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), Emile 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 religionwas 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 moraluniverse.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 introductionto Durkheim's ideas. |
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"religion is the soul of society" definition of religion - pg. xxi, 13, 46
Contents
The Origins of These Beliefs | 6 |
A Definition of the Religious Phenomenon and of Religion | 25 |
The Leading Conceptions of Elementary Religion | 47 |
Naturism | 63 |
Totemism as Elementary Religion | 76 |
Central Totemic Beliefs | 87 |
The Totemic Animal and Man | 101 |
Genus | 109 |
The Notion of Soul | 183 |
The Notion of Spirits and Gods | 203 |
The Negative Cult and its Functions | 221 |
The Elements of Sacrifice | 243 |
Mimetic Rites and the Principle of Causality | 261 |
Representative or Commemorative Rites | 276 |
Piacular Rites and the Ambiguity of the Notion of | 289 |
Conclusion | 310 |
The Individual Totem and the Sexual Totem | 121 |
The Genesis of the Notion of the Totemic Principle or Mana | 153 |
Select List of Anthropologists and Ethnologists | 344 |
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Common terms and phrases
according ancestor animal aspect attributed Australian become beliefs belong body called cause ceremonies character clan closely collective common complete conceived conception consciousness considered course cult defined definition depends distinct divine Durkheim effect elements entirely essential example existence experience explain express external fact faith feelings follow forces gods human idea images imagined important individual influence institution kind language least less living magic material means mental merely mind moral Moreover nature notion object observed once organization origin particular phratry physical plant possible practices present primitive principle profane prohibitions question reality reason relations religion religious represent representations result rites ritual role sacred seems seen sense separate serve simple social society sometimes sort soul species Spencer spirit things thought tion totem tribes true understand universe whole
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Bibliographic information
| Title | The Elementary Forms of Religious Life Oxford World's Classics - Oxford University Press Oxford world's classics |
| Author | Émile Durkheim |
| Editors | Mark Sydney Cladis, Associate Professor and Chair Department of Religion Mark S Cladis |
| Translated by | Carol Cosman |
| Contributor | Mark Sydney Cladis |
| Edition | abridged, illustrated |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press, 2001 |
| ISBN | 0192832557, 9780192832559 |
| Length | 358 pages |
| Subjects | › › Social Science / Sociology / General Social Science / Sociology of Religion |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |