Suicide – Émile Durkheim

"Suicide varies inversely with the degree of integration of the social groups of which the individual forms a part."

Émile Durkheim, one of the fathers of sociology, treats suicide not as a purely individual act, but as a social fact explained by social forces. Using statistical analysis, he classifies suicide into four types (egoistic, altruistic, anomic, fatalistic) based on the levels of social integration and regulation in a society.

This groundbreaking study demonstrated the power of the sociological method. By showing that even the most personal decision is shaped by society, Durkheim established sociology as a distinct and rigorous science.