The elementary forms of religious life french les formes lmentaires de la vie religieuse published by the french sociologist mile durkheim in 1912 is a . Durkheims two problems durkheims primary purpose in the elementary forms was to describe and explain the most primitive 1 religion known to man. The elementary forms of religious life published in 1912 and translated in 1915 is one of the exemplary books in understanding the primitive form. Includes bibliographical references the elementary forms of the religious life a study in religious sociology. The elementary forms of religious life has 2801 ratings and 73 reviews hadrian said this is one of the earliest foundational works in sociology and th