Exploring the Function of Crime and Suicide in the Developme

Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) grew up in a turbulent period of French history punctuated by the Franco-Prussian war, the establishment of the Third Republic and the weakening of the traditional educational institutions dominated by the church. Influenced by, but not always entirely agreeing with the works of Saint-Simon, Comte and Spencer, Durkheim subscribed to the functionalist method of sociological enquiry and is ‘often cited as the dominant influence on the development of sociological functionalism for his argument that social institutions exist solely to fulfil specific social needs’ (Swingewood, 2000:137). Throughout his academic career ‘the theme of his teaching was always that attention should be devoted to the specifically social bonds that united men in society not simply to the characteristics of individuals’ (Rex, 1979:156). His analysis of social change was based on the division of labour, which he argued had gradually replaced religion as the basis of social cohesion. He held that traditional moral controls and standards, previously supplied by religion were being broken down by the rapid and intense chang

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