The Theories of Emile Durkheim
Emile Durkheim also referred to as “The Father of Sociology” (Thio, 2002), played a critical role in establishing theories based on “Social Facts” (Thio, 2002) He is best known for his views of “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 “structural functionalism” (Thio, 2002), and sociology as a whole. His four major studies, or publications, have assured him a place in the history of sociology’s intellectual development (Thompson, 2002). The following contents will discuss Durkheim’s childhood, his studies, his journey through sociology, and his theories.
Emile Durkheim was born in France in April of 1858(The Biography of Emile Durkheim, 2000). He was the fourth child, and the second son of Moise and Melanie Durkheim (The Biography of Emily Durkheim, 2000). Brought up in a Jewish family, with many of rabbis including his father and grandfather, it was expected that Durkheim would be a rabbi as well. Early in life Durkheim “studied Hebrew, the Old Testament, and the Talmud, while also studying the regular course of traditional teaching in secular schools” (The Biography of Emile Durkheim, 2000). Durkheim participated in his “traditional Jewish confirmation” at the age of thirteen (The biography of Emile Durkheim, 2000). He later lost interest of his Jewish heritage, and became interested in the ideas of the catholic nation (otherwise known as Catholicism). Shortly after that he disengaged himself with all religious involvement and became an agnostic (Thompson, 2002). He did not reject his heritage; he just realized he preferred to study religion from an agnostic or non-religi...
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...es that make us who we are. Sociological proof helps us gain insight on how an individual conforms to a society as a whole.
Emile Durkheim’s journey through sociology was different from other sociologists in that others rely on emotions or standard guessing, while Durkheim’s theories rely on fact, what he could physically see. Durkheim began his studies on social fact when he was a child, and got more involved as he became older, coming up with different more complex ideas. Durkheim was a great philosopher one of the best from his time. His concepts are still studies and used today.
Works Cited
Thio, A. (2009). Sociology: a brief introduction (7th edition). Athens, OH:
Allyn and Bacon
The Biography of Emile Durkheim (2002). Retrieved from http://www.emile-durkheim.com
Thompson, K. (2002). Emile Durkheim Key sociologist (revised 1st edition). London
The idea of a “social structure” is probably one of the most popular and influential concepts in the world of sociology, with social theorists from Durkheim, Marx, Weber, and Parsons, all base their work off the fundamental idea that there is a large societal structure which pl...
This theory concentrates on different parts of society to see how it works, for example, a church, family and government this perspective looks at these to see what contribution this play to the entire social system. Durkheim states that the social system work’s like an organic system it can be he same way the body works which parts of the body are all depended on another, this theorist explains society is like this. We Must “Analyse the contribution which practises the institution makes to the continuation of society as a whole” (Giddens p.710 1995)
Emile Durkheim is largely credited as the man who made Sociology a science. As a boy, he was enraptured by the scientific approach to society, but at that time, there was no social science curriculum. Vowing to change this, Durkheim worked scrupulously to earn his “degree in philosophy in 1882”. (Johnson 34) Unable to change the French school system right away, Emile traveled to Germany to further his education. It was there that he published his initial findings and gained the knowledge necessary to influence the French education system. Emile Durkheim is a distinguished and well versed man who, through his work, established a platform for other sociologist to build on.
Desfor Edles, Laura and Scott Appelrouth. 2010. “Émile Durkheim (1858-1917).” Pp. 100 and 122-134 in Sociological Theory in the Classical Era. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.
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Three thinkers form the foundations of modern-day sociological thinking. Émile Durkheim, Karl Marx, and Max Weber. Each developed different theoretical approaches to help us understand the way societies function, and how we are determined by society. This essay will focus on the contrasts and similarities of Durkheim and Weber’s thought of how we are determined by society. It will then go on to argue that Weber provides us with the best account of modern life.
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Talcott Parsons have some of the same views of sociology as Durkheim, he believed that social life is categorized by social cooperation. Parsons also believed that commitment to common values maintains or...