2.

2) Emile Durkheim : Theory of Religion

Early and Late Durkheimian Theory

● Durkheim's Status as the "Father" of Sociology: Durkheim is often regarded as the "father" of
modern sociology, although this attribution is a social construct rather than a biological fact.

● Despite some periodization, Durkheim consistently believed in the similarity between social and
natural forces and the reciprocal relationship between collective ideas and social practices. After
"Suicide," religion became a central focus in Durkheim's work, but this was not indicative of a
shift towards idealism.

● In his later period, Durkheim more directly addressed how individuals internalize social
structures, aiming to explain how social facts shape individual consciousness. His ultimate goal
was to penetrate into the individual mind and relate social institutions to their psychological
conditions.

● Durkheim proposed a theory of ritual and effervescence to explain the link between social facts
and human consciousness, which he explored in "The Elementary Forms of Religious Life" and
his work on moral education.

Beliefs, Rituals, and Church

● In Durkheim's analysis, the development of religion requires more than just differentiating
between the sacred and the profane. Three additional conditions are essential:

1. Development of Religious Beliefs: These are representations that express the nature of
sacred things and their relations with each other or with profane things.

2. Existence of Religious Rituals: These are rules of conduct that dictate how individuals
should behave in the presence of sacred objects.

3. Presence of a Church or Moral Community: A religion necessitates a unified system of

beliefs and practices that unite adherents into a single moral community, often referred to
as a Church.

● Durkheim defines religion as a unified system of beliefs and practices that unite individuals into a
single moral community.

● Rituals and the church play crucial roles in Durkheim's theory of religion by connecting social
representations to individual practices. Through participation in rituals and involvement in the
church community, individuals learn about the sacred and its associated beliefs. Additionally,
rituals and the church help maintain the potency of social representations by reenacting collective
 memories. Moreover, they reconnect individuals to the social sphere, providing inspiration for
their everyday activities.

Why Primitive?

● In "The Elementary Forms of Religious Life," Durkheim utilized data from studies of the Arunta,
an Australian tribe, to explore primitive religion. Despite modern skepticism about categorizing
cultures as "primitive," Durkheim chose to study such societies for several reasons:

1. Durkheim believed it was easier to grasp the fundamental aspects of religion in primitive cultures
due to their less-developed ideological systems. He argued that religious forms in such societies
were more transparent and less obscured by complexities.

2. Primitive societies exhibit greater intellectual and moral conformity, making it easier to
understand the relationship between common beliefs and social structures. Durkheim saw this as
beneficial for elucidating the collective nature of religion.

3. Durkheim's study of primitive religion aimed to shed light on religion in modern society. He
observed that as societies become more specialized, religion's domain narrows, with other
institutions such as law and science expressing different aspects of collective morality.

4. While religion in modern society occupies a narrower domain, Durkheim posited that various
collective representations, including law and science, originate from the all-encompassing
religion of primitive society. He saw primitive religion as foundational to understanding the
broader spectrum of collective beliefs and institutions in modern societies.

Totemism (from class notes)