Émile Durkheim's Suicide: A Study in Sociology.
Anomic suicide is a leading cause of death in modern times. In sociology, the classic and most influential framework for understanding suicide was developed by French sociologist Émile Durkheim in his 1897 work, Suicide: A Study in Sociology. Durkheim argued that suicide is not just an individual act. It is ofcourse driven by psychological distress but is also a social phenomenon influenced by the degree of social integration and social regulation in a society. Durkheim identified four types of suicide: Egoistic suicide: Egoistic suicide results from a lack of social integration, leading to social isolation of an individual making him feel detached from society. When social bonds are weakened, and the individuals feel they have no place, they are more susceptible to egoistic suicide. Durkheim found this pattern among unmarried individuals and Protestants during his research. Altruistic suicide: Altruistic suicide occurs when an individual is overly integrated into society a...