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Sociological Thought Sukanya Das, Lovely Professional University

notes unit-13: emile Durkheim: intellectual background

contents
Objectives
Introduction

13.1 Intellectual Background
13.2 Summery
13.3 Keywords
13.4 Review Questions
13.5 Further Readings

objectives

After studying this unit, the students will be able to:
y To know the important facts related to Durkheim’s life,
y The effect of that time situations on Durkheim’s thoughts,
y To know the social contribution of Durkheim.

introduction

In French social thinkers, Emile Durkheim is the most famous name as the successor of Comte. In the
field of social point of view his name is also very important as Comte. It is said that he was also much
more positivistic and wanted to stay away from religious and essential point of views as Comte. He
was always active to wake up the scientific point of view and so make the scientific methodologies as
the base of his all studies. He believed that society and social incidents are not so easier that it could
be understood or made someone understand with imaginations only; the collection of real facts is
very much important for it. In addition, to describe any incident with the help of around the facts on
imagination basis in not appropriate. The main fact of all the social incidents is the society itself. The
work of sociologist is to analyze and describe the main fact i.e., society on the basis of the facts from
real experiments, not to do estimations on the basis of values. But related to it Durkheim has forced
very repeatedly on the fact that grouped consciousness or same thoughts, perceptions and emotions
are very important to give birth of social incidents.

Notes The principle of ‘Collective representation’ is that which is known as most important
and basic contribution by Durkheim in the field of sociological point of views.

So Durkheim didn’t keep his studies on social incidents one layered only but also did deep study
of all the different facts of the social life with taking very care in all the subjects. He didn’t vote for

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