anomie
AN-uh-mee
/ˈænəmi/
A state of social instability resulting from a breakdown of standards and values; lack of the usual social or ethical standards in an individual or group.
Anomie is specifically the feeling of 'normlessness' that occurs when society changes so fast that old rules no longer apply.
The story behind the word. The term was coined by the French sociologist Émile Durkheim in his 1893 book 'The Division of Labour in Society'. He took the Greek 'a-' (without) and 'nomos' (law/custom) to describe the 'derangement' of modern life.
Word relationships
- normlessness: A direct synonym often used to explain anomie in simpler terms.
- deracination: The state of being uprooted from one's social or cultural environment.
- solidarity: Unity or agreement of feeling or action, especially among individuals with a common interest.
- order: The arrangement or disposition of people or things according to a particular sequence, pattern, or method.
Commonly confused with
- alienation: Alienation is a feeling of separation from others or one's work, while anomie is a lack of social rules.
Word family
- anomic (adjective): relating to or characterized by anomie
Collocations
- state of anomie
- social anomie
- sense of anomie
- anomie and alienation
Example sentences
- "Anomie arises when the collective conscience of a society is weakened by rapid economic change." Sociological theory of suicide.
- "It is this state of anomie which is the cause of the incessantly recurrent conflicts, and the multifarious disorders of which the economic world exhibits so sad a spectacle." Classic sociological text. (Émile Durkheim, The Division of Labour in Society)
Memory hook
'A-no-me'—there are 'no' rules for 'me' in this chaotic society. No law, no norms.
When not to use
Do not use it to mean simple 'boredom' or 'sadness'; it is a structural, social condition.
Fun facts
- Durkheim used anomie to explain why suicide rates were higher in industrial societies than in traditional ones.
- The concept is a cornerstone of 'Strain Theory' in criminology.
Related words
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