Durkheim/Social Facts
Stacey Seddon
10 January 2011
Social Theory (SOCI 101)
Module Coordinator: Paul Jones
Essay Question: Why is the concept of social facts so significant for Durkheim’s work? Illustrate your answer with reference to at least one of his studies.
This essay will look at social facts and the significance of them to Durkheim’s work, Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) a French sociologist wrote a series of controversial monographs, showing the methods and subject matter of the new science of sociology. Some of his major works include The Division of Labour in Society (1893), The Rules of Sociological Method (1895) and Suicide (1897), this essay will take a closer look at Durkheim’s work on Suicide, and his concept of social facts being so significant in his studies. For Durkheim the science of sociology was to be characterized by observation not abstract theory, he was interested in the study of social facts rather than psychological facts, providing both causal and functional explanations. The principles he applied can be found in his work Suicide (1897), here Durkheim demonstrates how such a personal act is ultimately determined by society, the suicide rate is therefore a social fact (Marshall, 1998). Social facts for Durkheim are as important as other sciences deal with natural facts, he was to approach this in the same way other sciences deal with natural facts, in that they are external and constraining, facts are external to our thoughts and constrain the course of human behaviour, even though we may not be fully aware of their doing so
(Hughes, et.al. 1995). We as human beings may not particularly feel constrained in our everyday lives; Durkheim argues that despite this, such feelings are sometimes illusory,
“we do not feel constrained insofar as what we do coincides with what we are standardly required to do”( Hughes, et.al.1995. pg,161) Durkheim is saying that; in society we all as participants may not be fully
10 January 2011
Social Theory (SOCI 101)
Module Coordinator: Paul Jones
Essay Question: Why is the concept of social facts so significant for Durkheim’s work? Illustrate your answer with reference to at least one of his studies.
This essay will look at social facts and the significance of them to Durkheim’s work, Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) a French sociologist wrote a series of controversial monographs, showing the methods and subject matter of the new science of sociology. Some of his major works include The Division of Labour in Society (1893), The Rules of Sociological Method (1895) and Suicide (1897), this essay will take a closer look at Durkheim’s work on Suicide, and his concept of social facts being so significant in his studies. For Durkheim the science of sociology was to be characterized by observation not abstract theory, he was interested in the study of social facts rather than psychological facts, providing both causal and functional explanations. The principles he applied can be found in his work Suicide (1897), here Durkheim demonstrates how such a personal act is ultimately determined by society, the suicide rate is therefore a social fact (Marshall, 1998). Social facts for Durkheim are as important as other sciences deal with natural facts, he was to approach this in the same way other sciences deal with natural facts, in that they are external and constraining, facts are external to our thoughts and constrain the course of human behaviour, even though we may not be fully aware of their doing so
(Hughes, et.al. 1995). We as human beings may not particularly feel constrained in our everyday lives; Durkheim argues that despite this, such feelings are sometimes illusory,
“we do not feel constrained insofar as what we do coincides with what we are standardly required to do”( Hughes, et.al.1995. pg,161) Durkheim is saying that; in society we all as participants may not be fully
Bibliography: Douglas, J, D. (1967) The Social Meaning of Suicide. America: Princeton University Press. Haralhambos, M. and Holborn, M. (2008) Sociology Themes and Perspectives. 7th ed. London: HarperCollins Publishers Limited. Hughes, J, A. Martin, P, J. and Sharrock, W, W. (1995) Understanding Classic Sociology. London: Sage Publications Ltd. Macionas, J, J. and Plummer, K. (1998) Sociology a Global introduction. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Inc. Marsh, I. and Keating, M. (2006) Sociology Making sense of society. 3rd ed. Essex: Pearson Education Ltd. Marshall, G. (1998) Oxford Dictionary of Sociology. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Roberts, K. (2009) Key Concepts in Sociology. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.