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Summary
 RAJIV GANDHI NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
OF LAW, PUNJAB

TOPIC = EMILE DURKHEIM’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO

THE SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION

Submitted by: Submitted to:

Vardan Jaggi Dr. Ashish Gaur

Roll No. - 22188 Assistant Professor in Law

RGNUL, Punjab
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Writing down these words to show my genuine gratitude to the many

persons who greatly aided me in finishing this project gives me
tremendous joy.

It is an honour for me to express my sincere thanks and obligation to

my professors for their insightful advice and helpful critiques.

Our university's peaceful environment offers the right direction for

project preparation. Being mentored by Mr. Ashish Gaur was an
honour.

i
 6
TABLE OF CONTENTS

 Introduction.………………………………………………1

 Review of Literature………………………………...........3

 Statement of Problem ...……………………………..........5

 Hypothesis ……………………………………………….5

 Research Questions ………………………………………5

 Objective of the Study………………………………........5

 Theoretical Background…………………………………...6
 Critical Appraisal………………………………………….8
 Definition of Religion …………………………………….9
 Sacred and Profane………………………………………10
 Study of Totemism…………………………………………11
 Why Society is Worshipped?................................................12
 Religion and Science…………………………………………13
 Conclusion and Suggestions…………………………………14
 Bibliography……………………………………………………15
 INTRODUCTION
8
David Émile Durkheim (15 April 1858 – 15 November 1917), a French sociologist, also
known as the founder of functionalism played a pivotal role in the development of academic
sociology. He with Marx Weber and Karl Marx is widely recognized as “Principal Architects
of Contemporary Social Science”. He received his diploma in Paris and then went to
Germany to study economics, folklore, and cultural anthropology. In 1887, the University of
Bordeaux selected him as a professor. Thereafter, he delivered his first lecture in sociology in
a French university.

7
During his lifetime, Durkheim spent a significant amount of time thinking about how
societies could maintain their integrity and coherence in a time when traditional social and
religious ties are no longer recognised due to scientific advancement, as a result of which new
social structures have emerged. His contributions to the growth of religious sociology. The
final major publication by Durkheim, "The Elementary Forms of Religious Life (1912)," is
10
regarded as one of the most perceptive and avant-garde books on religion. It is frequently
regarded as his best and most well-polished work. Contrary to Marx, Durkheim equates
religion with the character of a society's institutions as a whole rather than with social
injustice or power. He claims that totemism portrays religion in its most "primitive" form and
concentrates his research on examining the religion practised by the Arunta tribes of
Australian Aboriginal communities. Durkheim framed religion within the framework of
society as a whole, highlighting how it influences how individuals think and behave.

5
Durkheim rejects the notion that religion is primarily focused on'mysterious' or'supernatural'
phenomena, such as gods, spirits, and ghosts. He claims that religion combines both the
fundamental and remarkable aspects of existence. The works of two philosophers, James
Frazar and W. Roberton Smith, greatly affected him. Later, it was also found via his writings
that Herbert Spencer, Saint Simon, and August Comte left a lasting impact on him. He
prophesied that conventional religions and civilizations would eventually lose prominence as
society underwent transformation. With advance scientific thoughts supplanting religious
thinking rites and ceremonies will occupy a very little part of human lives. 1

1
Sociology by Anthony Giddens, 8th edition

1
He went on writing that Old Gods are dead. He does, however, believe that religion, in
various forms, will continue to exist. He viewed religion as eternity. He imagined a society
that fostered public religion, as a result all the church services will be replaced by civic
festivities (parade).

The goal of this endeavour is to have a thorough grasp of Emile Durkheim's 1921 book "The
Elementary Forms of the Religious Life," which introduced the idea of sociology of religion.
It shall be divided into three main parts:

1. Definition of Religion - Beliefs and Rites by Durkheim

2. Durkheim’s Study of Totemism (Arunta tribe)
3. Relationship between Religion and Science by Durkheim

2
 LITERATURE REVIEW

Following books and articles were reviewed to aid this research with a better understanding.

“Fundamentals of Sociology by Vidya Bhushan, D. R. Sachdeva, 2012”

This book covers all of the fundamentals of sociology, including social ideas, institutions,
and well-known philosophers' theories. Various significant approaches to sociology, have
also been given prominence. This book helped me in to develop a deep understanding of
the concept of Sociology of Religion as propounded by Emile Durkheim. Relationship
between society and religion and relationship between religion and science has also been
beautifully explained in this book.

