This article examines the cross-reception of Durkheimian and British sociology between 1898 and 1924, mainly using material (book reviews) contained in the journal L’Année sociologique. First, we observe that the British view of sociology differs greatly and contradicts that of the Durkheimians, which explains why it was so badly received in France. Second, we analyze the British reception of Durkheimian sociology and show that it was largely dependent on domestic and strategic considerations. Finally, thanks to a bibliometric study, we demonstrate that, even though British sociology was well-established in the pages of L’Année, it lost the battle for the international definition of the discipline in the early 20th century. This article thus renews the perspective on Durkheimianism through analysis of the hundreds of book reviews that appeared in L’Année sociologique (with a particular selection of 4 volumes between 1898 and 1924) used in combination with a bibliometric study and previously unknown archives on the reception of British sociology.
- Durkheim
- Schools
- Reception Study
- Britain
- L’Année sociologique