The Study of Suicide
In this article by Ashley Crossman, it talks about the book called "Le Suicide" by the French sociologist Emile Durkheim. It was published in 1897, and it was written to present a sociological study of suicide. The conclusions of the book had shown that suicide was not only caused by an individuals temperament, but it had also been caused by the social causes around each individual person as well, which was ultimately groundbreaking at the time. An overview of what Durkheim had written about was that he had found many differences in demographics related to suicides. When first comparing Protestants and Catholics, he had found out that there was a lower rate of suicide amongst the Catholics because there was stronger social integration among the Catholics, rather than among the Protestants. Also, Durkheim had found that suicide was less common among women than men, and it as more common amongst single people than those were already partners, and even less common among those who have children too.
He had also mentioned the driving forces of suicide as well, which he had found that not only is it caused by psychological and emotional factors, but suicide is also caused by social factors as well. Specifically, social integration had been mentioned as a factor because the more socially integrated a person in, the more they feel as though they belong, which means the less likely they are to commit suicide, But, as the social integration of a person decreases, they feel as though they don't have a place in society, and they feel like their existence doesn't matter and/or doesn't have a real purpose without belonging within a social group or society, then the more likely they are to commit suicide.
The last aspect of suicide that Durkheim had mentioned was that he had created his own theoretical typology to explain the differing effects of these social factors, and how they might lead to suicide.
The first type is Anomic suicide, which is a response by an individual who experiences anomie, which is a sense of not belonging within a specific social group, and a feeling of disconnection within society when a person has very little social integration and interaction. Anomie occurs during periods of serious social, economic, or political upheaval, and a person might feel so confused and disconnected that they then choose to commit suicide. The second type is Altruistic suicide, which is a result excessive regulation by a social group that could cause a person to be moved to kill themselves for the benefit of a cause or for society at large. An example of this would be someone who commits suicide for the sake of a religious or political cause, such as the Japanese Kamikaze pilots of World War II, or the people who had crashed airplanes into the World Trade Center. In that type of a social group, people are greatly integrated within a specific society, that they will kill themselves in an effort to achieve the groups collective goal. The third type is Egoistic suicide, which is a response by an individual or person who feels totally detached from society itself Regularly, people are integrated into society by work roles, ties to family and community, and other social bond. When these bonds are weakened through retirement or loss of family and friends, the likelihood of egoistic suicide increases. Elderly people, who are the experience these losses the most are highly susceptible to egoistic suicide. The fourth, and last type is Fatalistic suicide, which occurs oppressive conditions and extreme social regulations, which then also cause a denial of your own independence and agency. In such a situation like this, a person may elect to die rather than continue enduring the oppressive conditions, like the case of suicide amongst prisoners in jail.
https://www.thoughtco.com/study-of-suicide-by-emile-durkheim-3026758
He had also mentioned the driving forces of suicide as well, which he had found that not only is it caused by psychological and emotional factors, but suicide is also caused by social factors as well. Specifically, social integration had been mentioned as a factor because the more socially integrated a person in, the more they feel as though they belong, which means the less likely they are to commit suicide, But, as the social integration of a person decreases, they feel as though they don't have a place in society, and they feel like their existence doesn't matter and/or doesn't have a real purpose without belonging within a social group or society, then the more likely they are to commit suicide.
The last aspect of suicide that Durkheim had mentioned was that he had created his own theoretical typology to explain the differing effects of these social factors, and how they might lead to suicide.
The first type is Anomic suicide, which is a response by an individual who experiences anomie, which is a sense of not belonging within a specific social group, and a feeling of disconnection within society when a person has very little social integration and interaction. Anomie occurs during periods of serious social, economic, or political upheaval, and a person might feel so confused and disconnected that they then choose to commit suicide. The second type is Altruistic suicide, which is a result excessive regulation by a social group that could cause a person to be moved to kill themselves for the benefit of a cause or for society at large. An example of this would be someone who commits suicide for the sake of a religious or political cause, such as the Japanese Kamikaze pilots of World War II, or the people who had crashed airplanes into the World Trade Center. In that type of a social group, people are greatly integrated within a specific society, that they will kill themselves in an effort to achieve the groups collective goal. The third type is Egoistic suicide, which is a response by an individual or person who feels totally detached from society itself Regularly, people are integrated into society by work roles, ties to family and community, and other social bond. When these bonds are weakened through retirement or loss of family and friends, the likelihood of egoistic suicide increases. Elderly people, who are the experience these losses the most are highly susceptible to egoistic suicide. The fourth, and last type is Fatalistic suicide, which occurs oppressive conditions and extreme social regulations, which then also cause a denial of your own independence and agency. In such a situation like this, a person may elect to die rather than continue enduring the oppressive conditions, like the case of suicide amongst prisoners in jail.
https://www.thoughtco.com/study-of-suicide-by-emile-durkheim-3026758
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