Uploaded by

    sonu kumar
    403 views29 pages
    Durkheim analyzes religion as a social fact in his book "Elementary Forms of Religious Life". He argues that religion originated from the collective effervescence experienced by early humans during social gatherings. They attributed this feeling to a supernatural force like mana or bonga, which they represented physically through totems. In reality, this force was society itself. Religion acts to unite people into a moral community and reinforce social bonds, even in modern complex societies. For Durkheim, religion is the expression of society's autonomous development, and science can function similarly as a modern religion.

    Original Title

    SLEEPY CLASSES - EMILE DURKHEIM - PDF.pdf

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Durkheim analyzes religion as a social fact in his book "Elementary Forms of Religious Life". He argues that religion originated from the collective effervescence experienced by early humans during social gatherings. They attributed this feeling to a supernatural force like mana or bonga, which they represented physically through totems. In reality, this force was society itself. Religion acts to unite people into a moral community and reinforce social bonds, even in modern complex societies. For Durkheim, religion is the expression of society's autonomous development, and science can function similarly as a modern religion.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    403 views29 pages

    Sleepy Classes - Emile Durkheim PDF

    Uploaded by

    sonu kumar
    Durkheim analyzes religion as a social fact in his book "Elementary Forms of Religious Life". He argues that religion originated from the collective effervescence experienced by early humans during social gatherings. They attributed this feeling to a supernatural force like mana or bonga, which they represented physically through totems. In reality, this force was society itself. Religion acts to unite people into a moral community and reinforce social bonds, even in modern complex societies. For Durkheim, religion is the expression of society's autonomous development, and science can function similarly as a modern religion.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 29

    EMILE

    DURKHEIM
    SOCIAL FACTS
    PLEASE IGNORE THE TYPOS AS AND WHEN
    I HAVE DISCUSSED AND TRIED TO REMOVE A FEW OF THEM IN MY VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE
    SOCIAL FACTS

    Book: “Montesquieu & Rousseau”, 1892

    Physical world: facts observed directly


    Social world: facts observed indirectly

    Aim: To make generalized laws using scientific methods. Influence of


    August Comte.

    Subject matter of Sociology: To study social facts


    CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL FACTS

    1) Externality
    2) Constraint
    3) Generality
    4) Independence
    TYPES

    1) Institutional: Religion, education, morality


    2) Structural Morphological: Housing pattern, Clothing, still
    not accepted
    3) Non – Institutional: Rise spontaneously.
    4) Pathological: Suicide, rate of crime, etc.
    STUDY OF SOCIAL FACTS
    1) Rules of observation
    By identifying their manifestations, symbols, Eg: Reformative kws represents modern society.

    2) Rules of classification

    3) Rules of Distinction: Difference between normal & pathological. It shows Durkheim’s functional
    bias.

    4) Rules of Explanation:
    - Define precisely
    - Complete objectivity
    - Methods of natural sciences
    - Empirical investigation
    - Make general laws
    EMILE
    DURKHEIM
    DIVIION
    OF LABOUR
    DIVISION OF LABOR

    “In modern society where heterogeneity, complexity &


    differentiation is found, what holds the society together?”

    Primitive society
    Held together by – Mechanical Solidarity based on
    likeness, norms & values.

    D.O.L.: Splitting of activities.


    Implies specialization
    Primitive society
    Mechanical Solidarity (likeness)

    Modern
    Organic Solidarity (based on differences)

    Low collective conscience


    Increased individuality
    D.O.L. maintains Functional interdependence
    Binding society together
    Primitive Society
    Individual conscience = societal conscience

    Modern
    Individual conscience IS NOT = societal
    “Individual while becoming autonomous, comes to”
    depend more heavily on society”
    D.O.L. AS A SOCIAL FACT

    Exists everywhere
    eg family religion

    It is sui–generis
    Evolves with society

    Integrates People
    ABNORMAL FORMS OF D.O.L.
    Study of abnormal forms is important, as it helps in understanding the importance of normal form

    1) Anomic
    When people don’t follow norms – Corruption

    2) Inadequate organization
    Overburdening someone
    Leads to conflicts

    3) Forced D.O.L.
    Caste system

    Way Ahead
    This will resolve by forming “ professional associations” , which will Implement ethical & moral codes.
    Book – “Professional Ethics & Civic Morals”
    EMILE
    DURKHEIM

    SUICIDE
    SUICIDE

    “Any death caused directly/indirectly, by a


    positive/negative action of the victim himself which he
    knows will produce this result”.

