PICT103 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Anomie, Relative Deprivation, Ritualism In The Church Of England
12 May 2018
School
Course
Professor
• Durkheim & Social Norms
o Father of sociology Emile Durkheim (1857-1917)
o Social Norms are "Cultural phenomena that prescribe and proscribe behaviour in certain
circumstances".
o Essentially all of the informal rules and commonly accepted ways of doing things.
o Differ from, though ideally include, laws (legal norms).
• Anomie
o Anomie = state of normlessness.
o Occurs when societies are destabilised.
o Particularly during times of sudden change.
• War
• Post-conflict/political transition.
• Rapid technological transformation.
• Economic fluctuation (boom/bust)
• Breakdown of usual community bonds - people have no social norms to follow.
• As a result they act in their own interest = crime.
• Strain Theory -
• The American Dream
o Developed by sociologist Robert Merton (1910-2003)
o Builds upon anomie and also emphasises the importance of social values, particularly
culturally valued goals
o American Dream - material success, fame, fortune, etc.
o 'Anybody can make it America'.
• The American Reality
o Huge wealth inequality
o Inequitable access to opportunity structures (education, employment, etc.)
o Social strain comes about when there is a mismatch between culturally valued goals and
legitimate means to achieve them.
o Minimum wage = $7.25 (Aus. - $9.18)
o High strain - high crime.
o Relative deprivation - having less than adjacent people/classes.
• Five Reactions
How do people respond to strain/unfairness?
Mode
Method
Conformity
Accepts approved goals, pursues them through
approved means.
Innovation
Accepts approved goals; uses disapproved means.
Ritualism
Abandons society's goals; conforms to approved
means.
Retreatism
Abandons approved goals and approved means.
Rebellion
Challenges approved goals and approved means.
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