Atkinson and Suicide

Atkinson further developed this criticism that Durkheim failed to understand that categories such as “suicide” are really socially constructed. In Britain for example for it to be concluded suicide a coroner must carry out an inquest on the basis to clarify whether it is or is not suicide. Atkinson argued that official statistics may therefore reflect corners decisions not any underlying reality.

In order to make a decision, the corner must piece together a series of clue and then decide whether or…