“Sociology by Anthony Giddens, 8th edition”

The eighth edition provides a solid foundation in sociology's fundamentals, including its
purpose, methods, and theories, as well as up-to-date overviews of significant subjects. This
book put a light mainly on the study of totemism by Durkheim, the elementary form of
religious life, difference between magic and religion and a case study about Arunta tribe of
Australian Aboriginals. Then it also presented a view of the waning of religious sentiments as
the society revolutionizes. All this help me made my research complete in a more flexible
way.

3
“Fernando Uricoechea, « Durkheim’s Conception of the Religious Life: a Critique »,
Archives de sciences socials des religions [En ligne], L’héritage des Formes, mis en ligne
le 20 juillet 2011, consulté le 19 avril 2019.” 2

The purpose of this study is to critically explore major notions in the sociology of
religious life as presented in Durkheim's 1915 book “The Elementary Forms of
Religious Life.” The author here criticizes the work of Durkheim by stating the fact
that it is deeply linked with a moral component that penetrates his whole outlook. In
order to get a complete understanding and fair appraisal of his ideas, the author
mentions that a deep study of the definition of religion propounded by Durkheim is
important. This journal added a new dimension to this research.

“The Journal of Philosophy, Psychology and Scientific Methods, Mar. 1, 1917, Vol. 14,
No. 5 (Mar. 1, 1917), pp. 113-124” 3

“The Journal of Philosophy, Psychology and Scientific Methods” mainly talks about the nature
and origin of religion. This article talks about the religion from philosophical, psychological and
scientific stand point. It then studied the Durkheim’s view of religion , his rejection of the theory
of animism . The author being a critique also draws reader’ s attention towards the vague approach
taken by Durkheim in reaching the conclusion of the concept of religion by studying just one tribe.
This article also enhanced this research.

2
2
Fernando Uricoechea, « Durkheim’s Conception of the Religious Life: a Critique », Archives de sciences
sociales des religions [En ligne], L’héritage des Formes, mis en ligne le 20 juillet 2011, consulté le 19 avril
2019. <http://journals.openedition.org/assr/23052> Accessed 10 October 2022

3
3
The Journal of Philosophy, Psychology and Scientific Methods , Mar. 1, 1917, Vol. 14, No. 5 (Mar. 1, 1917),
pp. 113-124 < https://www.jstor.org/stable/2940655 > Accessed on 10 October 2022

4
 HYPOTHESIS

The paper aims to establish that Durkheim’s Sociology of religion provides an important
insight to analysis of society.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS
In the present research work, the researcher will try to find answers to the following
fundamental questions:
11
 What are Emile Durkheim’s Views on Sociology of Religion as presented in his
book, ‘The elementary forms of Religious life’?
 What is totemism as propounded by Durkheim?
 What is the relationship between religion and science?

OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

The goal of this research is to comprehend Emile Durkheim's sociological theory of religion
as it is given in his book, "The Elementary Form of Religious Life." Studying the concept of
religion, establishing the relationship between society and religion, and establishing
Durkheim's Sociology of religion offers crucial insights into societal analysis.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This project is based on doctrinal mode of research. It a knowledge based, descriptive study,
normative in nature. Existing theories and analysis on the topic, available in various online
and offline articles, books and papers have been examined and consulted.

5
 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

Religion generally means a set of ideas and values that help people form their behaviour and
words to which people attach value and importance. It connects people with other beings,
creating a sense of belonging and solidarity. Sociologists have long been fascinated by the
subject of religion. Durkheim’s work “The Elementary Form of Religious Life” forms a
significant part in the development of the theory of Sociology of Religion as Scholars and
students are still researching and debating its primary issues even today.

But the elementary question that arises here is that why Durkheim was so interested in
studying the elementary forms and why didn’t he direct his research directly to study the
major forms of religion like Hinduism, Christianity etc.

In Durkheim's opinion, once the most basic form of religion is grasped, it will be extremely
useful in comprehending the intricacies of 'organized' religions.

Societies with a suitably 'elementary' social organizations, such as aborigines or primitive

tribal communities (Arunta tribe), will have the most basic or rudimentary type of religion
which will help him in a more extensive way to polish his research. Durkheim sought to add
to the understanding of complex systems of thought and belief by studying aboriginal
religion.

