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For example, Emile Durkheim’s (1858-1917) research showed that the suicide rate was strongly influenced by the extent to which people were socially integrated with others.

Sociology is defined as ‘The study of human social life, groups and societies’ (Giddens, 1989). It involves describing and analysing how different forces such as social, cultural, political, and economic have on behaviour and an individuals identity. (Van Kreiken et al.2000). Furthermore, it encompasses the complex connections on a micro level along with those on a macro level thus enabling sociological imagination.

A significant concept developed by Durkheim is that of anomie, a term used to describe the breakdown of social solidarity and a state of normlessness in which members of society begin to feel alienated. In an anomic society, there is no longer a societal consensus as to what behavior is considered normal or deviant and people no longer know how to react in various social contexts. Durkheim stated that anomie would result for two reasons. The first reason was attributed to the the division of labor in society creating inequality, class conflict, poor social relationships, and a dearth of meaningful roles (Willis, 1982). Durkheim felt that a lack of meaningful roles in particular, caused individuals to accept social status and occupations that were below their level of talent and potential. This created frustration and strain as individuals felt as though they were not given the same opportunity to achieve success as others. The second cause of anomie that Durkheim stated was the disparity between needs and means (Willis, 1982). This meant that in order for happiness to exist within an individual, they must have a realistic chance of achieving their needs based upon the means they have access to. Durkheim felt that a large discrepancy between needs and available means would lead an individual to become hopeless with their situation and contemplate suicide.

Emile Durkheim, was a French sociologist. His theories and writings helped establish the foundations of modern sociology. Durkheim disagreed with most social theorists of the late 1800 's because they thought that individual psychology was the basis of sociology. Durkheim regarded sociology as the study of the society that surrounds and influences the individual. Durkheim explained his theories in his book The Rules of Sociological Method (1895). He says there is relationship between moral values and religious beliefs, which establishes unity in society.Emile Durkheim has long been viewed as one of the founders of the so called variables oriented approach to sociological investigation. Durkheim developed the theory that societies are bound together by two sources of unity. He called these sources mechanical solidarity and organic solidarity. Mechanical solidarity refers to similarities that many people in the society share, such as values and religious beliefs. Organic solidarity results from the division of labor into specialized jobs. Durkheim believed that the division of labor makes people depend on one another and thus helps create unity in a society. Durkheim studied thousands of cases of suicide to demonstrate his theory that a person commits suicide because of the

People in present society are divided up into different positions in the work force. Durkheim sees society from a structural functionalist perspective and refers to society as a system of different organs, each with a

Durkheim believed that the division of labor would individualize the people and would create differences amongst the people in a society. Not only does he believe that the division of labor is necessary for civilization to play out like Smith said, but he also said it was a desire for people to be different from each other. Unlike Marx, he believed that this division and differentiation of labor was allowing for a different morale that catered to this system. Even though society is differentiating, it does not mean that the morality of the people is being lost. In fact, he believed that this division of labor was producing what he called an, organic solidarity or morale in which an individual becomes more differentiated from others around him, yet are still integrated in the larger society (Durkheim DL: 37). In contrast to Marx, he believed that division of labor did not create alienation but rather it allowed for people to interact more, as the solidarity changes, people find meaning in their work. Durkheim said that “teach organ, in fact, has its special characteristics, its autonomy, and yet, the greater the unity of the organism, the more marked is the individuation of its parts (Durkheim, DL, 38). The individual becomes more dependent on society. Like Smith, he believed that the division of labor allows for a

Emile Durkheim was a French sociologist in the late 1800s and early 1900s who came up with the concepts of social regulation and integration. These concepts have to do with the state of societies and how they work. More specifically, social regulation is the norms created by either formal laws or social pressure. The way people are expected to live and perform their daily tasks or jobs are somewhat decided by social regulation. In its most basic form, it’s what is and isn’t deemed acceptable by societies standards. Social integration on the other hand is the extent to which the group or society matters. This brings up the importance of the individual as opposed to the importance of the society. Strength of social ties within the community are big influences on how socially integrated a society is. These two concepts helped Durkheim better form an understanding for things such as suicide rates.

“Treat social facts as things” is an expression that epitomises the works of Emile Durkheim. This essay focuses on four main sociological concepts proposed by the functionalist Emile Durkheim; the division of labour; mechanical and organic solidarity; anomie and suicide, and examines their relevance in contemporary society.

Durkheim focuses on the stability of society, and discusses the social causes of suicide. His work shows how ideology contributes to stability, and he describes abnormal conditions as anomie. Durkheim states, "in normal conditions the collective order is regarded as just by the great majority of persons …[b]ut when society is disturbed by some painful crisis or by beneficent but abrupt transitions, it is momentarily incapable of exercising this influence [of limiting desires]"

Emile Durkeim, a French sociologist and one of the fathers of sociology, helped establish the true distinction between philosophy and psychology. With the study of prioritizing social over individual, he had the opportunity to establish the causes of suicide in society by applying evidence that many failed to coincide together. He viewed suicide, as always being a personal choice but that there are always sociological and psychological concepts that add to the ultimate decision. Social facts, such as cultural norms and values along with social solidarity, the degree to which a society is held together as a whole are two main concepts that Durkheim based his theory on .

Emile Durkheim on the other hand has often been called one of the founding fathers of sociology, his history of work includes that of the division of labor in society in which he first introduced the term “anomie”

Throughout his life, Durkheim has three main goals: establish sociology as a new academic discipline, analyze how societies maintain their integrity in the modern era, and lastly the practical implications of scientific knowledge. Durkheim’s contributions to social theory are expansive however the most impactful works were: The Division of Labor in Society and The Rules of Sociological Method. In his first work he introduced the concept of the breakdown of the influence of the societal norms on the individual, in his second work he stated what sociology is and how it should be acted out. Both of these works took social theory to a new level and they further help the individual understand his society.

This general synopsis carried forward lays the foundations to summarise the remaining fields of study. Sociology is a science concerned with societal problems and an engulfing study of individuals, groups, conventions and “environments”(Elias, 1978). A sociological environment for example, is

Pleasantville, USA Durkheim was as theorist who examined many theories about how and why people lives their lives and the way communities are formed. In his works, Durkheim theorizes about how society operates and the affects it has on communities and individuals. Durkheim’s work is highly utilized not only in the field of sociology but also in many other study that revolve around human behaviors. Durkheim is often referred to as the father of sociology because he is the person who founded it and pushed to make it a science. In the movie Pleasantville, One may observe many of Durkheim’s theories including his theory of functionalism, anomie, and his theories about social order.

Durkheim was an early sociologist whom is widely known for his theories on the structure of society, including its functioning in traditional and modern societies and the contrast between individualism yet social order. Unlike the other sociologists of his era, his theories analysed external features or "social facts", such as social structure, rather than internal/ psychological features such as a person 's desires and motives. These social facts are made up of the values, morals and structures within a society. "According to Durkheim collective consciousnesses, values and rules are critical to a functional society" (Hurst, 2015). Durkheim 's book "Suicide" (2002) presented the concept of anomie. "The term anomie refers to a condition or state in which