Typology of Suicide
The first theme of suicide is the classification or typology of the types of suicide as observed by Durkheim.
When the person’s ties to social groups and collectivities are weakened, and relationships with others broken, there is a potential for excessive individualism. Due to this disconnect, the individual begins to lack any altruistic feelings and cuts away from society. As the self-importance and alienation from society increases, the individual faces alienation and as a result, due to the lack of sympathy, empathy and support, the individual becomes unable to cope with the demands of life and thus commits suicide. Durkheim labeled suicide as a result of social disconnect and high self-importance as egoistic suicide. On the other hand, if one type of suicide is accelerated by extreme aloofness from society, Durkheim stated that another type of suicide is caused due to an over-attachment to a social group or cause. When the person values the group over him, then that person begins to take risks for the sake of the group and considers suicide as heroic and beneficial for the group. Suicide caused by over-attachment to the social group or cause is labeled altruistic suicide.
Durkheim identified anomic suicide as the suicide committed when the individual’s daily life is suddenly altered and the individual feels a sort of disconnect and disruption. It is a result of a deregulation of desires, passions and daily lives and roles. When a crisis occurs in society and the social relations are disrupted, personal ethics and social responsibilities are risked which results in, what Durkheim labeled anomic suicide.The last type of suicide he identified occurs When the person commits suicide due to over-regulation by a social group, then the person commits, what Durheim labeled, fatalistic suicide. It is the type of suicide caused due to regulation of such an extent that the person feels as though his passions and futures are blocked.
Sociological Lens
Suicide by Durkheim is regarded as one of the most important Sociological studies. This is because Durkheim viewed the extremely personal act of suicide through the sociological lens. He focused on the occurrences of suicide and the patterns of suicide, and attributed social factors such as the breaking of ties, to the highly individual act of suicide. Thus, the theme of sociological view or lens is echoed in his book, Suicide.
Integration
Durkheim identified the cause of suicide on the basis of social integration. He classified two types of social integration as attachment and regulation. In his study, he defines attachment in terms of the person's attachment to social groups and their goals. This attachment involves maintenance of interpersonal ties and the perception that one is a part of a larger collectivity. A lack of attachment results in a high degree of individualism.
Regulation refers to the degree of control over the individual by the collective conscience. This regulation limits individual needs and aspirations and keeps them in check, preventing anomie. Thus, on the basis of the extent of integration with the society, Durkheim identified the causes and types of suicide. Therefore, making the phenomenon of integration an essential theme in his work.
