Research Article | Open Access

Alienation: A Theoretical Overview

    Hamid Sarfraz

    Department of Sociology University of Balochistan, Quetta, Pakistan


Alienation, although an abstruse concept, has ever been a phenomenon of central concern in the sociological analysis. Initially, in theological writings, it denoted separation from the God. The social-contract theorists considered alienation as propitious to inception of a new social order. To Hegel (1949) it was a disastrous social phenomenon while to Marx (1963) alienation was a destructive socio-psychological dilemma of the capitalist society. Durkheim (1976) and Merton (1957) termed it anomie relating it with objective social conditions. Seeman (1991) developed an analytical model for apprehension of alienation identifying six variants of the phenomenon on the basis of their genesis and consequences.

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APA-7 Style
Sarfraz, H. (1997). Alienation: A Theoretical Overview. Pakistan Journal of Psychological Research, 12(1-2), 45-60. https://pjpr.scione.com/cms/abstract.php?id=547

ACS Style
Sarfraz, H. Alienation: A Theoretical Overview. Pak. J. Psychol. Res 1997, 12, 45-60. https://pjpr.scione.com/cms/abstract.php?id=547

AMA Style
Sarfraz H. Alienation: A Theoretical Overview. Pakistan Journal of Psychological Research. 1997; 12(1-2): 45-60. https://pjpr.scione.com/cms/abstract.php?id=547

Chicago/Turabian Style
Sarfraz, Hamid. 1997. "Alienation: A Theoretical Overview" Pakistan Journal of Psychological Research 12, no. 1-2: 45-60. https://pjpr.scione.com/cms/abstract.php?id=547