Sociology: Durkheim on Social Cohesion

A type of social cohesion in homogenous societies, characterized by kinship and religious beliefs, low individuality, and penal laws.

A type of social cohesion in diverse societies, characterized by high individuality, a division of labor, and restitutive laws.

Laws focused on punishment for crimes that offend the collective conscience, common in societies with mechanical solidarity.

Laws focused on restoring the status quo, common in societies with organic solidarity. Mediated by legal systems.

Temporary periods of high social solidarity, characterized by intense emotions and group identification.

A lack of social integration, moral regulation, and restraint in modern (organic) societies; a pathological state linked to social disorganization and instability.

Specialization of tasks and roles within a society; a key feature of organic solidarity.

Increased interaction rates leading to higher complexity and specialization within a society.

The division of labor, while creating dependence, might be insufficient for social cohesion if shared morality is lacking, leading to difficulties following rules.

A feeling of normlessness and lack of social integration that is a constant in modern societies, particularly during times of instability.

A perspective on social issues arising from the colonial past that often uses binary categories (opposites) to reflect global power imbalances.

A 14th-century scholar who focused on social solidarity, economic systems, and the differences between nomadic and settled societies.

The feeling of unity and strength in a social group.

Khaldun contrasted societies based on mobility (nomadic) and settled living (sedentary), highlighting their differing social structures and power dynamics.

Durkheim's theories on social solidarity treated different societies as separate and distinct stages of development, overlooking their interdependence and coincidental existence.

Julian Go's work highlights how previous sociological interpretations reflected the European colonial standpoint, creating biased understandings of societies, particularly pre-industrial and post-industrial societies worldwide.