Émile Durkheim publishes Suicide

Background. Durkheim's earlier work, The Rules of Sociological Method, outlined a scientific approach to society, emphasizing that social facts must be explained by antecedent social facts rather than individual consciousness. This methodological framework underpinned the statistical analysis of suicide rates presented in Le Suicide.

Statistical Method. The book is a case study unique for its time, providing an example of the sociological monograph. Durkheim pioneered the use of quantitative methods in criminology, focusing on social forces rather than individual psychological variables like depression, which he argued were affected by larger social structures.

Typology of Suicide. Durkheim identified specific types of suicide based on social integration and regulation. Altruistic suicide occurs in societies with little reason for individual death. Anomic suicide results from moral disorder and unregulated desires. Fatalistic suicide arises from excessive regulation and oppressive discipline.