The introduction of the Elementary form of religious life is basically divided into two main
parts:

1. The first is a justification of prehistoric religion research as a conceptually significant

effort,
2. Examination On the role religion plays in the formation of our logical categories4

All religions appear to have a fundamental duality of being divided into sacred and profane
realms. Acts that are holy, revered and sacred are contrasted with commonplace, mundane
trite and profane acts.5

2
4
Fernando Uricoechea, « Durkheim’s Conception of the Religious Life: a Critique », Archives de sciences
sociales des religions [En ligne], L’héritage des Formes, mis en ligne le 20 juillet 2011, consulté le 19 avril
2019. <http://journals.openedition.org/assr/23052 >Accessed 10 October 2022
53
The Journal of Philosophy, Psychology and Scientific Methods , Mar. 1, 1917, Vol. 14, No. 5 (Mar. 1, 1917),
pp. 113-124< https://www.jstor.org/stable/2940655>Accessed on 10 October 2022

6
Durkheim was of the view that due to the nature of society it became “sacralized”. But the
issue is that how the author of the “The Rules (Durkheim: 1964)” reached to this conclusion.

It is because of two theories that led him to think in this way:

1. Sociological Reductionism
2. Positivist Epistemology6

The development of sociology as a field of study was greatly aided by Durkheim's

1
sociological theory of religion. It demonstrated that any subject may be approached from a
social perspective. It has a significant impact on how social policies and religion are
developed.

6
3
The Journal of Philosophy, Psychology and Scientific Methods , Mar. 1, 1917, Vol. 14, No. 5 (Mar. 1, 1917),
pp. 113-124< https://www.jstor.org/stable/2940655>Accessed on 10 October 2022

7
 CRITICAL APPRAISAL

Durkheim's ideas can be applied in primitive societies, because social institutions and culture
are more closely integrated. In modern communities, where there are several cultures, social
and ethnic groupings, specialized organizations, and a variety of religious reliefs, practices,
and institutions, it is less significant.

Aboriginal totemism does not appear to be typical of large-scale, casting doubt on what can
be gained from studying the former. Many of the world's nations have become more
multicultural over the twentieth century, with a varied spectrum of religions coexisting inside
a single national society.

The worst criticism came from Durkheim's contemporaries, Arnold van Gennep. Research of
religion conducted by Durkheim using both empirical and theoretical data. One objection
1
against Durkheim's thesis is the claim that it is impossible to understand the fundamental
nature of all religions by extrapolating from a few small-scale cultures.

For those who have strong religious convictions. Durkheim's reasoning will appear
unsatisfactory. According to some philosophers, Durkheim resorted to something extremely
mysterious in itself by making the social mind, or collective representations, thus failed to
provide an adequate explanation.

Emile Durkheim's sociology of religion is highly respected among sociologists despite the
following criticisms. His understanding of how important religion is to society is what gives
his research its actual importance.

8
 EMILE DURKHEIM’S VIEW ON RELIGION

6
The following wide concepts can be identified after reading the book, ‘The Elementary
Forms of the Religious Life’, by Emile Durkheim, through which he has expressed his
version and opinions on sociology of religion.

Definition of Religion - Beliefs and Rites

To define religion, according to Durkheim, we must first discard our mind of any religious
5
preconceptions which we have stored in for better understanding. The idea that religion is
primarily concerned with 'mysterious' or 'supernatural' phenomena, such as gods, spirits, and
ghosts, is rejected by Durkheim. He clearly refuted two interpretations about religion

1. Animism by E.B. Tylor in which Religious views are thought to be placed beliefs in
spirit world, with these spirits being the transfiguration of men's two-fold nature of
body and soul.
2. Naturism by Marx Muller in which the term "naturist" simply refers to a religion that
sprang from people's idealistic feelings about natural forces. 7

He writes that in order to define religion, the numerous religious systems of the world must
be analyzed in order to extract the elements, or traits, that they share. Quoting Durkheim
(1912: 38) “religion cannot be defined except by the characters which are found wherever
religion itself is found”.

According to Durkheim religion is made up of two building blocks namely belief and rites.

BELIEF is the cognitive part of religion; moral teachings, myths, rules. It is the collective
representation which helps individual to integrate with the society. It explains the genesis of
sacred things.

RITES are a set of predetermined actions that are impacted by belief. It basically provides a
model code of conduct for how humans should behave in a society.8

7
4
<https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/sociology/the-durkheims-sociology-of-religion-and-its-function/43749>
Accessed 10 October 2022
8
Fundamentals of Sociology by Vidya Bhushan, D. R. Sachdeva,2012

9
 SACRED AND PROFANE
According to Durkheim, religious beliefs are classified under two different heads Sacred and
Profane. The sacred is something that is sanctified, and revered, or something that is feared
and shunned.

The sacred is frequently held in higher regard than profane items, and its identity and power
are safeguarded by societal conventions. The sacred sphere’s realm is concerned with the
many, in other words the metaphysical, and the spectacular. The sphere of the profane, on the
other hand, refers to everyday mundane actions of day-to-day existence. Between these two
spheres, there is a conflict that must be properly managed by rites and ceremonies. This can
be better understood with help of an illustration. Walking in shoes or chappals is a common,
useful, or profane activity. The temple is revered as a pure, immaculate, and sacred site. As a
result, the temple's floor must be safeguarded from the contaminating dirt from our footwear.

