SOCIOL 2S06 Lecture 9: Sociol 2KK3 Feb 1st-Durkheim's Theory on Social Facts and Suicide
29 Mar 2018
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Durkheim was interest in the analysis of what he called social facts. Social facts are external and collective ways in which society shapes, structures and constraints our behaviours. Whether or not they are material or immaterial they impinge on individual and collective behaviour. Do not confuse social facts with statistical facts. Statistical facts are birth rates, unemployment rates, etc. Despite the separate concepts, statistical facts can be social facts because they shape social policies and individual decisions. Unemployment rate will influence government policies which will then influence individual decisions in regards to starting and stopping looking for work. Indicated how these social facts should be studied. Empirical refers to what can be observed through the sense. What we can see, hear, touch, taste, smell. Cannot see social facts directly through the senses. Religion is a social fact, an institution that influences behaviour, so does religiosity (how religious someone is. We can use indicators instead of sensing it directly.
