Sociology Assignment 1
Maninder Kular
October 20, 2015

Sociological Theorists
Emile Durkheim was a pioneer in sociology; his major focus was on social structure. He insisted, “Behavior must be understood within a larger social context, not just in individualistic terms” (Schaefer, 10). According to him the most important thing in life is a sense of belonging. The opposite of which is anomie- a feeling of isolation and loneliness. He would argue these are the worst things in life. Social attachments to others are important to avoid anomie. For example, religion reinforces a group’s solidarity because it is a form of group behavior (Schaefer, 10). Durkheim believed the industrial revolution caused anomie due to a change of pace in life. People became busy, and as a result there were less meaningful interactions. He believed modern capitalism caused anomie, and people who are unable to cope may resort to taking their own lives (Schaefer, 10). Therefore, he advocated the creation of social groups between the family and the state to provide a sense of belonging for members of a society (Schaefer, 10). Durkheim is linked to the structural functionalist perspective. Its main focus is on how people and institutions serve as a function. As long as every person and institution does this, there will be order and stability within society. This leads back to his idea that behavior cannot be understood in individualistic terms, but within a larger social context. He believed that anomie could be avoided by creating a sense of belonging between the family and the state.
Karl Marx focused on economic and political relations of power. He studied the conflicts between the working class and owning class. Alienation refers to the separation between the worker and the work process (Schaefer, 11). For example, workers going on strike feel separated from the work process. By