Elster wrote this book chapter, critical of Merton's "Manifest and Latent Functions," which is titled "Merton's Functionalism and the Unintended Consequences of Action."

Article provides an overview and discussion of the influential book "Social Structure and Anomie." Learn how crime may be essential to society.

Student paper discusses Merton's contributions to criminology and sociology, especially the theory of anomie. Learn about his life and early work.

Browse a small collection of writings on the Matthew Effect. Each article is in PDF format.