Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) and Max Weber (1864-1920) are widely considered as two of the “founding fathers” of sociology. They are important for their contribution to understanding society. A great deal of their contributions have had a lasting impact into how sociological studies are conducted. The difference between these two sociologist is their theoretical perspectives. Unlike Weber who belonged to the interpretive perspective, Durkheim belonged to the functionalist perspective. Emile Durkheim developed a theory called functionalism, which explained how the individual and society were related and how society changed over time. According to functionalism, society is a system of interconnected parts that work together in harmony to maintain a state of balance and social equilibrium for the whole. Durkheim believed that society should be analyzed and described in terms of functions. Society is a system of interrelated parts where no one part can function without the other. These parts make up the entirety of society and therefore, if one part changes, society is impacted. Emile Durkheim was well-known for his views on the structure of society. He was interested in what was happening with society as a whole rather than an individuals specific actions. His theories were founded on the concept of social facts, defined as the norms, values, and structures of society for example; institutions, culture, beliefs, etc. which are external in nature to the individual …show more content…
He believed that individuals needed to be part of or integrated into a moral community and that if societies evolve too quickly, a situation in which he describes as anomie can occur, which is the breakdown of norms and values and the weakening of a community which results in disorder and