Emile Durkheim, also known as the father of sociology was born in 1858 in France. Concerning his studies with how societies managed their integrity and coherence, Durkheim published many works discussing the division of labor, influence of religions, and several other social factors. In particular, Durkheim published a work called Suicide: A Study In Sociology. In this piece of literature, Durkheim attempts to define suicide and provides evidence that supports suicide as a social fact.
Throughout Durkheim’s study of Suicide, he explores the different forms of suicide and their relations to multiple influential factors. Not only does Durkheim examine the definition of suicide and what types of death could, In fact, fall under a suicidal category, but he also supports his theories with examples. When considering the intentions of a suicidal individual, Durkheim questions what sort of death could qualify as suicide. For example, do we label suicide as a purposeful, self-destructive act stemming from the desperation to no longer live by the victim, or can one also consider suicide as a death that comes from acknowledgment of danger and potentially fatal results?
Durkheim recognizes several conceivable propositions that explain why someone would choose suicide. The pressures asserted by political, religious, and domestic society could cause one to stray from society and become alienated. This process is known as egoism. Durkheim states that, “Under these conditions, one would lose courage to live, that is, to act and struggle, since nothing will remain of our exertions” (217). In other words, Durkheim suggests that suicide is a social fact, which is often brought on by the cruel rejection of our society. Such denial abandoning an individual leaves them without a sense of self or purpose. As members of a society, Durkheim suggests that we upkeep certain standards and regulations, which often judge a persons worthiness of contributing to society. If one does not meet the expectations laid out and practiced by the rest of society, rejection is inevitable. In Durkheim’s words, “One of the constitutive