Lecture 3 – Durkheim & Du Bois
Émile Durkheim – Consensus & Identity
● Who he was: One of sociology’s founders (late 19th–early 20th century). Focused on
social order and what holds societies together.
● Main question: How do people become connected to something larger than
themselves?
Society as More Than Individuals
● Durkheim argued that society has a life of its own — it’s not just the sum of
individuals.
● He studied “social facts” → things like norms, traditions, laws, and values that exist
outside of us but shape our behavior.
● These create stability and predictability.
Example: Shaking hands when you meet someone — not natural, but a social fact.
Collective Identity
● Through rituals, symbols, and shared practices, people shift from “me” to “we.”
● This creates a collective consciousness — a shared sense of belonging.
● Politics draws power from these shared identities.
Exam tip: Durkheim helps explain why people vote or fight for their country even when it’s
against their self-interest → they feel part of a larger whole.
Civil Society
● Defined as the network of associations, groups, and organizations between
individuals and the state.
● Civil society teaches cooperation, trust, and norms of reciprocity.
● Stronger civil society = healthier democracy.
Émile Durkheim – Consensus & Identity
● Who he was: One of sociology’s founders (late 19th–early 20th century). Focused on
social order and what holds societies together.
● Main question: How do people become connected to something larger than
themselves?
Society as More Than Individuals
● Durkheim argued that society has a life of its own — it’s not just the sum of
individuals.
● He studied “social facts” → things like norms, traditions, laws, and values that exist
outside of us but shape our behavior.
● These create stability and predictability.
Example: Shaking hands when you meet someone — not natural, but a social fact.
Collective Identity
● Through rituals, symbols, and shared practices, people shift from “me” to “we.”
● This creates a collective consciousness — a shared sense of belonging.
● Politics draws power from these shared identities.
Exam tip: Durkheim helps explain why people vote or fight for their country even when it’s
against their self-interest → they feel part of a larger whole.
Civil Society
● Defined as the network of associations, groups, and organizations between
individuals and the state.
● Civil society teaches cooperation, trust, and norms of reciprocity.
● Stronger civil society = healthier democracy.
