Macro-Micro Relationships in Durkheim's Analysis of Egoistic Suicide

Abstract

Contemporary theory is increasingly concerned with macro-micro integration. An attempt is made to integrate these levels of analysis in Durkheim's theory of egoistic suicide. Does Durkheim's theory, which is a social system analysis designed to explain differences in suicide rates between groups, have micro implications for specifying which particular individuals within the group will take their lives? In attempting to answer this question by exploring the causal linkages between integration and suicide, Durkheim's theory of egoistic suicide was revealed not to be a singular theory but rather contained several different explanations. The numerous interpretations have resulted from his incompletely specified, inconsistent, unsystematized, and inadequately tested theory. These ambiguities also account for the historically inconsistent research findings that have limited sociologists' ability to advance beyond Durkheim's century-old formulations. Further areas for new research and illustrative hypothesis are suggested.

Suicide as Social Control1

“…Consider the unit of analysis with which previous theories of suicide are concerned. There is a good deal of disagreement over the unit of analysis in Durkheimian theory (see, e.g., Berk, 2006). Durkheim himself is quite insistent that explaining the “social suicide‐rate” is different from explaining why persons kill themselves and that his theory is not individualistic (Durkheim, 1951:297–325).…”

Religion and the Acceptability of White‐Collar Crime: A Cross‐National Analysis

“…As such, his theory has been applied to a wide variety of criminal and deviant behaviors, including suicide, homicide, rape, juvenile delinquency, alcohol use, and even white‐collar crime (Bjarnason et al 2005; Krohn 1978; Leavitt 1992; Stack and Kanavy 1983; Stack and Lester 1991; Thorlindsson and Bernburg 2004). Since the core component of normative integration is the internalization of and adherence to norms and laws (Berk 2006; Olsen 1965; Pope and Johnson 1983), Durkheimian theory is especially useful for understanding attitudes toward the acceptability of white‐collar crime.…”

Status and Solidarity: A Reformulation of Early Durkheimian Theory*

“…This would suggest that the most prevalent types of suicides would be hybrids rather than descriptions of the types themselves (cf. Berk 2006; Pope 1976). This would be a poor method for the presentation of ideal types.…”