Suicide (Durkheim)

Émile Durkheim's theory of suicide views it as a social phenomenon influenced by the level of social integration and regulation. He identified different types: egoistic suicide occurs when individuals feel disconnected from society, lacking social support; altruistic suicide happens in highly integrated groups where personal sacrifice is valued; anomic suicide results from societal instability or normlessness, causing feelings of aimlessness; and fatalistic suicide occurs under oppressive, overly controlling social conditions. Durkheim emphasized that societal factors, rather than just individual choices, significantly impact the likelihood of suicide.