    Used scientific methods


    Multivariate analysis
    Concomitant variables
    Surveys, etc
    CERTAIN CONCLUSIONS

    Not psychological
    Wide range of variables
    Rate of suicide in different societies fairly constant
    SUICIDOGENIC FORCES
    Forces of Integration
    High : Altruistic
    Low : Egoistic

    Forces of Regulation
    High : Fatalistic
    Low : Anomic

    Suicidogenic forces exist in every society in forms of social currents


    SUICIDE AS A SOCIAL FACT
    Rate of suicide of various societies is fairly constant

    Not psychological certain normal people committed it


    Certain ill people did not

    Forces of integration & regulation as suicidogenic forces


    originate from society

    Certain rate of suicide as normal


    FARMER SUICIDE
    Greater no. of suicide in last 2 decades

    Reasons
    - Agricultural income stagnation
    - Consumerism
    - Failed loan repayment

    From farmer’s view : - Egoistic : that he’s left alone


    Govt’s – Anomic : failing to follow norms like risk, consumerisms, geography
    Societal – Altruistic : Upholding value that loan has to paid
    Lender’s – Fatalistic : Former sees himself as overtly regulated by straight laws
    EMILE
    DURKHEIM

    RELIGION
    RELIGION

    Book : “Elementary forms of religious life”, 1912

    Religion
    “A religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative
    to sacred things,
    that is to say, things set apart and forbidden
    -- beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral
    community called a Church,
    all those who adhere to them."
    Society is conceptualised as divided into 2 halves, one sacred which
    deals with the supernatural & rest of the society, he calls as profane.

    He rejected the earlier psychological or intellectual explanations to


    the origin of religion & instead proves that the real cause of religion is
    social.

    Both the words are mutually exclusive & a person can be a member
    of only one world at a time

    While an individual is in touch with sacred he also becomes sacred


    CAUSE OF RELIGION

    A fact that modern religion have evolved from the simpler


    forms of religion

    To establish the cause of simpler form

    He read various ethnographies


    Selected the primitive religion practiced among “Arunta”
    tribe of Central Australia
    Primitive men were wanderers
    They moved from place to place in search of food or other things
    Occasionally they came together for some purpose
    The evidence of this Durkheim finds in ancient fairs, since time
    immemorial
    They (people) talk to each other, they dance, all are enjoying they
    feel happy
    They feel something different which they do not feel when they are alone
    Durkheim calls this as a state of exaltation or collective effervescences
    The feeling disappears once they are separated
    Primitive man explained this feeling with the help of presence of some
    supernatural face
    The study of various ethnographies revealed that primitive tribes do have a
    conception of this supernatural force which is termed by various/different tribes
    differently
    It is called Mana, Bonga etc in different types.
    Primitive man becomes anxious and wants to re-experience the
    feeling
    They need to explain this force
    Eventually they create a totem as a representation
    When they come closer to the totem, they imagine that feeling
    This is the origin of totem of totem & the cause of religion
    But we can say now that totem is the material representation of the
    non- material force

    Non- material is none other than society

    Sacred god & society are one & the same thing this feeling of the
    force was due to collectively or the elementary beginning of society
    So totem is nothing but the symbol of the society

    Finally Durkheim states, “if it (totem) is at once the symbol of god &
    society, is it not because god & society are one”.
    Ultimately he proposes that religion is the expression of self- creation
    & autonomous development of society

    As the society becomes complex religion also becomes complex

    Thus, it is not the totem that we worship, it is the collectively we


    worship.
    In modern, complex societies there is a lot of individualism
    Religion provides the function of bringing people together
    For eg. People come together at religious places, celebration of religion festivals
    & thus the society is reinforced

    Durkheim further explains increasing popularity of science considerably


    Science as a unified system of beliefs & practices
    All those who follow science tend to associate with each other & become a
    common source of identity
    The science is nothing but a modern religion.
    Thank You

    You might also like