Harriet Martineau: Biography, Works and Contributions

Harriet Martineau: The ‘Mother of Sociology’ and the Forgotten Feminist Sociologist Harriet Martineau (1802–1876), was the first woman sociologist and is also referred to as the “mother of Sociology” by many of the contemporary sociologists who are bringing back her works into prominence. Hence, although she was a staunch political, social and economical writer and … Read more

Pierre Bourdieu’s Capital Explained

A critical contribution to P. Bourdieu’s notion of “capital” Bourdieu’s development of the notion of “capital” has been proven a rich vein for the field of sociology and cultural theory. Capital has served as an important empirical and theoretical tool for the exploration of processes of embodiment and accumulation of knowledge and reproduction by agents … Read more

How ‘social’ are social facts? – An interpretation of Emile Durkheim’s “Rules of Sociological Method”

Introduction: In the study of Rules of Sociological Method, Emile Durkheim aims to provide a concrete definition of ‘social facts’ and the components they entail. This is done by deconstructing the definition and providing an expansive explanation of its components. Therefore, Durkheim follows a pattern wherein first, he provides a definition of the components and … Read more

Understanding our society through Durkheim’s Division of Labour

Emile Durkheim, in his book ‘The Division of Labour in Society’; talks about the relationship between individuals and society and explores the division of labour as a function. The French sociologist observed how society has changed right from the primitive ages to the post-modern world. Published in 1893; the book is responsible for developing various … Read more

A Reflective Note on Emile’s Durkheim’s ‘The Division of Labour in Society’

The theory of the division of labour was proposed in 1776 by Adam Smith, foreseeing the essential capitalistic need for occupational specialisation, to improve productivity in the upcoming industrial world. He highlighted the economic dependency on the division of labour. However, over a century later, in 1893, Emile Durkheim wrote The Division of Labour in … Read more