Durkheim And Suicide Essay

Emile Durkheim was largely seen as a positivist. As such, he believed that sociology should be studied in the same manner as the natural sciences - scientifically. In 1897, Durkheim published Suicide, a study that is now seen as a model of positivist research and methodology. In Suicide, Durkheim lists and explains his finding of four areas of suicide; finding quantitative differences between gender, class, and religious groups. During the late nineteenth century, sociology was establishing its roots. Durkheim wished to show that his methodology was superior; that no other discipline or field could provide explanations as well as sociology. Durkheim aimed to prove that action is shaped by society. He believed that sociology must be more than …show more content…
Altruistic suicide is alive and relative in modern society. Official statistics consistently reported that the highest rates of suicide were in the military (Kushner et al, 2005). The “military spirit” is seen as cultivating a sense of high social integration conducive to altruistic suicide (Strack, 2004). Men and women in the military are called to sacrifice their life to protect their country. As such, they are trained to view themselves as unimportant. Also, soldiers are trained blind obedience; to follow orders without question or doubt. This training creates a culture of impersonality (Strack, 2004). Durkheim noted that there might be a difference in suicide rates among officers, especially noncommissioned officers. Noncommissioned officers are thought to be more integrated due to longer service time than that of normal enlisted men, therefore having a higher rate of suicide. This culture of impersonality “develops with years of service” (Durkheim, 1951). Ultimately, Durkheim found that both officers and noncommissioned officers had a higher rater of suicide than that of enlisted men, but officer suicide rate was only half of the suicide rate of noncommissioned