Social Solidarity Essay

Submitted By Jenny8295
Words: 574
Pages: 3
Open Document
How can items A and B be used to illustrate the view that education helps to unite members of society?

Education helps unite its members in various forms ranging from teaching the history of their country to teaching children specialised skills. The typical sociological term used for uniting members of society is known as ‘social solidarity’. Item A shows typical American school children pledging loyalty to their flag and country. Similarly to this, Item B is showing a picture of Davy Crockett accompanied with some text explaining his heroic actions for his country. Looking closely at Item A we can see that they are all pledging loyalty to their country in the classroom which gives them a sense of social solidarity because, as the Functionalist Emile Durkheim suggested, they will feel part of a nation. Durkheim stated that social solidarity is based on ‘essential similarities’ between members of society. One of the main functions of education is to develop these similarities and so bind members of society together. Pledging allegiance to their flag is binding the children together as members of society as they all have common traits, for example, they share the pride they have for their country. This is because USA has a population drawn from all over the world and a common educational system has helped to weld this diverse mass into a nation providing them with common norms and values. Item B shows that a shared history provides children in education with social solidarity because they are learning the history of their country and look up to these heroes. Durkheim sees a common history as vital for uniting members of society. Again American school children grow up with stories of their founders and their country’s heroes e.g. Davy Crockett who “was elected three times as a Congressman”. With a shared history, people feel part of a wider social group – it is their country made up of people like themselves. In this way, education contributes to the development of social solidarity. Items A and B have their similarities and differences. Item A like Item B are showing how education teaches children to unite. They do this through simple things the children have in
Show More

Related Documents: Social Solidarity Essay

Social Solidarity Essay

argues that the two main ideas of education is social solidarity and specialists skills he suggests these are both essential for society and the world of work. Social solidarity is when the children have a sense of belonging and commitment so that people co-operate and don’t be selfish in society. Specialist’s skills is when education teaches us what we need to know for society and the world of work. Item A sums up Durkheim’s theory “it performs vital social functions, including transmitting shared norm…

Words 1017 - Pages 5

Four Sociological Traditions Summary

Randall Collins talks about Durkheim and his beliefs on social solidarity in Four Sociological Traditions, and talks about how Durkheim’s belief in “social morphology, the structural relationships among people,” determines how certain interactions between individuals in society occur in comparison to others in the same society (1994:186). The type of solidarity that occurs changes over time, depending on the needs of the society, whether it being for a whole group such as a community, or a small…

Words 462 - Pages 2

Social Norms: A Sociological Analysis

that any society has solidarity. This paper will discuss how this is not a fact of the matter. Social solidarity arises from our “collective conscience” (Durkheim et al.,1984) of values and norms. It is important first to define values and norms in the context of society and the importance they uphold. “The specification of desirable behavior together with sanction rules in a community may be regarded as a social norm.” (Kandri,1992) One does not presume that people follow a social norm for its own…

Words 1012 - Pages 5

Essay about Durkheim and the Relevance of His Theories in Modern Society

“Treat social facts as things” is an expression that epitomises the works of Emile Durkheim. This essay focuses on four main sociological concepts proposed by the functionalist Emile Durkheim; the division of labour; mechanical and organic solidarity; anomie and suicide, and examines their relevance in contemporary society. Along with Marx and Weber, Durkheim is considered one of the founding members of modern sociology. He is also credited with making sociology a science through his application…

Words 1215 - Pages 5

Sociology Paper 2

Mechanical social solidarity can be defined as a collective consciousness that emphasizes group solidarity, characteristic of societies with minimal division of labor. Not to be confused with organic social solidarity that’s a collective consciousness that rests on mutual dependence, characteristic of societies with a complex division of labor (Schaefer 108). The…

Words 893 - Pages 4

Emile Durkheim and the Collective Conscience Essay

religion in simpler societies produced social solidarity and a source of moral unity. Durkheim described this as an aspect of mechanical solidarity based on a powerful collective conscience (Pope and Johnson, 1983). Modern society needed a set of collective beliefs and practices that had special authority, and in modern society Durkheim believed this was the cult of the individual. According to Stones (2008), Durkheim believed that the mechanical solidarity evident in more primitive societies…

Words 1093 - Pages 5

Can Social Order Emerge Spontaenously Essay

Can Social Order Emerge Spontaneously Exchange Theory and the Micro-foundations of Social Structure Philip Tan SOC 316 Professor Pfaff 10/23/12 The processes that lead to social order are considered as intricate and premeditated, and not spontaneous. The construction of social order is the result, in reference to Blau’s Exchange Theory, of trust and solidarity achieved through repeated social exchange. This paper will explain how and why social exchange occurs and the significance of continual…

Words 1566 - Pages 7

Using Material from Item a and Elsewhere, Assess the Contribution of Functionalism to Understanding of the Role of Educationn Essay examples

functions it performs to meet society’s needs. Durkheim identified two main functions of education: creating social solidarity and specialist skills. Durkheim argues that society needs a sense of solidarity, and that without solidarity, social life and cooperation would be impossible because each individual would pursue their own selfish desires. The educations system helps to create social solidarity by transmitting society’s culture, values and beliefs onto the next generation. Also, school acts as a…

Words 520 - Pages 3

Humans And Omaticaya Clan Face Conflicts In Avatar

Throughout the movie Avatar, the humans and Omaticaya clan face conflicts between each other. In Pandora, there are rare minerals that will help solve the human’s energy problem. The humans are aware that these rare minerals will help them solve their problem and realize they are cannot go to Pandora without the proper gear to survive. After doing research, the scientists decide to steal the DNA of the Na’vi that are living on Pandora; the scientists create avatars with the DNA they gain. The avatars…

Words 357 - Pages 2

Study Guide Essay

opposed to a rational social-contract. Examined the effects of the division of labor on social solidarity. The degree to which people felt an emotional sense of belonging to others and to a group. Two types of Social Solidarity. 1. Mechanical Solidarity Relations based on primary group interactions. Strong emotional bonds. Simple and limited division of labor. Strong behavioral norms. Solidarity grows from sameness; results in collective conscience. 2. Organic Solidarity Broad division of…

Words 1043 - Pages 5