E-Content developed for U.G. Course(B.A.-3rd yr.

)
Topic- Social Disorganization: Meaning, Definitions and Nature
Name of the Teacher- Dr. Mrinal Manjari
Department- Sociology
College- J.D. Women’s College
University- Patliputra University
Social Disorganization: Meaning, Definitions
and Nature

E-Content developed for B.A. 3rd Yr.(Paper-VII)

by
Dr. Mrinal Manjari
(Assistant Professor, Deptt. of Sociology, J.D. Women’s
College, PatliputraUniversity, Patna)
 Introduction
• When all the members of a society follow the norms, mores,
values, laws and the regulations of the society then it is
considered as an organized society which in turn ensures the
welfare and well being of all its members.
• However, due to various factors, sometimes, it seems not
possible for a society to maintain those rules and norms then
it creates a situation of disorder and instability in the society
which adversely impacts the smooth functioning of the social
system.
• An organized society is marked by sincerity, obedience and
loyalty of all its members who follow the rules and norms.
Although there are circumstances in which people have the
tendency developed in mind to disobey or disregard such
accepted rules or norms. This creates the situation of social
disorganization, social deviance and social pathologies.
 Meaning of Social Disorganization

• Social disorganization occupies a prominent position in the

sociological literature.
• It was developed by Thomas and Zanaiecki in their famous
book, “The Polish Peasant in Europe and America”.
• According to them the term social disorganization refers to
the lack of effectives and influence of the social rules of
behaviour upon the members of the society which lead to
delineation of the individuals, separatist attitude among the
members and disintegration of the people in the society.
• It was analysed by them as a process which will inevitably
create other social pathologies.
 Cont..
• Social disorganization disrupts the social forces that bring
stability and order in the society thereby developing a
situation of social disequilibrium and also ruptures the
cohesiveness among the members of the society.
• However it is also argued that since the society is
dynamic in nature, the rules and regulation needs to be
rearranged and reorganized because of which the social
equilibrium cannot be always maintained, therefore
social disorganization or social breakdown takes place.
 Definitions

• Emile Durkheim considers social disorganization as, “A

state of disequilibrium and lack of social solidarity or
consensus among the members of the society”.
• According to Ogburn and Nimkoff, “ Social
Disorganization implies some breakdown in cultural
contact, some disturbance in the equilibrium among the
various aspects of the cultural pattern”.
• According to Elliot and Francis, “Social Disorganization is
the process by which the relationship between the
members of a group are broken or dissolved”.
 Nature of Social Disorganization

• Social disorganization includes conflict of mores and institutions of the

society.
• Social disorganization is also characterized by transfer of functions from
one group to another.
• The feeling of separatism, self-centredness and individualism is increased
during social disorganization.
• Incongruence between expectations and achievements of the people is
also one of the characteristics of social disorganization. Any variant
behaviour or innovation that brings changes in the attitude system may
result in social disorganization.
• Inconsistency and extreme ambiguity and uncertainty is found between
the status and role of the members and institutions in a disorganized
society.
• A change in the cultural context which destroys the functioning of
coordination that constitutes the social order represents social
disorganization
 Conclusion
• Social Disorganization indicates social abnormality or
breakdown in the social customs, mores and laws, thereby,
weakening the integrative forces that maintains unity and
equilibrium in the society.
• It does not mean the absence of harmonized relationship in
society, but marks serious breakdown of such relationship.
• Therefore social disorganization can be considered a product
of the clash of interests among various groups in a society