Emilie Durkheim

Émile Durkheim was a pioneering French sociologist who studied how societies function and maintain stability. He believed that social facts—such as laws, morals, and institutions—shape individual behavior and are essential for social cohesion. Durkheim emphasized that societies are more than just individuals; they have collective norms that guide collective life. His work laid the foundation for sociology as an academic discipline, highlighting the importance of social structures and the need to understand how they influence our actions and beliefs so societies can thrive and evolve healthily.