Sociology and Suicide
‘’How has Sociology contributed to our understanding of ‘Suicide’”?
Introduction
The essay will attempt to evaluate and assess how the various theoretical perspectives within sociology have contributed to our understanding of the deviant, individual act of ‘suicide’. This will be achieved by defining and evaluating ‘functionalism’, a ‘macro perspective’ and the application of this functionalistic approach formulated by Emile Durkheim, to the social phenomenon of ‘suicide’. Criticisms in relation to Durkheims’s study will also be evaluated, drawing upon other ‘Positivist’ theories and contrasting, ‘Interpretive’ theories of ‘suicide’, such as ‘Symbolic Interactionism’, a ‘micro perspective’; who’s principles were originally formulated by Max Weber.
Sociology
The development of ‘sociology’ as a discipline occurred during the 19th century, in an attempt to develop a science of society whose methodological principles shared similarities with that of the natural sciences. The term "sociology" was accredited to Auguste Comte (1838), one of the original initiators of the subject, which he believed could encompass all sciences into a cohesive whole. Sociology defines society as an object, which exists, can be studied and for which laws can be formulated. Therefore, sociology must be able to account for social phenomenon. This led to the development of a variety of ‘sociological theories’ or ‘macro perspectives’, a set of ideologies that attempt to explain the function and structure of society. Prior to the development of Sociology, earlier attempts at understanding human behaviour were humanistic in approach, unguided by the principles of scientific methodology.
The act of ‘suicide’ has attracted controversial debate from various spheres of society, not least the academic arena of Sociology. In Britain, before the 1961, the act of ‘suicide’ or ‘attempted suicide’ was not deemed to be an unlawful or criminal act. Various methodological approaches have been
Introduction
The essay will attempt to evaluate and assess how the various theoretical perspectives within sociology have contributed to our understanding of the deviant, individual act of ‘suicide’. This will be achieved by defining and evaluating ‘functionalism’, a ‘macro perspective’ and the application of this functionalistic approach formulated by Emile Durkheim, to the social phenomenon of ‘suicide’. Criticisms in relation to Durkheims’s study will also be evaluated, drawing upon other ‘Positivist’ theories and contrasting, ‘Interpretive’ theories of ‘suicide’, such as ‘Symbolic Interactionism’, a ‘micro perspective’; who’s principles were originally formulated by Max Weber.
Sociology
The development of ‘sociology’ as a discipline occurred during the 19th century, in an attempt to develop a science of society whose methodological principles shared similarities with that of the natural sciences. The term "sociology" was accredited to Auguste Comte (1838), one of the original initiators of the subject, which he believed could encompass all sciences into a cohesive whole. Sociology defines society as an object, which exists, can be studied and for which laws can be formulated. Therefore, sociology must be able to account for social phenomenon. This led to the development of a variety of ‘sociological theories’ or ‘macro perspectives’, a set of ideologies that attempt to explain the function and structure of society. Prior to the development of Sociology, earlier attempts at understanding human behaviour were humanistic in approach, unguided by the principles of scientific methodology.
The act of ‘suicide’ has attracted controversial debate from various spheres of society, not least the academic arena of Sociology. In Britain, before the 1961, the act of ‘suicide’ or ‘attempted suicide’ was not deemed to be an unlawful or criminal act. Various methodological approaches have been
Bibliography: Atkinson, J (1971). ‘Societal Reactions to suicide: The Role of Coroners’ Definitions’, in Cohen, S (eds), ‘Images of Deviance’:Harmandsworth, Penguin. Atkinson, J, Blakely, T.A & Collings, S.C.D, (2003). ‘Unemployment and Suicide: Evidence from a Causal Association?’ Journal of Epidemiology Community Health. Vol. 57, pp594-600. Atkinson, J (1971). ‘Discovering Suicide’, London: MacMillan. Bilton, T, Bonnett, K., Jones, P., Stanworth, M., Sheard, K., Webster, A., (1988). ‘Introductory Sociology’. Second Edition: Macmillan Education. Descartes, Rene, (1999). ‘Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy’, tr. by Donald A. Cress (Hackett). Douglas, J (1967). ‘Understanding Everyday Life’ (Routledge & Kegan Paul, London, 1971). ‘The Social Meaning of Suicide’: Princeton University Press. Durkheim, E (1964). ‘The Rules of Sociological Method’, New York: Free Press. Durkheim, E (1970). ‘Suicide’ (ed. Simpson, G), London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, (first published in 1897). Gibbs, J. and Martin, W., (1964). ‘Status Integration and Suicide’. University of Oregon Press, Oregon. Jones, P., (2003). ‘Introducing Social Theory’. Polity, London. Jones, S.S., (2001). ‘Durkheim Reconsidered’: Polity, London. Ritzer, G.,(1992). ‘Sociological Theory’, third edition, New York, McGraw-Hill, HM24 R4938. Sacks, H (1963). ‘Sociological Description’. Berkeley Journal of Sociology, pp 8:2 Selvin, H (1965) Davidson, G.C. and Neale, J.M., (1994). ‘Abnormal Psychology’, 6th Edition. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. Journals Haddad, S., (2004)