Emile Durkheim Essay Example for Free

Emile Durkheim EssayEmile Durkheim was a cut sociologist who is considered to be the run agrounding father of sociology. His contri exclusivelyions were in sociology, Anthropology and religions studies. He published and lectured sociological studies in topics like statement, abomination, religion, suicide and family of labor. Durkheim was born in Pascoag land of Lorraine, formerly in Germany but presently in France, in 1859, April 15. His family line was of rabbi but he bob upled against this epithet while still a kid. Much of his work was to show that religions bases were from brotherly issues and not a cleric issue. Though he rebelled against his family rabbi tradition, his relationship to the family and the Jewish fellowship was still intact. most of his collaborators and students were drawn from the Jewish comm unison and was even confirmed under the Jewish traditions at the age of thirteen. He followed the regular arrangement in the secular school and at the a ctually(prenominal) time studied Hebrew, Talmud and Old Testament. He at wholeness time acquired some numinous skills in Catholicism from his female teacher who was a catholic herself. However, in brief after, he developed some doubts in religion and withdrew his involvement in it.In the college dEpinal, he was a precocious scholar and this pull in him some prizes and honors. This motivated him towards his ambition and transferred to Lycee Louis-le-Grand, a French high school in Paris. Later in 1879, he joined Ecole Normale Superieure a training groundwork for French scholars. In the ground, he met some major scholars marking French intellectual conduct. These were Henri Bergsona a vitalism philosopher, dungaree Jaures a brotherly leader, Rauh, Golot and Blondel all philophers and Peirre Janet a psychologist.His interest is a scientific horizon to society earned him some opposition towards Ecole Normale academic system. It contained no social science which was Durkheim inter est. Instead, humanistic studies dominated the academic system. He rebelled against a course that privileged reading of Latin prose and Greek verse and felt recent scientific discoveries and philosophical doctrines should hand been the privileged. He was for a solid and structured learning rather than elegant dabbling system which was even rewarded. In 1882 he finished 2nd last in his graduation class.Despite his rebel nature, he had some good friends like Jean Jaures a socialist leader. He was k todayn to be intelligent, dedicated, a good moral and scientific instructor. (Caser 143) After spending a year in Germany examine sociology, he returned to Bordeaux where a teachers training school had just been started. There, he taught social sciences and pedagogy. He was credited for introducing social sciences in the French curriculum. However, his argument that social science could easily explain righteousness and religion was criticized. Thereafter in 1890s, it became Durkheims pe riod of his significant contribution.In 1893, he published his doctoral dissertation The Division of labor in Society, which was a study of how social order was keep in differing societies. 1895 published Rules of the sociological method manifesting on sociology definition and how it is supposed to be done. One the same year, 1895, he founded Department of Sociology at the University of Bordeaux. In 1898 he published his increasing students and collaborators works in LAnnes Sociologuque a journal he had founded. In 1897, he published Suicide a study providing examples of what the sociological monograph office look.He used quantitative methods in criminology to explore the different crime rates among Protestants and Catholics. He found the strong social control among catholic reduced suicide rates. In 1902, Durkheim was the permanent chair of culture and sociology. In the same year 1912, he published his major work The elementary forms of Religious life During the world war which was characterized by propaganda, Durkheim dropped his position on politics which was patriotic rather than internationalism. His former students had died in the war including his own son. This caused Durkheim mental blows.He had lost his son and his rational secular life had been change by the war. In 1917, he suffered a stroke from emotional strains and exhaustion, recovered months later and resumed to work but later on the same year died. Emile Durkheim was laid to rest in Paris. (Emile Durkheim) His theories and ideas mainly focused social structural assertions of human social tribulations. He covered the social facts, division of labor, education, crime, retaliatement law and suicide. In social facts, Durkheim felt that the society is much much than than what it meant. He incorporated issue like social and religion background.His priority was not on what influences psyches behaviors or acts but in social facts. His argument approximately social facts is that its existence is more objective and greater than individuals actions and who makes a society. He argued that unless if people in a society were oriented to a common symbolic representation sets, to a common assumption about the environment, could moral unity prevail. Without them any society irrespective of its modernity or primitive nature would degenerate and decay. (Coser 144) In religion, his views are that it is a pervasive aspect in social