Topic: Sociology Essay on Karl Marx and Emile Durkheim
Instruction:
CSUN SPRING 2018 – MW (12186) & TR (12244) SOC 368&368S – KARAGEORGIS EXAM 1 Topic/Question Menu Pick ONE of the following topics and write an essay of no more than 1200 words in response. Save your essay as a .doc, .docx, .rtf, or .pdf file. Use quoted passages sparingly, and make sure you appropriately cite the source(s) of quoted passages and paraphrases. Email the file as an attachment to stavros.karageorgis@csun.edu and submit the file, through the Canvas site, to Turnitin no later than A. 3:40 PM on March 7, 2018 (for 12186) or B. 9:10 PM on March 8, 2018 ( for 12244)
1. Compare and contrast Marx (& Engels) and Durkheim on: A. the ‘causes’ of the development of the division of labor and specialization of functions in societies, and B. on the effects/implications of the development of the social division of labor for societies, social groups within them, and their individual members.
2. Define ‘mechanical’ and ‘organic’ solidarity, according to Durkheim. Discuss the (reciprocal) relationship between: A. the extent of the division and specialization of labor/functions in a society and B. the relative contribution of each kind of solidarity in bonding/attaching individuals to each other and to society (overall and/or various societies), according to Durkheim.
3. Compare and contrast “alienation” (as discussed by Marx) and “anomie” (Durkheim) as problematic features of societies like ours, or of certain important sectors of them. Discuss Marx and Durkheim’s proposed ‘remedies’ (or ‘solutions’) for the problematic features they each focused on..
4. Analyze Marx (and Engels)’s description of, and predictions about, the formation of proletarians into a solidary class (in the Communist Manifesto) using Durkheim’s concepts of ‘mechanical’ and ‘organic’ solidarity.
5. Define Durkheim’s notion of collective conscience (or consciousness). What determines the strength of its effect on (or control over) individual consciences? What determines the number of collective consciences that exist in a society, and their relations with one another? What determines the effect of such collective consciences on the thoughts, sentiments and conduct of individuals? Discuss.
6. Is every social group, to some variable degree, “a Church” according to Durkheim? What determines the degree to which a social group is “a Church” (according to Durkheim’s definition of the term)? What are the effects on individuals (their thoughts, sentiments, actions) of being ‘members of’ groups which are “Churches” to a high degree vs. of groups which are “Churches” to a low degree? Discuss. (Mechanical and/vs. organic solidarity may be useful here)
7. Under what circumstances, and in which types of societies, are “egoism” and “anomie” (rather than “altruism” – i.e. “groupism” – and “fatalism”) likely to be regularly occurring problematic or pathological/abnormal social (and individual) states, according to Durkheim? What must such societies (allow or seek to) develop in order to prevent, minimize, and remedy such problematic social (and individual) states, according to Durkheim? (NB. This topic is NOT about Durkheim’s attempted typology of suicide, and explanation of suicide rates)
8. Compare and contrast Marx (and Engels) and Durkheim on the possible causes and effects of “nationalism”/patriotism in modern societies? Does the content of the national/country ideals matter for the possible effects of nationalism/patriotism? Discuss.
9. What is the ultimate basis for “alienated labor” in capitalist societies, according to Marx? How are “alienated labor” and the “fetishism of commodities” connected according to Marx, and how may their effects work differently on the consciousness of ‘proletarians’? Discuss.
10. Summarize Engels’ argument regarding the positions of, and relations between, men and women in patriarchal (male supremacist) ‘monogamous’ (i.e. indissoluble) marriages. Critically evaluate his analogizing of the relations between men and women in such marriages to the relation between capitalists and proletarians. How does it strengthen or weaken his analysis of gender, marriage and families?
11. Compare and contrast Marx and Durkheim on the “causes” of “religion” (as each defines it) and the “effects” of religion and religious life on individuals, groups and societies in modern settings.
12. Compare and contrast Marx (& Engels) and Durkheim on the effects of weakened, inconsistent, or ‘too’ abstract and general moral – including religious – and legal/administrative (in short, social and cultural) regulation of economic (production, distribution, exchange, consumption) life on individuals, groups and societies
No. of Pages: 4
