French Sociology before 1945: Philosophy, Institutions and Politics

Abstract

This introductory chapter sets the scene for subsequent developments. It begins with Émile Durkheim’s efforts to devise a theoretical and methodological base for the emerging discipline, to ensure the reputation of sociology as a “science” and to further its integration into the university system. But the early Durkheimian school suffered several losses during World War I, including the death of Durkheim himself and began to lose momentum. The decline continued during the 1930s due to internal divisions and the lack of a leader able to instigate new currents of research. Though some have observed an upturn at the end of this decade, this was halted under the Vichy regime. Not until after the war did new currents begin to emerge.