SOCI-100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: George Herbert Mead, Altruistic Suicide, Class Conflict
24 Feb 2016
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Understand why/how theories provide frameworks for understanding our world. Social events help us understand our social world. Challenge to church/hierarchy of power: independent thinking, reflection on nature of society, functionalism each component of society has a function. Organic analogy human body: inter-related parts work towards the stability of the whole. Herbert spencer (1820-1903) (mis)-used evolutionary theory to explain & justify the social order. Social rather than biological factors. collective conscience rational, not superstitious (religious) thinking. Shared morals, values, attitudes, and beliefs holds societies together. anomie. State of normlessness due to loss of shared values & sense of purpose. Durkheim"s theory of suicide social explanations (not psychological/individualistic). degree of social integration and regulation. Fatalistic suicide results from too little social integration. Too much social integration = loss of individuality. Lack of shared values & absence of social regulation. ***** make sure u know the material on durkheim. Competing groups continual power struggle for control of resources.