The sacred things are thought to have unique abilities, are kept for special events, and a
variety of limitations are associated to them. It is when belief and rites combine give rise to
religion. Durkheim’s (1912: 62) definition of religion is as follows “A religion is a unified
system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and
forbidden — beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community called a
Church, all those who adhere to them.”

One thing is to be kept in mind while reading this definition is the term "church" is used here
by Durkheim in a symbolic meaning. It has nothing to do with a house of worship. He refers
to it as a moral community or a well-organized gathering of people of all faiths.

So, in short, it goes like;

Religion = Religious beliefs + Religious rites + Church.

He views religion as a byproduct of civilization and contends that it has an impact on all
facets of society, including the most obscene and repulsive ones. He asserted that despite of
any changes in the structure of society, religion will continue to exist in some capacity.9

9
Fundamentals of Sociology by Vidya Bhushan, D. R. Sachdeva,2012

10
 DURKHEIM’S STUDY OF TOTEISM

To comprehend more sophisticated religions, Durkheim believes that one must first
comprehend the simpler types. Totemism, according to Durkheim, is the most basic type of
religion. He chose to investigate totemism as practiced by Central Australian aborigines in
particular the Arunta tribe. Originally, a 'totem' was an animal or plant or any non -living
thing chosen as sacred having some special symbolic importance for a tribe. The clan's name
and identity are derived from the totemic item. But it's more than a name; it's also a symbol.
It is frequently carved, etched, or designed on various clan artefacts, as well as on the bodies
of clan members. This elevates ordinarily ordinary or common objects to a higher level of
significance.

The totemic object is associated with a number of taboos or restrictions. It cannot be killed or
eaten, and it must be venerated. Everything in the clan is tied to and extends from the totemic
object.

Although the clan members are not linked by blood, they share a common name and a
symbol. This is termed as “Clan Exogamy”. Thus, in simple societies religion and society are
interconnected. According to Durkheim, it is a nameless and abstract power that exists
throughout the world and is disseminated throughout all of the world's material items that is
worshipped or held sacred, rather than the animal or plant itself. The Samoans call this force
"mana," the Melanesians call it "wakan," and some North American tribes call it "orenda."

Totemism is defined by its worship of an impersonal, mysterious force that is both

omnipresent and transcendent. But the question that raised here is why people worship totem?
It is because it represents the group's or community's core ideals. People's adoration of the
totem reflects their reverence for fundamental societal values. 'God,' according to Durkheim,
is just glorified by society itself and given a new shape and form.

When societies are glorified, they are more likely to form Gods or religions. Exaltation refers
to situations that bring people together, and it is from this that the concept of sacred emerges.
When social life becomes more robust, an exaltation occurs.10

10 4
< https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/sociology/the-durkheims-sociology-of-religion-and-its-function/43749 >
Accessed 10 October 2022

11
 WHY IS SOCIETY WORSHIPPED?

Society, according to Durkheim, are both physically and ethically superior. It's'sui generis,'
meaning it has its own reality. It is feared for its might and revered for its authority. When a
soldier sacrifices his life to defend the country's flag, he is worshipping the nation, not the
flag.

Individual morality exists in and through society. It demands our sacrifices, as well as
strengthening and elevating the divine or sacred within each of us.

Collective Effervescence - According to Durkheim, religions are more than just a collection
of beliefs. A sense of communal cohesion is affirmed and heightened in collective
1
ceremonials, which are regular ceremonial and ritual acts in which a group of believers hold a
1
collective meeting in what Durkheim called collective effervescence—the heightened feeling
of energy generated in collective gatherings and events. It encourages social cohesion and
fortifies interpersonal ties.

According to Durkheim, people in civilised society and primitive men both had a strong need
to escape the monotony and regularity of daily life. Because of this, the primitive people
would occasionally come together for various ceremonies, during which their emotions
would flare up and they would enter a state of euphoria. The most significant activities were
group singing and dancing, which intensified feelings and made the group feel as though it
had superhuman abilities. This is the fundamental feeling that religion evokes.

These superhuman abilities, which are ascribed to totems, celestial forces, or gods, are
essentially manifestations of the collectivity's control over the particular. However, religious
encounters are not to be dismissed as simple hallucinations. Instead, it is the result of
firsthand exposure to social processes.

