This article engages the so far neglected intellectual dispute between Emile Durkheim and Arnold van Gennep. It revisits the most salient points of van Gennep’s critique of Durkheim’s sociology, especially as relates to the study of religion. In this context, the article also discusses the possible influence of van Gennep’s work on Marcel Mauss. The article ends by indicating why a revisitation of van Gennep’s critique of Durkheim might matter for contemporary sociology.
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