This biography is the key work on the life and thought of Émile Durkheim, one of the great founding fathers of sociology. Durkheim brought about a revolution in the social sciences: the defence of the autonomy of sociology as a science, the systematic elaboration of rules and methods for studying the social, the critique of Eurocentrism and the rehabilitation of the humanity of 'the primitive'.

At the same time, he defended the dignity of the individual, the freedom of the press, democratic institutions and the essential liberal values of tolerance and pluralism. In many ways, Durkheim's rich intellectual heritage has become part of the self-understanding of our time.

Marcel Fournier sheds fresh light on Durkheim's personality and character, his relationship with Judaism, his family life, his relations with friends and collaborators, his political and administrative responsibilities and his political views. His book is an indispensable text for students and scholars in the social sciences and it will appeal to anyone who wants to know more about the life and work of one of the most original and influential thinkers of the twentieth century.

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