Durkheim's Theory Of Anomie Tell Us About Immigration And Crime

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What does Durkheim’s Theory of Anomie Tell Us about Immigration and Crime?
This paper analyzes the relationship between immigration and crime using Emile Durkheim’s theory of anomie. The research shows that rapid cultural and social changes lead to the destabilization of traditional societies and norms become influx which leads to social disorganization. Immigrants are often identified as the architect of social breakdown especially increases in crime. Through organic solidarity, modern societies can learn to tolerate differences and restore social order. The paper uses evidence of immigration and crime research to explain the reasons why immigration is linked to crime even though empirical evidence tells a different story. The disintegration …show more content…

It is from the concept of anomie that Merton developed his social theory of order. According to Merton, “aberrant conduct may be viewed as a symptom of disassociation between culturally defined aspirations and socially structured means… certain aspects of the social structure may generate countermores and antisocial behavior precisely because of differential emphases on goals and regulations”(674). Merton’s contention was that human beings live in a world whose resources are greatly limited. The process of the distribution of resources is not usually equitable and leads to contentious social relations. Limitations in resources is manifest in all societies even the most affluent which can lead to conflict when new members join a particular culture and makes claims to the new society’s resources. Merton observed that the route to achieving social cohesiveness and desirability leads to anomie and …show more content…

The promise of free markets and liberal democracy pushes individuals to migrate to industrialized Western nations like the United States and in some cases with very limited means of copying with the new cultural and economic realities. It is important to note that social disorganization does not just happen within the group of immigrants. Dissatisfaction can also lead to the anomic state in the native groups. The failure to realize economic goals is a recipe for social upheaval and to a larger extent contributes to deviance which manifests itself in crime. Thus we observe in the promise of liberal democracy inconsistences that can lead to social problems like

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