Durkheim presents a fairly robust notion of the “social fact” as something that we find constraining, and that exists independent of any single individual. At some point during the week, I would like you to observe both yourself and those around you to try to identify at many social facts as you are able. However, since such a task could be limitless, simply set aside 1-2 hours, keep a notebook and pen handy, and observe either your own actions and daily life, or those around. When you are done, select 10-12 that you think are the most compelling. Then for each social fact that you identify, provide a brief explanation to justify your observation (no more than 2 sentences for each fact identified). This Sociology Outline need not be written in an essay format, but if you wish to write it in the form of a narrative, you are more than welcome to do so.
