Durkheim's Suicide: A Sociological Perspective

Durkheim's Suicide: A Sociological Theory

Introduction

Sociology aims to develop theories about social reality through a set of logically integrated, mutually causal propositions with a minimum degree of validity. These theories propose causal explanations for the phenomena they address. Durkheim's work on suicide, published in 1897, exemplifies a middle-range theory. He examined a limited phenomenon—suicide—and interpreted it sociologically.

Durkheim's Approach

For a sociological interpretation, Durkheim excluded individual psychological elements and extrasocial influences related to suicide. He also disregarded factors like "suggestibility" and "imitation." He argued that the causes of suicidal tendencies within a society reside in the very nature of those societies. To achieve this, Durkheim classified suicides based on their motivating factors, reducing the diversity of suicidal acts into a limited number of types.

Three Types of Suicide

1. Egoistic Suicide

Egoistic suicide rates are inversely proportional to the degree of integration within the groups to which an individual belongs. Strong religious, family, and political ties act as protective factors against suicide. Durkheim observed higher suicide rates among Protestants than Catholics. This difference stemmed from the lower degree of social integration in Protestant communities, where individual ethics and competition were more prevalent than in Catholic communities. Jewish communities, with strong family and ethnic ties, exhibited much lower suicide rates than Protestants and somewhat lower rates than Catholics.

2. Altruistic Suicide

Altruistic suicide rates vary directly with the degree of group integration. This type of suicide is found in tribal societies with high social cohesion and, in modern societies, within tightly knit groups. It is more common among individuals who exhibit a low degree of egoistic suicide.

3. Anomic Suicide

Anomic suicide results from the weakening of social bonds and a state of detachment from society, particularly when social norms and rules of conduct become unclear. Its frequency fluctuates with economic changes. Both economic crises and periods of rapid economic growth can undermine social cohesion. When this occurs, the less integrated members of society are most vulnerable.