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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
A Durkheimian Sociobiology?, Jason Oliver Dixon
A Durkheimian Sociobiology?, Jason Oliver Dixon
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
As conceived by Durkheim, social facts set parameters on what is of sociological interest, and subsequently how social phenomena are explained. This thesis reworks this theoretical concept to allow for biological explanations of some social phenomena. It by no means, asserts that all social phenomena can be explained by biology, but it recognizes that biological explanations of human behavior are available and are of sociological interest. The argument agrees with the main thrust of Durkheim's defense of social facts, but his critique of utility, while insightful, is considered unnecessary to negate individual causality.
Explaining Churn: Mass Society, Social Capital, & Community Churn, Delores Edelen
Explaining Churn: Mass Society, Social Capital, & Community Churn, Delores Edelen
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Population churn--the population turnover experienced by a community--can have differential effects on a community. Mass society theory suggests that because the churn rate experienced by communities can contribute to their uprooting, fragmentation, and isolation, churn is a potent threat to the stability of our modern day communities. Social capital theory, to the contrary, suggests otherwise. Social capital theory suggests that churn can have positive effects on communities by bringing new migrants with valuable human capital skills and experiences to communities. These migrants bring to their new communities the potential for creating new jobs, spurring economic development, and for initiating housing …