What Is Social Fact – Emile Durkheim Essay Example

other words social facts are not a biological or psychological issue. It is understood that there is no psychological or biological factors involved, therefore it is important to note that: “it is indisputable today that most of our ideas and tendencies are not developed by ourselves, but come from outside, they can only penetrate us by imposing themselves upon us. ” (Durkheim, 1982:52) The main outside influence that social fact is derived from are parents and teachers.

Durkheim explains that children’s experiences during their upbringing has a continual impact on the child’s “ways of seeing, thinking and acting which he himself would no have arrived at spontaneously” (Durkheim, 1982:53) thus the importance of child rearing. He also makes the point “the social being has been fashioned historically” (Durkheim, 1982:54), therefore we are taught and develop tendencies and habits, these plus the education a child receives are what provide the basis of creating a social being. What constitutes social facts are the beliefs, tendencies and practices of the group taken collectively. ” (Durkheim, 1982:54). Therefore when one is born into a particular social fact, they grow up and follow the beliefs, tendencies and practices of the people around them – their parents: “if they existed before he did, it follows that they exist outside him” (Durkheim, 1982:51) There are numerous contemporary examples of Durkheim’s concept of social facts present in today’s society; these are inundated in our lives everyday. A particular example of social fact is racism.

Racism is described as the belief in racial differences, which can cause discriminatory acts – where a distinct biological group is described as inferior; the members of

a particular race are commonly faced with derogatory racial based comments, stereotypes and non-equal treatment. One of the main causes of racism is an individuals surrounding factors during their years of development and education – the passing down from generation to generation. Humans are not born racist; racism is a characteristic that is learnt, becoming intrinsic to the individual.

Just as Durkheim explains there are no psychological or biological factors associated with the racism, hatred and stereotyping that an individual encompasses, but it is established from an outside influence. The stereotyping associated with racism is passed onto children from their parents who attributed it from the social fact they were born into that holds the beliefs, tendencies and practices based around racism towards other particular social facts, it becomes normal for a individual who was born into a racist social fact to be a racist.

Thinking or feeling any sense of empathy towards those who are subjected to the racism would result in a penalty for the individual. It is the social standard to be racist and a rational, accepted action to discriminate against particular groups; they are conforming to the norm of the social group. Just as Durkheim carries out his “duties as a brother, a husband or citizen…” (Durkheim, 1982:50). A person who was born into a racist social fact fulfills their duties by being discriminatory, as social facts have a cohesive power over them, regulating their thoughts and actions.

The 2005 Cronulla Riot’s can be used as an example: the ethnically motived riots were orchestrated between Middle Eastern young men and ‘White Australian’ men. The white men believed that

they were superior to the Middle Eastern men, this was based on the idea the comprised that to be an Australian one must be of Anglo descent and anyone that was not was not fitting of their stereotype and therefore not welcomed into Australia.

This is derived from the historical “White Australia Policy” put in place in the nineteen hundreds, passed down through generations and expressed by these young men after man years of developments in multiculturalism and the end of the White Australia Policy. Durkheim’s concepts of social facts are relevant in every society in contemporary society as everyone experiences the effects of social facts in the sense that we follow in the direction that is provided to use through our support systems; we adapt to the ideals passed down throughout generation’s, Durkheim shows us that social facts are based on and interrelated with others around us.

His notions can be applied to every individual and used as a methodology for explaining issues such as racism. The example of racism is negative effect of social facts, despite the concept of social facts and the passing down of ideals and perceptions, every individual has the ability to change and therefore their developed ideals of racism towards particular races can be conformed by other social facts.