Émile Durkheim's major works are among the founding texts of the
discipline of sociology, but his importance lies also in his immense
legacy and subsequent influence upon others.
In this book, Philip Smith examines not only Durkheim's original ideas,
but also reveals how he inspired more than a century of theoretical
innovations, identifying the key paths, bridges, and dead ends - as well
as the tensions and resolutions - in what has been a remarkably complex
intellectual history. Beginning with an overview of the key elements of
Durkheim's mature masterpieces, Smith also examines his lesser known
essays, commentaries and lectures. He goes on to analyse his immediate
influence on the Année Sociologique group, before tracing the
international impact of Durkheim upon modern anthropology, sociology,
and social and cultural theory. Smith shows that many leading social
thinkers, from Marcel Mauss to Mary Douglas and Randall Collins, have
been carriers for the multiple pathways mapped out in Durkheim's
original thought.
This book will be essential reading for any student or scholar seeking
to understand this fundamental impact on areas ranging from social
theory and anthropology to religious studies and beyond.