In his book, The Division of Labor in Society, published in 1893, French sociologist Emile Durkheim introduced the concept anomie as ôa state where norms (expectations on behaviors) are confused, unclear or not presentö and therefore, result in higher rates of crime, suicide and deviance (Hewett). Anomie occurs during times of rapid social change û either negative or positive, when the circumstances of the division of labor become abnormal, and ôunder which otherwise contiguous organs become separated, thus preventing the adequate development of rules of conductö (Jones). In order to truly understand the conditions under which anomie occurs, however, it is useful to first examine DurkheimÆs view of social order.
The sources of social order and disorder were central themes in DurkheimÆs work. Durkheim believed that humans control their self-interests and desires by ôa common social bond that is expressed by the ideas, values, norms, beliefs and ideologies of the cultures, institutionalized in the social structure, and internalized by individual members of the cultureö û an external force Durkheim characterizes as the collective conscience (Elwell). In The Division of Labor, Durkheim identifies two forms of solidarity û mechanical and organic.
Mechanical solidarity typically occurs in simplistic, traditional societies where there is little division of labor and the norms, values, and beliefs of the society are so homogenous that they confront individuals with such overwhelming and consistent force so that they feel they have little choice but to conform. Durkheim asserts that, as a result, traditional societies have a high level of social and moral integration and most behaviors were governed by the social norms that were generally embodied in religion (Elwell).
The second form of solidarity Durkheim identifies is ôorganic.ö Organic solidarity occurs as society becomes more complex, dividing labor, an
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