sociological approaches to suicide

who is D_

durkheim

how did durkheim investigate the act of suicide?

investigating the causes of suicide as the collective reality and the insitutions which they were involved with

why did durkheim want to look at the instituions of the individual?

he saw that these are what created the individual

how did durkheim define suicide?

the case of death which results from positive or negative acts which will produce this result

what is an issue with durkheims suicide defintion?

he admits one cannot know anothers thoughts which is essential to his defintion but how can we be sure what is in their head at that time

how does durkehim resolve this issue?

he claimed that each social group had a specific tendancy towards suicide

define E_ suicide

egoistic suicide caused by insuffient integration

he noted protestants committed suicide more than catholics

protestants had more freedom

define Al_ suicide

Altruistic suicide casued by excessive intregation

suicide for the good of society mostly in primitive societies

definie An_ suicide

anomic suicide caused by insuffiencet regulation

ppoverty itself doesn’t lead to high rates, but falling from prosperity to poverty does

what is F_ suicide

fatalistic suicide cause by excees regulation

these occur in oppressive social conditions like slavery

who is D_?

Douglas

what did Douglas say about durkheims theory?

he is critical of it

he disagreed that social facts cannot be established

and suicide isnt commited on broad reasons

what 4 reasons did Douglas claim there were for commiting suicide?

1) transforming ones self (life will chnage for the better)

2) transforming the self for others

3) achieving fellow feelign

4) gaining revenge to make other feel guilt

what is the difference between durkheim and douglas?

postivitivst and interpretivist methodology

douglad used interviews of the families to gain versthen

how did Douglas collect his data?

mixed primary and secondary methods:

suidice notes, diaries, interviews

and classifying suicide:

cry for help, escape, self punishment

and linked patterns of meaning with wider soceity:

e.g. western society more cry for help

lastly who is A_

atkinson

what was atkinsons view on durkheims suicide?

disagreed bc he felt the process by which these facts where obtained were ignored

atkinsons took a what type of approach

ethnomethodolical approach

meaning that he investigated through interpretivist methods which led to label deaths as suicides

what did atkinsons say about suicide?

we can never truely know the meanings the dead gave to their deaths as these interpretations are made by coroners

how do coroners classify suicide?

suicide notes

mode of death

loaction of death

life circumstances