Suffering and evil

"Until recently the subjects of suffering and evil were neglected in the sociological world and almost absent in Durkheimian studies as well. This book aims to fill the gap by exploring the different meanings that the concepts of evil and suffering have in Durkheim's works. together with the general role they play in his sociology. It then examines the meanings and functions of these concepts in the work of other authors within the group of the Annee sociologique up until the beginning of World War II. Finally; the Durkheimian legacy in its wider aspects is assessed, with particular reference to the importance of the Durkheimian categories in understanding and conceptualizing contemporary forms of evil and suffering."--BOOK JACKET.