1. Durkheim (.. - 1917) His views: The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life, meanings and purpose of customs should be analysed in their contemporary context. Social facts should be treated as objective phenomena. (Kuper 1996:47) Society is essentially a moral order. ‘Collective consciousness’, values and norms of a society. (Kuper 1996:48) Crime was necessary to society, since it strengthened the moral order. (Kuper 1996:48)

2. Durkheim: His Life WWI destroyed the magnificent nursery of sociology. Some of his best students, including his son were killed. His nephew Mauss survived to carry on the tradition.

3. Durkheim’s Contributions Built up a group around the Année Sociologique, including Mauss, Granet, Hubert, Halbwachs, Hertz. Study of social relationships, ‘social morphology’ (Division of Labor in Society) Suicide and The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life: focus on societies as moral systems Primitive Classification