In Durkheim's opinion, ceremony and ritual are vital for tying people together in groupings.
This is why they can be encountered not just in traditional worship venues, but also in
numerous life crises involving big social transitions such as birth, marriage, and death. On
such occasions, ritual and ceremonial rituals are observed in almost all society.

12
 RELIGION AND SCIENCE

According to Durkheim, scientific thought has its roots in religious philosophy. Religion and
science both consider nature, humans, and society. Both try to classify, relate, and explain
things. Religious philosophy has progressed and refined into scientific ideas. The concepts
force and power, which are utilized in modern science, have religious roots.

Religious and scientific thought both contribute to society's collective perceptions. There
can't be any tension between the two because they're both looking for universal laws. As a
result, the purpose of both philosophies is to assist human beings in transcending the
boundaries of their private, individual nature and living a life that is both individual and
public. People require society in order to be genuinely human, and religion and science both
help to bring people together.11

According to Durkheim, the influence of traditional religion is dwindling as contemporary

civilizations advance. Scientific logic is gradually taking the place of religious justifications,
and ceremonial and ritualistic practises are receiving very little attention. According to
1
Durkheim, older forms of religion that included divine forces or gods are in danger of dying
out.

He does agree with Marx on this point and argues, "The ancient gods are dead." He does,
however, believe that religion, in various forms, will continue to exist. Even modern
civilizations rely on rituals to reaffirm their ideals for cohesion; new ceremonial activities are
thus likely to develop to replace the old. He envisioned a society which fosters “Civil
Religion”. He's referring to the promotion of humanist and political values like liberty,
equality, and solidarity.

Inspired by the ideas of Robertson-Smith Durkheim is of the view that Magic and religion,
are completely distinct. Magic is a solitary, selfish art form that is practiced on a one-on-one
basis. Religion, on the other hand, is a communal and public activity. Followers form social
links that bind them together as a community living a common life.

11
(see Jones 1986:149-152).

13
 CONCLUSION & SUGGESTIONS

9
Similar to his work on the suicide theory, Durkheim's sociological theory of religion was
1
essential in establishing sociology as a discipline. It demonstrated that any subject may be
approached from a social perspective. Durkheim places a strong emphasis on social truths, or
"things." Society is "sui-generis," or independent of the individual.

Although people come and go, civilization endures for a very long period. Society establishes
some boundaries in order to ingratiate the individual. By firmly situating religions inside the
social world as opposed to outside of it, Durkheim was able to demystify religious experience
and encourage the scientific study of religions.

We also saw that Durkheim places a strong emphasis on religion's contribution to promoting
social cohesion by bringing people together in worship of a being that is socially much more
important than themselves. Particularly in England and France, the theories of Durkheim
have had a significant impact on sociologists and social anthropologists. His nephew, the
well-known social anthropologist Marcel Mauss, continued Durkheim's work.

The idea advanced by functionalists that, while some old deities may be extinct or dying, new
ones must emerge when society changes radically is supported by the emergence of new
religious movements and other types of spirituality. We might concur with Durkheim that
"religion contains something eternal that is destined to outlast all the many symbols in which
religious thinking has progressively clothed itself."12

As he thought their religion to be the most primitive and that its simplicity would help him
better comprehend and appreciate the complicated idea of religion, Durkheim also researched
native Americans and Australian aboriginals. Therefore, the study's hypothesis can be
accepted to the extent as a small-scale research effort may permit.

12
(1976 [1912]: 427)

14
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

BOOKS

1. Fundamentals of Sociology by Vidya Bhushan, D. R. Sachdeva,2012

2. Sociology by Anthony Giddens, 8th edition

JOURNAL ARTICLES

1. Fernando Uricoechea, « Durkheim’s Conception of the Religious Life: a Critique »,

Archives de sciences sociales des religions [En ligne], L’héritage des Formes, mis en
ligne le 20 juillet 2011, consulté le 19 avril 2019.
<http://journals.openedition.org/assr/23052 >Accessed 10 October 2022

2. The Journal of Philosophy, Psychology and Scientific Methods , Mar. 1, 1917, Vol.
14, No. 5 (Mar. 1, 1917), pp. 113-124<
https://www.jstor.org/stable/2940655>Accessed on 10 October 2022

ONLINE SOURCES

1. The Durkheim’s Sociology of Religion and Its

Function<https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/sociology/the-durkheims-sociology-of-
religion-and-its-function/43749> Accessed 10 October 2022.

2. Durkheim on Religion By Frank W. Elwell

<http://www.faculty.rsu.edu/users/f/felwell/www/Theorists/Essays/Durkheim2.htm>
Accessed 10 October 2022.

3. <https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/sociology/religion/sociological-theories-
of-religion > Accessed 10 October 2022.

15
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