structure.It is more human oriented aimed at uniting communities. He looks at it effect on an individual and the way they be produce, how it can divide a community and its role in the society. Durkheim defines religion as a cultural system of commonly shared beliefs and rituals that provides a sense of ultimate meaning and purpose by creating an idea of reality based on super natural powers (Giddens 534) In division of labor, he argues that patronage it aim for material and intellectual development in the society it has a moral factor more important in that it enhances social unity among people.He argues that people swallow something in common. This is what binds them together along traditional lines for they are more or less the same. The highly complex division of labor in modern communities was influenced by organic solidarity. Specialization and social roles tie individuals to one another. He argues law is a major symbol in the social unity. Punishments acts in it are meant to sustain the unity. Law is not meant to punish but restrain the existing unity. Durkheim called the breaking of social norms state of anomic. (Calhoun 47) He tried to argue suicide by comparing its rates among the Protestants and Catholics.There was less suicide cases in catholic than in protestant. correspond to him this was as a gist of catholic strict norms. His work has influence control theory of sociology. His view on punishment is that it is important in the society setting. He argues social solidarity can only be maintained through punishment. To avoid law breakers who in turn threaten the social unity in a society, punishments act as a threat. However, he calls for a relevant punishment list claiming it threatens immorality. On crime, he feels it is useful as it leads to reform.It is a response to a pressing social accent and therefore flushes out the pressing issue off the society. (Parsons 32) As a teacher, he had interest in education. He felt it is an important entity in the social structure as it strengthens social cohesion, maintains social roles and maintains division of labor. Emile Durkheim has over the years influenced sociology scholar. In most cases, they have based their studies in his arguments. In most education curriculum, his sociology initiative has been incorporated. His arguments in almost all the areas in social structure have influenced the modern society. study education institutes offers courses on sociology all over the world. The study of criminology has based its findings in Emiles ideas. His sociological theories and ideas have been used to explain the causes of crimes in a society. Policy and law makers have used Durkheims ideas in making the law. Courts too in their making of judgments they have based it on his ideas. For example cases of suicide and crimes. His findings have been very significant in trying to understand terrorism and terrorism acts. In the modern society, this has been a major threat to the international unity.Religion has been known to be the root cause of such terrorism acts. The 9/11 us terrorism act was by Islamic extremists. The social control in Islamic does not restrict this and therefore it may not look more of a crime to them. Religion has influenced the society greatly, from politics, rituals and practices. On the religion set social norms, members have behaved and acted according to them. Civil wars in most of the word nations are as a result of social norms conflict among different societies. Most of the crimes against humanities have bee n important in that it has influenced reforms as per Durkheim ideas.Many societies have learnt from past experiences and have importantly reformed to be stronger and united. However, some societies have released social tensions through criminal activities like wars and the end result have been improved unity. This justifies Durkheims idea on crime that it is important in reformation. The United domain body is significant in the worlds unity. The social norms outlined in its organization have a great influence in controlling the worlds societies in their actions. Exploitation is now reduced and independence has prevailed. On the other hand, the larger community i.e. the world is now much more united. Division of labor which is an evident entity in the modern society is more than just sharing responsibilities and roles. It is very significant in social unity. The coming together of specialists from different background has enhanced interaction and reason among a larger population.In the labor firms, acts that govern a company have been made by their respective policy makers and are significant in the social unity and in role sharing. Durkeims scientific views on the society, his contributions and influences are very visible in the modern society.Therefore, he deserves acknowledgment as the founding father of sociology.Work citedCoser, . Emile Durkheim the Person sociology at hewett 1977. Retrieved on Friday, October 17, 2008 from http//www. hewett. norfolk. sch. uk/curric/soc/durkheim/durkper. htm Emile Durkheim Site Emile Durkheim biography mosaic Retrieved on Friday, October 17, 2008 from http//www. emiledurkheim. net/ Giddens, A Griffiths, S . Religion in the modern society Polity, 2006. 138- 148 Parsons, T. et al . Theories of Society, New York eject Press, 2006, 33-48 Calhoun, et al Classical Sociological Theory . Blackwell Publishing, 2007. 45-66