Rethinking Colonialism in Durkheim’s Sociology

It has been widely assumed that Durkheimian sociology contributed to creating a sharp distinction between traditional and modern societies based on a Eurocentric bias that presents the latter as an exception to the former. Yet, a close examination of Durkheim’s work may challenge this assumption. Through an in-depth analysis of his posthumously published lectures alongside Les Formes Élémentaires de la Vie Religiuse (1912), this paper demonstrates how Durkheim sought to make use of the model developed for studying Aboriginal Australians in his lectures in order to reevaluate European history. The topics covered include the genesis of property in Ancient Rome, the Crusades in the Middle Ages, the French Revolution and the role of mythical truths in the Morden Era. In doing so, the paper reveals how Durkheim reversed the equation by establishing Aboriginal Australians as the model from which Europeans are understood as an outcome rather than a departure from it. It concludes by suggesting that Durkheim’s encounter with colonial ethnography led to a critical reimagination of Europe through his reverse methodology.