3.2. Critiques focused on the methodology of Suicide
As Dukrheim’s general approach to study of social facts was described only in theory in the Rules of sociological method, in this part of essay which is focusing on methodological critiques, I will describe only methodological criticisms of Durkheim’s study of suicide that is based on actual research.
Probably to most prominent criticism focused on Durkheim’s methodology is that while analysing data, he made so called ‘ecological fallacy’ which is a statistical fallacy occurring when conclusions are made about individuals based on group data. The issue of ecological fallacy is however complex and many subsequent researches made this fallacy (Taylor 1982). Durkheim in some cases prevented …show more content…
The use of statistics in Suicide was also important for the development of sociological research. He was one of the first to apply multivariate analysis and replications (Lukes, 1985). The way that he treated variables was very systematic and progressive. He incorporated new variables to foregoing analysis, which enabled him to consider more variables together at one time. Durkheim also used elaboration and contextual analysis (Selvin, 1958). Many results that he made in Suicide were later confirmed in research (Lukes, …show more content…
Nevertheless, there is an important difference in the nature of the positive and negative critiques that I have already indicated. The negative criticisms are mostly focused on partial elements of Durkheim’s approach, such as the usage of suicide rates or his exclusively social focus. The positive critiques are aimed at the overall contribution of Durkheim’s approach to sociology as a discipline, such as introducing the possibility of studying suicide from sociological perspective or boosting the usage of statistical data and analysis in sociology. So as much as the criticisms are valuable and clearly show some inherent mistakes in Durkheim’s approach, Durkheim was retrospectively very important figure in sociology that himself enhanced the development of sociology and also inspired many others that enabled the discipline to
As Dukrheim’s general approach to study of social facts was described only in theory in the Rules of sociological method, in this part of essay which is focusing on methodological critiques, I will describe only methodological criticisms of Durkheim’s study of suicide that is based on actual research.
Probably to most prominent criticism focused on Durkheim’s methodology is that while analysing data, he made so called ‘ecological fallacy’ which is a statistical fallacy occurring when conclusions are made about individuals based on group data. The issue of ecological fallacy is however complex and many subsequent researches made this fallacy (Taylor 1982). Durkheim in some cases prevented …show more content…
The use of statistics in Suicide was also important for the development of sociological research. He was one of the first to apply multivariate analysis and replications (Lukes, 1985). The way that he treated variables was very systematic and progressive. He incorporated new variables to foregoing analysis, which enabled him to consider more variables together at one time. Durkheim also used elaboration and contextual analysis (Selvin, 1958). Many results that he made in Suicide were later confirmed in research (Lukes, …show more content…
Nevertheless, there is an important difference in the nature of the positive and negative critiques that I have already indicated. The negative criticisms are mostly focused on partial elements of Durkheim’s approach, such as the usage of suicide rates or his exclusively social focus. The positive critiques are aimed at the overall contribution of Durkheim’s approach to sociology as a discipline, such as introducing the possibility of studying suicide from sociological perspective or boosting the usage of statistical data and analysis in sociology. So as much as the criticisms are valuable and clearly show some inherent mistakes in Durkheim’s approach, Durkheim was retrospectively very important figure in sociology that himself enhanced the development of sociology and also inspired many others that enabled the discipline to