Sociologist, born in Epinal, France, generally regarded as one of the
founders of sociology. He studied at Paris, and became a teacher, then
taught at the University of Bordeaux (1887) and at the Sorbonne. His writings
include Les Règles de la méthode sociologique (1894, The
Rules of Sociological Method) and a definitive study of suicide (1897).
He is perhaps best known for his concept of "collective representations',
the social power of ideas stemming from their development through the interaction
of many minds.