The Elementary Forms of Religious Life'If religion generated everything that is essential in society, this is because the idea of society is the soul of religion.' In The Elementary Forms of Religious Life (1912), Émile Durkheim set himself the task of discovering the enduring source of human social identity. He investigated what he considered to be the simplest form of documented religion - totemism among the Aborigines of Australia. Aboriginal religion was an avenue 'to yield an understanding of the religious nature of man, by showing us an essential and permanent aspect of humanity'. The need and capacity of men and women to relate socially lies at the heart of Durkheim's exploration, in which religion embodies the beliefs that shape our moral universe. The Elementary Forms has been applauded and debated by sociologists, anthropologists, ethnographers, philosophers, and theologians, and continues to speak to new generations about the origin and nature of religion and society. This new, lightly abridged edition provides an excellent introduction to Durkheim's ideas. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more. |
Contents
| 3 | |
| 23 | |
ELEMENTARY BELIEFS | 85 |
PRINCIPAL RITUAL CONDUCT | 219 |
CONCLUSION | 310 |
SELECT LIST OF ANTHROPOLOGISTS AND ETHNOLOGISTS WHO INFORMED DURKHEIMS WORK | 344 |
EXPLANATORY NOTES | 345 |
INDEX | 351 |
The Oxford Worlds Classics Website | 359 |
A SELECTION OF OXFORD WORLDS CLASSICS | 361 |
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Common terms and phrases
Alcan ancestor animal or plant animists Arunta aspect attributed Australian Baiame become beliefs blood body Bunjil Carl Strehlow central Australia ceremonies churingas clan collective common conceived conception consciousness cult distinct divine efficacy Elementary Forms elements emblem Émile Durkheim empiricism essential existence experience explain express external fact faith feelings Frazer gods human ideal images imagined impersonal individual totem Intichiuma kind kinship L'Année sociologique living logical magic Marcel Mauss Mauss Max Müller mental merely mind moral Moreover mourning mythic myths Native Tribes nature notion object observed organization origin OXFORD WORLD'S CLASSICS particular person phenomena phratry practices primitive profane prohibitions reality reason relations religion religious forces religious thought represent representations rites ritual Robertson Smith role sacred things sacrifice seems sensations sense simple social society sort Spencer and Gillen spirit Strehlow subincision symbols theory tion totemic principle totemic species Witchetty Grub Wollunqua