The Maximizer: Clarifying Merton's theories of anomie and strain

Robert Merton's (1957) theories of anomie and strain are among the most widely examined theories of criminality. Messner and Rosenfeld's (1994) theory of institutional anomie built on Merton's conception of anomie, delineating how specific institutions lead to conditions of anomie and...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Theoretical criminology 2008-11, Vol.12 (4), p.501-521
Main Authors: Murphy, Daniel S., Robinson, Mathew B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
American culture
American studies
Anomie
Conceptualization
Criminality
Criminology
Illegitimacy
Institutions
Merton, Robert C
Merton, Robert K
Merton, Robert King
Opportunity Structures
Skills
Social behaviour
Social control
Social psychology
Social structure
Strain Theory
U.S.A
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Robert Merton's (1957) theories of anomie and strain are among the most widely examined theories of criminality. Messner and Rosenfeld's (1994) theory of institutional anomie built on Merton's conception of anomie, delineating how specific institutions lead to conditions of anomie and criminality. Cloward and Ohlin's (1961) theory of differential opportunity built upon Merton's strain theory, underscoring the fact that those involved in illegitimate means of opportunity require a set of learned skills as do those involved in legitimate means. In this tradition, the present paper further expands Merton's theories of anomie and strain, suggesting that Merton's categories of conformist and innovator are not mutually exclusive. In fact, some individuals combine both legitimate and illegitimate means of opportunity in pursuit of the American Dream. The Maximizer, the authors suggest, merges elements of both the conformist and the innovator (i.e. legitimate and illegitimate means). The present paper explores the justification for merging legitimate and illegitimate means of opportunity in pursuit of the American Dream.
ISSN:1362-4806
1461-7439
DOI:10.1177/1362480608097154