The outlines of the sociology of emotions in the concept of social solidarity: Theoretical origins in Durkheim's "The Division of Labor in Society"

The article is devoted to the analysis of Durkheim's "The Division of Labor in Society" in terms of the sociology of emotions. The social solidarity problem is one of the fundamental problems of sociology. There is an opinion that it is impossible to resolve it excluding emotions. "The Division of Labor in Society" is one of the main works in the field of social solidarity. Durkheim considered and characterized types of social solidarity. In contemporary science, however, the authors prefer "The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life" for analysis. It leaves gaps in the study of the origins of the sociology of emotions and the role of emotions in maintaining social solidarity. Durkheim's ideas are rethought and reflected in the works of contemporary sociologists of emotions. The article demonstrates that current authors rely on Durkheim's ideas in their arguments. The aims of the article are to identify the background of the sociology of emotions in "The Division of Labor in Society", to present how Durkheim determined the social nature of emotions, their role in the description of social solidarity types, what types of emotions are involved in creating social ties from the position of Durkheim. With the help of Durkheim's ideas we can identify the outlines for solving the problem of social solidarity. We can make a conclusion that the role of emotion in the maintaining of social solidarity changes with the change of the social solidarity types in Durkheim's concept. Mechanical solidarity is based on common ideas, feelings; the individual is completely absorbed by the collective. Crimes arouse negative emotions such as anger, revenge and shame, which become instruments of protection. Sympathy exists only in the institutions of family and marriage. In opposition, organic solidarity is based on the division of social labor; the collective is replaced by the individual. As a result of changing the social solidarity type, positive emotions participate in its reproduction: altruism, sympathy that goes beyond family and friendship and appears in labor relations, happiness. In Durkheim's concept, emotions have to be common and collective for the reproduction of social solidarity. The kind of specific emotions is not very important. Social solidarity can be destroyed with the loss of the collective nature of emotions. It is concluded that Durkheim's ideas can be relevant for the contemporary society and can be the basis for further development of the solution of the problem of social solidarity in the field of the sociology of emotions.

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