Review questions for Soc. 4111
Fall 2011
Functionalism

1. What is mechanical solidarity and how does it work to keep societies and groups stable? Pick any small group to which you belong for illustration purposes. What is organic solidarity and how does it operate to keep social groups/societies stable?
   
   
2. Compare Durkheim's theory of crime to Merton's explanation of deviance.
   
   
3. Compare and contrast Durkheim's conception of Anomie with Merton's. How is Anomie produced according to them and what are the consequences?
   
   
4. Why does Durkheim argue that crime is a normal part of all healthy societies?
   
   
5. Explain Durkheim's analysis of suicide.
   
   
6. What are abnormal forms of the Division of Labour and why is that such an important concern?
   
   
7. How can Davis and Moore's theory of stratification be seen as an extension of Durkheim?
   
   
8. Why is crime considered functional?
   
   
9. What are social facts and how are they important to doing sociological research?
   
   
10. What does Durkheim mean by moral authority? Why is moral authority critical for society.
    
    
11. What makes something a social fact? Pick an example of something that would be a social fact and explain what makes it so.
    
    
12. Define manifest and latent function. Recently legalizing marijuana was turned down in California. What were the manifest and latent functions of legalizing marijuana?
    
    
13. Durkheim saw religion is an outgrowth of social or communal living, as natural as society itself. What functions does religion serve? Can modern industrial societies survive without religion?
    
    
14. Explain Durkheim's conception of social stratification. Why is stratification important and necessary?
    
    
15. Using the logic from Durkheim's analysis of religion, explain why a large group of U.S. citizens became overwhelmingly upset when a Spanish version of the National Anthem became popular.