Suicide - Émile Durkheim - 1951 First Printing

In this groundbreaking work of sociological analysis, Émile Durkheim revolutionized the study of human behavior, by demonstrating how even the most intensely personal act—suicide—can be understood through systematic social investigation. "Suicide" was a landmark achievement in establishing sociology as a rigorous empirical science, using statistical data from across Europe to reveal the social forces that influence individual decisions in ways previously unimaginable. Durkheim challenged conventional wisdom by showing that suicide rates remain remarkably consistent within societies, while varying dramatically between them, patterns that cannot be explained by individual psychology alone. Through his famous typology of egoistic, altruistic, anomic, and fatalistic suicide, he demonstrated how different forms of social integration and regulation create distinct pressures that can lead individuals toward self-destruction. This seminal work established fundamental principles about the relationship between individual and society that continue to shape social scientific thinking, and it remains essential reading for anyone seeking to understand how social forces operate beneath the surface.. - Suicide: A Study in Sociology - Émile Durkheim. Translated by John A. Spaulding and George Simpson Published 1951, The Free Press, Glencoe, Illinois. Hardcover. Approx. 6x8.5in. 405pp. Outer boards show wear. Name of a previous owner written on front page.