Durkheim&Merton
Anomie or “Strain”
Theories
Emile Durkheim
French Sociologist
 Suicide
 Coined the Term “Anomie”:

– When “institutionalized norms” lose their
meaning and ability to control human
behavior and needs

Mechanical vs. Organic Solidarity
Robert K. Merton
Social Structure and Anomie (1938)
 From Durkheim: Institutionalized norms
are weakened in societies that place an
intense value on economic success
 Applied this to the United States

– The “American Dream” as a virtue and
VICE
Anomie -- Macro Level
The “road not taken”
 Explanation of high crime rates in the
United States?

– Follows close to Durkheim
– Gist = Unrestrained American capitalism
and fetish with money creates anomie

Picked up by Messner and Rosenfeld
Strain Theory--Anomie at the
Micro Level

Cultural Goals in U.S.?
– The American Dream = $ = Universal

Institutionalized Means?
– Given social structure in the U.S., the
means are to achieve $ are unequally
distributed
– Segment of society with no way to attain
goal b/c they lack means
Strain Theory (Micro)
MODES OF
ADAPTATION
CULTURAL
GOALS
STITUTIONALIZED
MEANS
1. Conformity
+
+
2. Innovation
+
-
3. Ritualism
-
+
4. Retreatism
-
-
5. Rebellion
+/-
+/-
Support for Micro Strain Theory

Typically tested as the disjuncture between
educational or economic “aspirations” and
“expectations”
 Little empirical support for this
– Delinquents tend to have low expectations and
aspirations
– More recent tests have found some weak
support (e.g., disappointment with monetary
status).
Criticisms of Merton and
“Strain” Theory
Is crime a “lower class” phenomena?
 Why ritualist vs. innovator?
 Cannot explain “expressive” crimes
 Weak empirical support
 Hirschi = “Oversocialized Man”
