Émile Durkheim

Life

• Émile Durkheim: Born in 1858, Épinal, France; studied at École Normale Supérieure (1879-1882).
• First official sociology professor in France (University of Bordeaux, 1887).
• Founded L'Année Sociologique (1896), establishing sociology as academic discipline.
• Died in 1917 in Paris from a stroke.

People Who Influenced Their Thought

• Auguste Comte: Positivism and early sociology foundations.
• Herbert Spencer: Organic analogy of society.
• Immanuel Kant: Moral philosophy and categorical imperative.

Main Ideas and Publications

• The Division of Labor in Society: Published 1893, mechanical vs. organic solidarity.
• The Rules of Sociological Method: Published 1895, established sociology's methodology.
• Suicide: Published 1897, pioneering social statistics study.
• The Elementary Forms of Religious Life: Published 1912, collective consciousness theory.

Key People Influenced by Their Thought

• Talcott Parsons: Structural functionalism development.
• Marcel Mauss: Nephew/collaborator on anthropological sociology.
• Robert K. Merton: Middle-range theories and anomie.

Conclusion

• Émile Durkheim established sociology as rigorous science while analyzing how societies maintain cohesion through shared norms, values, and collective representations.