Émile Durkheimcsquo;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 Durkheimusquo;s original ideas, but also reveals how he inspired more than a century of theoretical innovations, identifying the key paths, bridges, and dead ends rdash; as well as the tensions and resolutions odash; in what has been a remarkably complex intellectual history. Beginning with an overview of the key elements of Durkheimesquo;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 Durkheimrsquo;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.
