ANOMIE: A DEFINITION OF THE CONCEPT AND AN APPLICATION TO THE CANADIAN INDIAN RESERVATION

Abstract

Anomie is a popular concept in modern sociology. It is also a concept that is used with many different definitions and connotations. In this thesis, the various usages of the concept are examined and evaluated. Through this analysis a revised definition of anomie — one that depends on the concept "role" — is presented. To suggest the utility of this new definition, it is applied to the study of the Canadian Indian Reservation. For this application, particular illustrations are drawn from the economic situation of the Indians of Manitoulin Island, Ontario.