The Social Causes of Suicide: A Look at Durkheim's LE Suicide One Hundred Years Later

Abstract

The present article presents reflections on Durkheim's theory of suicide 100 years after it was first formulated. It is suggested that much of the research which purports to test Durkheim's theory does not in fact do so, and suggestions are made as to how the theory might be tested. Research into whether there is a societal effect on suicide is reviewed, and efforts to apply Durkheim's theory to individuals described.