Beyond the Elementary Forms of Moral Life: Reflexivity and Rationality in Durkheim's Moral Theory

Recently, neuroscientists have argued that elementary ways of organizing, perceiving, and justifying social relations lurk behind the diversity of social life. In developing grid-group typology, anthropologist Mary Douglas proposed such universal forms. If these are universal, then we could expect other widely cited classifications to overlap with grid-group typology. We tested this expectation by examining to which extent the elements of Douglas’s typology overlap with those of 39 highly influential classifications proposed since 1970. We established overlap by calculating the interrater agreement among 11 coders. Fair to good interrater agreement, despite a complex coding exercise and minimal training, suggests that such overlap exists. Nevertheless, limits to our research design call for further studies. These findings should contribute to a rekindling of the question whether universal forms of organizing and perceiving social relations exist and to a further consideration of whether Douglas has managed to uncover these.

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“…1. According to Kenny (2010), this conceptual move is compatible with and even implied by Durkheim's perspective on morality. 2.…”

Section: Notesmentioning

confidence: 65%

Four Galore? The Overlap between Mary Douglas’s Grid-Group Typology and Other Highly Cited Social Science Classifications

Verweij

Alexandrova²,

Jacobsen

et al. 2020

Sociological Theory

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“…In noting changes associated with the modernity of industrializing society, Durkheim explained that simpler, agrarian societies had a more universalized sense of morality, with any two people encountered in a rural area being likely to think similarly in terms of what is good and bad, right and wrong. Alternatively, industrial society tended to break down this unification into smaller "moral spheres" that co-exist in a more complex societal configuration of multiple value systems (Kenny 2010). This multiplicity can evoke recurring meaning crises in terms of how to understand, synthesize, or differentiate between many "meaning constellations" (Seidman 1985).…”

Section: Context: Functionalism and Social Structurementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Related Sources: Brashears 2010;Simpson & Willer 2015;Herzog & Price 2016;Simmel 1964;Pescosolido & Rubin 2000;Edgell 2012;Robertson 1977;Snow 2001;Putnam et al 2012;Rahn & Transue 1998;Kenny 2010;Seidman 1985;Smith & Snell 2009. …”

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Durkheim’s Impact on Social Theory: Context, Cooperation, Collectives

Herzog

2023

Preprint

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Sociology has a canon, and critiques have been leveled at this canon. This paper addresses both the critiques of the canon and its continuance by analyzing the lineage of classical social theory from Émile Durkheim to contemporary studies. While Durkheim’s impacts on social theory are numerous, this paper focuses in particular on his impact in understanding three categories of social phenomena: context, cooperation, and collectives. The alliteration of these three categories can serve as a mnemonic device in remembering how Durkheim’s scholarship contributed to contemporary subfields. In explaining each of these three categories, this paper: (a) summarizes ideas in contemporary scholarship that continue and advance upon Durkheim’s social theories; (b) situates contemporary scholarship within a few of Durkheim’s primary publications; and (c) identifies key terms that are regularly associated with this vein of Durkheim’s scholarship. The paper culminates in a current events assignment based upon a table that synthesizes contemporary topics, relevant subfields, primary sources, key terms, and related sources. A writing prompt also asks students to engaged with a compelling visual to understand a key theme in classical and contemporary scholarship: tensions between individual freedom and collective wellbeing.

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“…He was emphatic in his book titled "social fact" that social laws, values, morals, re customs and rituals hold society together and governs the individual's social life and social institutions Stanner, 2017). It is argued that Durkheimian theory view society as coherent entity that is bounded by fundamental social relations (Kenny, 2010). Religiously, Durkheim defined religion as "a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred thing" (Allen, Pickering & Miller, 2012, p.8 Durkheim further clarifies the concept "religion" as the expression of social cohesion which serves several purposes, including providing answers to spiritual mysteries, providing social interaction and socio-emotional support 2014; Wallis, 2019).…”

Section: Theoretical Underpinning: the Structural Functionalists Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Structural Dysfunction in the Era of COVID19; An Assessment of the Effects on Christian Churches in Ghana: A case of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana

Pufaa¹,

Odame²,

Ameyaw³

2021

IJRISS

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Globally, the outbreak of an acute respiratory disease known as Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) adversely impacted on economies of countries and religious bodies. The emergence of the pandemic led to the interruption of most public socio-economic activities including religious gatherings, local and international flights, borders, road transportation, large commercial activities, public and private schools, among others worldwide, including Ghana. These measures sought to forestall a further spread of the disease. Suspension of religious gatherings foists considerable consequences on religious activities, especially in the developing world. In the mainstream academic discourse, scholars contended that the novel pandemic adversely affected economies of countries, but there is paucity of empirical evidence on how the pandemic has affected Christian Spirituality and religious socialization in Ghana. This study however fills this knowledge gap and unveils the possible effects of COVID-19 on Christian Spirituality in Ghana by using the Presbyterian Church of Ghana as a case. Qualitative approach was employed using data from in-depth interviews from eight (8) purposively selected respondents and four (4) regions in Ghana. The analysis revealed that, the pandemic disrupted the annual plans of churches and compelled them to alter their 2019/2020 annual plans. This affected spiritual activities like baptisms, holy matrimony and communion services, among others. It was also found that Church members had to significantly revoke their wedding schedules leading to premarital sex among especially young people. The study argues that the pandemic is a spirit-lice infestation depriving Christians of active spiritual operations. It was recommended that Church policy planners ought to broaden the scope of their programmes to accommodate supplementary programmes and activities for tackling future emergency situations like the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Beyond the Elementary Forms of Moral Life: Reflexivity and Rationality in Durkheim's Moral Theory

Cited by 5 publications

References 33 publications

Four Galore? The Overlap between Mary Douglas’s Grid-Group Typology and Other Highly Cited Social Science Classifications

Four Galore? The Overlap between Mary Douglas’s Grid-Group Typology and Other Highly Cited Social Science Classifications

Durkheim’s Impact on Social Theory: Context, Cooperation, Collectives

Social Structural Dysfunction in the Era of COVID19; An Assessment of the Effects on Christian Churches in Ghana: A case of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana

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