Durkheim's Sociology of Politics

Abstract

The article proposes an approach of Emile Durkheim’s work that leaves aside a strictly “social” vision of his concepts and rescues his ability to analyze the central political issues of the 20th century. Taking into account “anomie” as a factor of social disintegration, it detects in several works his central concern to find ways of organizing society that considers everyone’s rights and where power is exercised in a balanced way. It tries to find Durkheim’s answers around the state, democracy, political parties, the various forms of social organization and representation, war and peace. Therefore, in the same way that Max Weber and Karl Marx’s contributions are valuable in the study of political theory, so as can durkhemian theory serve as an analytical framework for these issues.