Increasing Crimes and Suicides Among Younth
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Introduction to suicide
Introduction
Suicide is: * A specifically human problem - only humans can will their death and kill themselves. * Ubiquitous - no period of history without records of suicide, no societies where suicide does not occur. * Only a small number of people deliberately end their lives but an area of intense sociological interest - about 7000 works. * Studied for some time, for example, Mazaryk in 1881.
The classic study is Durkheim (1897) 'Le suicide'. But there is a difference of opinion as to the value of Durkheim's work.
Selvin argues, 'sixty years after it first appeared in print... suicide is still a model of social research.'
But Sachs said, 'In terms of the history of Sociology, nothing is more tragic than that Durkheim's Suicide should be conceived as a model of investigation.'
Why did Durkheim study suicide? * Establish sociology as an academic discipline with a distinct approach to the social. * Establish a 'scientific' methodology and approach.
Some texts argue that Durkheim was a positivist. More recent evaluations, for example, Taylor, argue that Durkheim was a realist.
Main findings
Factors uncovered through use of official statistics: suicide varies according to: religion, family size, political/national crises, economic conditions, occupational groups, the divorce rate.
Conclusions * Within single societies the suicide rate remains constant. * Suicide rate varies between societies. * Suicide rate varies between different groups within the same society.
Durkheim, therefore, discounted individualistic explanations of suicide. He also eliminated statistically factors such as climate, seasons, alcoholism, heredity and mental state.
Durkheim's analysis
Based on 'social bonds' that bind an individual to society: * 'Social integration': the individuals commitment to norms, values, beliefs. * 'Moral regulation': societal/group
Top of Form
Bottom of Form
Introduction to suicide
Introduction
Suicide is: * A specifically human problem - only humans can will their death and kill themselves. * Ubiquitous - no period of history without records of suicide, no societies where suicide does not occur. * Only a small number of people deliberately end their lives but an area of intense sociological interest - about 7000 works. * Studied for some time, for example, Mazaryk in 1881.
The classic study is Durkheim (1897) 'Le suicide'. But there is a difference of opinion as to the value of Durkheim's work.
Selvin argues, 'sixty years after it first appeared in print... suicide is still a model of social research.'
But Sachs said, 'In terms of the history of Sociology, nothing is more tragic than that Durkheim's Suicide should be conceived as a model of investigation.'
Why did Durkheim study suicide? * Establish sociology as an academic discipline with a distinct approach to the social. * Establish a 'scientific' methodology and approach.
Some texts argue that Durkheim was a positivist. More recent evaluations, for example, Taylor, argue that Durkheim was a realist.
Main findings
Factors uncovered through use of official statistics: suicide varies according to: religion, family size, political/national crises, economic conditions, occupational groups, the divorce rate.
Conclusions * Within single societies the suicide rate remains constant. * Suicide rate varies between societies. * Suicide rate varies between different groups within the same society.
Durkheim, therefore, discounted individualistic explanations of suicide. He also eliminated statistically factors such as climate, seasons, alcoholism, heredity and mental state.
Durkheim's analysis
Based on 'social bonds' that bind an individual to society: * 'Social integration': the individuals commitment to norms, values, beliefs. * 'Moral regulation': societal/group