Emile Durkheim - Division of labour, social fact, suicide, religion and society
Key points
- Social division of labour
- Mechanical and organic solidarity
- Theory of Social facts
- Typology of suicide
- Anomie
- Sociology of religion
- Sacred and profane
Previous year questions
Questions asked from this topic in UPSC Sociology Optional:
- HowdoMarx,WeberandDurkheimdifferinunderstandingreligion? Explain
- Describe various characteristics of a ‘social fact’. How is rate of suicide a social fact according to Durkheim?
- Durkheim argued that society is more than the sum of individual acts. Discuss
- Critically examine how Durkheim and Merton explicate Anomie.
- Critically examine the relevance of Durkheim's views on religion in contemporary society.
- Explain whether Durkheim’s theory of Division of Labour is relevant in the present-day context.
- Critically analyse Durkheim’s views on elementary forms of religious life and role of religion. Also discuss the consequences of religious revivalism in contemporary society.
- What are the problems in observing social facts in Durkheim’s views?
- How well do you think Tonnis, Durkheim, Weber and Max predicted the character of modern society? Critique.
- Explain Durkheim’s basic arguments on suicide. Can you analyse high suicide rates of contemporary Indian society with Durkheim’s theory?
- In what way did Durkheim perceive religion as functional to society?
- Discuss distinct sociological method adopted by Emile Durkheim in his method of ‘suicide’.
- Elaborate the views of Durkheim on “The Elementary Forms of Religious life”.
- “According to Durkheim, the essence of religion in modern society is the same as religion in primitive society.” Comment.
- Compare Karl Marx with Emile Durkheim with reference to the framework of ‘division of labour’.