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Suicide: A Study in Sociology
Durkheim’s Suicide is one of the first systematic sociological analyses of a seemingly individual act. Using statistical data from several European countries, he argues that suicide rates are relatively stable within societies but vary between them, showing social rather than purely personal causes. He distinguishes four main types: egoistic (too little social integration), altruistic (too much integration, e.g. self-sacrifice), anomic (normlessness following social or economic upheaval), and fatalistic (excessive regulation, as with enslaved persons). Durkheim shows how factors like religion, family structure, and economic change affect these rates. His goal is to demonstrate that even intimate behaviors can be explained by the strength of social bonds and norms, not only by individual psychology. The book establishes sociology as an empirical science, introduces key concepts of integration and regulation, and provides a foundational model for studying deviance, mental health, and collective life.
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