Emile Durkheim - An Autobiography with APA sources

My name is Emile Durkheim and I was the first French academic sociologist. I developed the methodology of combining empirical research with sociological theory. This is a brief introduction on my life, my work and what I brought to the field of sociology. My contributions have affected the social sciences to include; law, economics, linguistics, ethnology, art history, and history (Durkheim, 2006). Philosophy was the ruling social science in my time but through my work the field of sociology was created.

I was born on April 15, 1858 to Moise and Melanie Durkheim (Jones, 1986). My father was a rabbi and my mother was the daughter of a merchant (Jones, 1986). I was born in an era of significant social and political change. I was raised in Epinal, the capital town of Vosges in eastern France. My father, grandfather, and great grandfather were all rabbis. Our family lived very modestly.

Prefeito de Vitória, João Coser, em entrevista

English: Cover of the French edition of the Divisi...

Jones Cemetery

I studied Hebrew, the Old Testament and the Talmud in my early years as I had decided early on that I too would become a rabbi (Coser, 2003). I continued with my education at the College d'Epinal and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Letters and Sciences in 1875. I graduated two years earlier than most students (Jones, 1986). Through my education I learned to speak German, English and Italian, this would be helpful to me later in my career. I decided that I wanted to teach instead of pursue being a rabbi.

After leaving Epinal I moved to Paris where I spent most of the rest my years. I met and married Louise Dreyfus in Paris when I was 29. We had one son, Andre, and a daughter, Marie. My wife spent her life devoted to my work and caring for our children and household.

The events that shaped...