Incest Taboo and Its Origins - Selections from Durkheim's Works (Volume 6)

Author: (French) émile Durkheim
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2006-08-01
Features: This book is the sixth volume of the Collected Works of Durkheim, comprising six parts. Part I is titled “The Prohibition of Incest and Its Origins”, with the theme of “The Social Origins of Existence.” It is a milestone in the development of Durkheim’s middle and late social thought, incorporating key concepts from his sociology of religion and sociology of knowledge. Additionally, this volume includes other important documents by Durkheim on the study of religion, such as articles, notes, book reviews, and discussions. These documents not only help clarify Durkheim’s fundamental views on primitive religion but also allow us to trace the relationship between religion and modern society along these lines. The document included in this volume is “The Prohibition of Incest and Its Origins.” This document was published in L’Année Sociologique in 1898 as the article in the volume, demonstrating its pivotal role in Durkheim’s theoretical development and the intellectual legacy of the L’Année Sociologique school. Furthermore, this volume includes other important documents by Durkheim on the study of religion, such as articles, notes, book reviews, and discussions. The fourth part of the documents in this volume begins with the theme of “The Duality of Human Nature and Its Social Conditions,” introducing Durkheim’s discussions on sociology and its methods. At the end of this volume, some essays by Durkheim on the history of the family and legal history are also included. If these articles are read alongside Durkheim’s more famous works, readers are sure to find much enjoyment and discovery.