1. By: Kelsie Leindecker and Jessica Trampf

2. Born April 15 th, 1858 in Épinal, France Devout French Jew – Father, Grandfather, and Great Grandfather were all Rabbis. Early education in a Rabbinical school Decided not to follow in family’s footsteps Eventually became an agnostic However, he used his interest in religion to guide his studies later in life. In 1887 he married Louise Dreyfus and later had two children, Marie and André.

3. Entered École Nomale Supérieure in 1879 on his third attempt. Studied under Numa Denis Fustel de Coulanges. He was a classicist with a social scientific outlook. While in school, he read Auguste Comte and Herbert Spencer Interested him in a scientific approach to society early in his career. Turned his attention to psychology, philosophy, ethics, and eventually sociology. École Nomale Supérieure

4. From 1882 – 1887 he taught philosophy in French provincial schools. Left for Germany to study sociology in Marburg, Berlin, and Leipzig. In Germany he published numerous articles on German social science and philosophy. Articles gained recognition in France and got a job teaching at the University of Bordeaux in 1887. Taught the university’s first social science course. Helped add social science classes to the curriculums of French school systems.

5. 1892: He published The Division of Labour and Society Influenced advancing sociological theories with ideas there were influenced by Auguste Comte. His ideas became driven mostly by politics. 1895: He published Rules of the Sociological Method Stated what sociology is and how it ought to be done. Founded the first European department of sociology at the University of Bordeaux. Founded the L’Année Sociologique, the first French social science journal. 1897: He published Suicide which was a case study of suicide. During this case study he became one of the pioneers of using quantitative methods in criminology.

6. 1902: Achieved his goal of getting a important position in Paris by becoming the chair of education at the Sorbonne. 1906: Became a Professor of Science Education at Sorbonne and in 1913 became Chair of “Education and Sociology”. 1912: Published his last major work: The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life. André went to war in World War I and died on the war front in 1915. Devastated Émile and he collapsed of a stoke in Paris in 1917. Buried in the Montpamasse Cemetery in Paris.

7. Known today as “The Father of Sociology” He looked not at what society is, but how a society is created and what holds it together. He was one of the first people to explain the different parts of society and how they served in keeping the society healthy and balanced. This theory later became known as Functionalism or Functional Analysis.