Durkheims Work in Sociology Essay - 1500 Words

Durkheims Work in Sociology Some studies maybe more recent, but Durkheims work remains the most significant Sociological analysis of Suicide in modern societies Assess the extent to which Sociological arguments and evidence support this claim. In regards to Suicide it would seem perhaps more realistic to consider the subject as an individual and personal act, a job which might seem more suitable for Psychologists to explain, it may not seem an obvious subject for a Sociologist to study. In the past it has been more commonly thought that Suicide was a result of a persons mental state, however suicide was given an all new perspective once Durkheim in 1897 used Positivist methods to study†¦show more content†¦Also the statistics showed that the suicide rate dropped in times of war or political upheaval, For example, the suicide rate dropped 14 percent after war broke out between Austria and Italy in 1866. And by using multivariate analysis Durkheim confirmed his theory that religion was a main factor and that it wasnt just dependent on some nations. He found that in Bavaria, which has the highest number of Roman Catholics in Germany also has the lowest suicide rate. Continuing on from his research and by using Empirical evidence Durkheim determined that there were four types of suicide; Altruistic, Fatalistic, Anomic and Egoistic. And that these suicides were a result of Social Integration or Moral Regulation and the excess or lack of either. Altruistic is a result of over integration, a self sacrifice out of duty to others or to benefit others. For example, Hindu widows would kill themselves at their husbands funeral. Egoistic is a result of under integration, such is when a person isnt sufficiently part of a group to which they should belong. It can be argued that this is one of the reasons why Protestants are more prone to suicide than Catholics, because there is a lesser sense of community. Fatalistic is a result of over regulation, in the case of when a person is too restricted byShow MoreRelatedThe Theories of Emile Durkkheim Essay1475 Words   |  6 Pagesof Emile Durkheim Emile Durkheim also referred to as â€Å"The Father of Sociology† (Thio, 2002), played a critical role in establishing theories based on â€Å"Social Facts† (Thio, 2002) He is best known for his views of â€Å"social reality†( Thio, 2002) and their ties into how a society works. He was said to be a sociologist who played an important part in the development of â€Å"structural functionalism† (Thio, 2002), and sociology as a whole. His four major studies, or publications, have assured him a placeRead MoreWhy Durkheim s Work Suicide Is Significant For The Discipline Of Sociology1323 Words   |  6 Pagesexplain why Durkheim’s work Suicide is significant for the discipline of sociology. The action of suicide has been in society since the dawn of man. Before Durkheim’s research, no one has been able to thoroughly explain why suicide occurs within a society. What s so great about Durkheim’s research is that it shows different reasons behin d why people commit suicide. His research also shows who is more likely to commit suicide than others. One of Emile Durkheim’s main goal was to develop sociology as a distinctRead MoreSummary of Durkheims Sociological Theory958 Words   |  4 PagesEmile Durkheim is one of the major leaders in the delineation of sociology. Durkheim set out on a mission to define how sociology should be considered and how the method of sociology should be used. 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By tracing the influences on Durkheim to his predecessorRead MoreCrime Is Necessary: Durkheim’s Theory of Crime729 Words   |  3 Pagesand The Division of Labor, society plays a large role in our actions and Durkheim explains that reasons to which why crime is executable. Experts in the Department of Sociology have given their own words and critiques toward Durkheim’s theory. there are many theories of crime out there, but the most agreeable one is Emile Durkheim’s Theory of crime. The french sociologist states in his book Suicide that: â€Å"Now there is no society known where a more or less developed criminality is found under differentRead MoreThe Theory Of Suicide And Suicide1339 Words   |  6 PagesSince scientific evidence showed that suicide rates skyrocket progressively across all age: children and adolescent (McClure, 1994), Middle-age (Manton et al., 1987) and the elderly (Draper, 1996), studying suicide have become an important issue in sociology. Suicide is a complex issue which may combine several factors such as development factors, social factors, and culture factors (Goldsmith, 2002). However, Durkheim (1897) provided a classical model including four types of suicide: altruistic suicideRead MoreWhat Held Societies and Social Groups Together1096 Words   |  5 Pagessocial theorist whose main concern was the basis of integration and solidarity in human societies. Initially, his focus was society as a whole, later he brought his attention to examining rituals and interactions of people in face-to-f ace contact. Durkheim’s main concern was to analyze how societies could maintain their integrity and coherence in the modern era, when things such as shared religious and ethnic background could no longer be assumed. In response to this concern, he wrote greatly aboutRead MoreEmile Durkheim s Influence On Anthropology, Religion, Law And Political Theory915 Words   |  4 Pagesfigures in Western sociology.† He is accountable for authenticating society as a focus of study and for institutionalising sociology as an academic subject. Durkheim demonstrated that sociology has its own distinctive subject matter that could be studied scientifically. His work influenced many areas, in particular, his idea of society as a moral construct has had a great impact on anthropology, history, religion, law and political theory. Although he was known for his advanced work in sociologicalRead MoreEssay about The Life of Emile Durkheim1371 Words   |  6 Pageslocated in the Eastern Fre nch Province, Lorraine. His father, Moise was the Chief Rabbi of Epinal, Vosges, and Haute-Marne, while his mother, Melanie, worked as an embroiderer. Durkheim was the youngest of their four surviving children. Durkheim’s great-grandfather, grandfather, and father were all Jewish rabbis. He was expected to follow suit so at a young age he was sent to a rabbinical school. He studied Hebrew, the Talmud, the Old Testament, as well as the curriculum taught in secularRead MoreDurkheim and the Relevance of His Theories in Modern Society1240 Words   |  5 Pagesfacts as things† is an expression that epitomises the works of Emile Durkheim. This essay focuses on four main sociological concepts proposed by the functionalist Emile Durkheim; the division of labour; mechanical and organic solidarity; anomie and suicide, and examines their relevance in contemporary society. Along with Marx and Weber, Durkheim is considered one of the founding members of modern sociology. He is also credited with making sociology a science through his application of scientific and