Sociology of evil and theodicy in Durkheim’s Elementary Forms of Religious Life
Keywords:
Durkheim, Piacular rites, Ambiguity of the sacred, Sociology of evil, Theodicy
Abstract
In his analysis of piaculiar rites in The Elementary Forms of Religious Life, Durkheim outlines a sociology of evil of general interest. This sociology conceives evil as a social fact and explains the rites of mourning and atonement, the belief in malignant powers and the ritual purge of evil. Durkheim relates evil with the ambiguity of the sacred, causing serious tensions in his theoretical system. He also addresses the problem of theodicy for which he proposes a lay solution in the form of a functional based sociodicy.Downloads
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Published
2012-10-05
How to Cite
Ramos Torre R. (2012). Sociology of evil and theodicy in Durkheim’s Elementary Forms of Religious Life. Política y Sociedad, 49(2), 223-240. https://doi.org/10.5209/rev_POSO.2012.v49.n2.38415
Section
Monographic
License
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