Suicide (1897) - Durkheim

Question 1

How does Durkheim define the term suicide?

Answer 1

The term is applied to any death in which is the direct or indirect result of a positive or negative act accomplished by the victim himself.

Question 2

According to Durkheim, what are the four typologies of suicide?

Answer 2

1. Egoistic suicide
2. Altruistic suicide
3. Anomic suicide
4. Fatalistic suicide

Question 3

What is egoistic suicide?

Answer 3

• results from lack of social integration
• not belonging anywhere
• Durkheim associated this type with societies characterised by excessive individualism and weak community bonds
• (individual is detached from society and collective sentiments, reflecting unrestrained passions and unlimited desires that want to be realised)
• E.g. more people die by suicide during winter because isolated

Question 4

What is altruistic suicide?

Answer 4

• results from excessive social integration
• individuals are excessively tied to the collective conscience of their society, resulting in being overwhelmed by collective goals and beliefs
• Durkheim associates this type with societies that prioritise collective interests over individual autonomy
• E.g. soldiers in military service

Question 5

What is anomic suicide?

Answer 5

• individual’s moral confusion and lack of direction resulted from lack of social regulation, usually caused by rapid social change or economic upheaval

Question 6

What is fatalistic suicide?

Answer 6

• results from excessive social regulation, where individuals feel their lives are being excessively controlled by harsh rules and there is no way to appeal

Note: Durkheim didn’t emphasise this very much

Question 7

Why is suicide considered sui generis?

Answer 7

• Durkheim argues that suicide is a social phenomenon that cannot be reduced to individual, psychological factors just because it appears to be an individual action affecting the individual
• He believed that societal factors, such as degree of integration and regulation, play a crucial role in explaining the variation in suicide rates

Question 8

Why did Durkheim use statistics to study suicide?

Answer 8

1. Quantitative analysis allows for systematic examination of patterns and variations in suicide across different societies and populations
2. Comparative analysis allows to uncover patterns across different groups, societies and time periods
3. Identification of social causes could correlate variation in suicide rates with different social variables such as marital status, nationality, religion, and economic conditions
4. Objectivity and empirical rigour: statistical analyses allow to move beyond subjective interpretations and grounded in observable evidence