What did Emile Durkheim mean by ‘Anomie'?
The purpose of this assignment is to stimulate Sociological Imagination and encourage you to think about the main theoretical approaches in sociology. write a Reaction Paper to answer the question.
Guidelines for Reaction Papers (RPs):
Reaction Papers are a good opportunity for you to synthesize current class content and reflect on sociological concepts. They are also a good opportunity for you to develop your writing skills. You will be given a different topic for each Reaction Paper.
Here are some general guidelines for you to consider when writing your Reaction Papers.
1) Your papers must be NO MORE THAN TWO PAGE-LONG (1.5 or Single spaced, Times New Roman, 12 or 11 fonts). The format of your papers is important, but how much you get from this exercise and how well you use the sociological perspective is more important.
2) Make sure that you have addressed each point raised in the assignment description.
3) Be sociological, critical and creative.
4) Use a polite and professional language.
5) Organize your thoughts in a meaningful way.
6) Link your answers to lectures as well as to the textbook. (Macionis, J.J., (2008). Sociology, 13th ed. Pearson International Edition;
New Jersey, Pearson Education)
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Social Sciences
According to Durkheim, anomie is a state where society has failed in to set up avenues that enhance social norms in the society (Melossi, 35). The state of anomie is likely to take place when the society has little or no control over the propensity of its citizens to adhere to rules and norms as set by the society. This state makes the citizens unruly as they have no moral guidance in their undertakings and more often feel that they have no connection with the society at large.
Anomie is more common in the contemporary world than before. The capitalist state has gotten up with the society where people think of themselves alone (Schubert, 23). Unlike the past when raising kids was a collective responsibility of the society, the situation has changed from good to worse. Parents have up to three jobs to ensure economic empowerment for their kids but they have not been able to sit and analyse the cost of the sacrifice they are making.
Anomie has forced families spend excessively on material possessions in an effort to belong in a certain social class. The struggle to achieve a hig...