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

• low integration (loneliness or isolation)
• results from lack of social integration
• societies characterised by excessive individualism & weak community bonds
  (indiv detached from society & collective sentiments, reflecting unrestrained passions & 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

• overintegration, where indivs sacrifice themselves for group (e.g., cults, military service)
• excessive social integration
• indivs excessively tied to collective conscience of their society, resulting in being overwhelmed by collective goals & beliefs
• societies that prioritise collective interests over indiv autonomy
• E.g. soldiers in military service

Question 5

What is anomic suicide?

Answer 5

indiv’s moral confusion & lack of direction resulted from lack of social regulation, usually caused by rapid social change / economic upheaval

Caused by underregulation, where societal norms fail to provide guidance (e.g., during economic crises)

Question 6

What is fatalistic suicide?

Answer 6

excessive social regulation, where indivs feel their lives being excessively controlled by harsh rules & no way to appeal

Caused by overregulation, where indivs feel trapped by oppressive rules (e.g., slavery, imprisonment)

Question 7

What is anomie, and how does Durkheim define it?

Answer 7

state of normative confusion where societal norms break down, leading to a lack of guidance for indiv.

It arises during rapid social change or instability, causing behavior to no longer be restrained by conventional norms.

Question 8

What are the two key variables that maintain societal stability, according to Durkheim?

Answer 8

Integration: Strength of social bonds & how connected indivs feel to their community.

Regulation: Extent to which societal norms & laws govern behavior.

“Integration and regulation are the two social forces that bind individuals to the collective”
- societal stability depends on maintaining balance in social bonds and normative control

Question 9

What causes anomie in society?

Answer 9

Rapid economic or social changes (e.g., industrialization, financial crises).

Disruptions in societal norms that create a mismatch btwn indiv desires & societal expectations.

Question 10

How does Durkheim describe human desires in the context of anomie?

Answer 10

Human desires insatiable & unlimited, constantly surpassing avail means.
Without societal regulation, this leads to dissatisfaction & instability.

Question 11

How does Durkheim relate anomie to the Division of Labour (DOL)?

Answer 11

Transition from mechanical solidarity (shared values & norms) to organic solidarity (specialization & interdependence) can create instability, resulting in anomie.

Anomie is a pathology of the DOL, where norms fail to adapt to the complexities of modern society.

Question 12

Why does Durkheim consider suicide a collective phenomenon?

Answer 12

Suicide rates reflect social causes rather than indiv psychology, shaped by levels of integration & regulation in society.

Patterns in suicide (e.g., men vs. women, Protestants vs. Catholics) highlight the role of societal pressures.

Question 13

What is the role of norms, values, and beliefs in Durkheim’s theory of anomie?

Answer 13

• Values: Beliefs we cherish most.
• Beliefs: Ideas we accept as true.
• Norms: Rules derived from values and beliefs that regulate behavior.
  Anomie arises when these norms break down, leaving individuals without guidance.