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Durkheim&Merton

Durkheim&Merton. Anomie or “Strain” Theories. Emile Durkheim . French Sociologist Suicide Coined the Term “Anomie”: When “institutionalized norms” lose their meaning and ability to control human behavior and needs Mechanical vs. Organic Solidarity. Robert K. Merton.

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Durkheim&Merton

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  1. Durkheim&Merton Anomie or “Strain” Theories

  2. Emile Durkheim • French Sociologist • Suicide • Coined the Term “Anomie”: • When “institutionalized norms” lose their meaning and ability to control human behavior and needs • Mechanical vs. Organic Solidarity

  3. Robert K. Merton • Social Structure and Anomie (1938) • From Durkheim: Institutionalized norms are weakened in societies that place an intense value on economic success • Applied this to the United States • Culturally Valued Goals • Institutionalized Means

  4. Anomie -- Macro Level • The “road not taken” • Explanation of high crime rates in the United States? • Follows close to Durkheim • Gist = Unrestrained American capitalism and fetish with money creates anomie • Picked up by Messner and Rosenfeld

  5. Strain Theory--Anomie at the Micro Level • Cultural Goal in U.S.? • This goal is universal • (The American Dream) • Institutionalized Means? • Due to the social structure in the U.S., the means are unequally distributed • Segment of society with no way to attain goal b/c they lack means

  6. MODES OF CULTURAL STITUTIONALIZED ADAPTATION GOALS MEANS 1. Conformity + + 2. Innovation + - 3. Ritualism - + 4. Retreatism - - 5. Rebellion +/- +/- Strain Theory (Micro)

  7. Support for Micro Strain Theory • Typically tested as the disjuncture between educational or economic “aspirations” and “expectations” • Little empirical support for this • Delinquents tend to have low expectations and aspirations • More recent tests have found some weak support

  8. Criticisms of Merton and “Strain” Theory • Is crime a “lower class” phenomena? • Why ritualist vs. innovator? • Cannot explain “expressive” crimes • Weak empirical support • Hirschi = “Oversocialized Man”

  9. Exam I Review • Evaluating Theories • Know Criteria • Know which are most important • Be able to apply them to the theories that we’ve discussed

  10. Deterrence Theory • Roots • Specific vs. General • Macro vs. Micro • How would you measure the concepts at both the micro and macro level? • Empirical Support and Policy Implications

  11. Rational Choice / Opportunity • Don’t memorize Cornish and Clarke • Focus more on Deterrence theory • Important only as an example of a RCT that goes beyond “pure utility” • Why criticize if theorists go beyond “pure utility” or “pure deterrence?” • Routine Activity Theory

  12. Social Learning Theory • Focus on the Sutherland--Akers tradition. • Basic concepts of each(model for Akers) • How Akers modified Differential Association • Policy implications and empirical support • Measures and criticism of the measures

  13. Gerald Patterson • Know the theory (diagram) • Policy Implications • Is he a control or learning theorist?

  14. Control Theories • Early control theories • Nye, Reckless • Hirschi (1969) • Social Bond Theory • Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990) • The General Theory

  15. Hirschi (1969) • How criticize early control theories? • Assumptions about human nature • Elements of the bond • Empirical Support • Policy Implications

  16. Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990) • Nature of crime, nature of criminals • Causes of low self-control • Consequences of low self-control • Description of low self-control • Policy Implications / Empirical Support • Social Bond vs. General Theory • Similarities and Differences

  17. Pirate Variables • Sykes and Matza’s Techniques of Neutralization • Criminal Parents, Criminal Peers

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