Revision:Suicide

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Seen by Functionalists as deviant (at one time it was a criminal offence).

Selfish act that denies society of one of its members.

Durkheim (1897) 'Suicide'

Motivation study of suicide statistics noted

• regularities in the statistics
• SR varies with a state's established religion
• SR varies indirectly with family size
• SR varies with political and national crises
• SR varies with a state's economic condition
• SR varies with occupational group
• SR varies directly with the divorce rate

Conclusions

• within single societies the SR rate remains constant
• SR varies between societies
• SR varies between different groups within the same society
• discounts individualistic explanations, and factors such as climate, heredity, mental state

Presents 'social explanation'

"suicide varies... with the degree of integration of the social group to which the individual forms a part"

Sociological explanation based on the social bonds that bind the individual to society

• 'social integration' - integrative bonds
• 'moral regulation' - regulative bonds

Idea of 'social equilibrium' - disequilibrium results in increase in suicide.

'Types' of Suicide

Eegoistic suicide - inadequate integration

Altruistic suicide - excessive integration

Anomic suicide - inadequate regulation

Fatalistic suicide - excessive regulation

"A major issue in suicidology is... Do we have a common definition of suicide?" Soubrier (1993)

Taylor (1977) 'Suicide: Public purpose, private grief'

Shows how the assumption of a clear difference between 'genuine' and 'fake' suicidal is unsustainable.

Demolishes several 'myths' of suicide.

People who talk about suicide do not kill themselves.

People who kill themselves are mentally ill.

Even if someone is prevented from killing himself, he will only try again at the next opportunity.

Manipulative suicide acts deserve little sympathy.

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