Mauss

Marcel Mauss (1872–1950) was a French sociologist and anthropologist, the nephew of Émile Durkheim, and a central figure in the Durkheimian school. He helped shape modern social theory through his analysis of exchange, reciprocity, and the social totality of practices.

Mauss is best known for The Gift (Essai sur le don, 1925), in which he argues that gift-giving creates obligations to give, to receive, and to return, thereby binding individuals to broader social structures. He introduced the concept of total social fact, showing how economic, religious, legal, and familial aspects are intertwined in ritual exchanges and reflect the organization of society as a whole. The work influenced later theories of reciprocity and the study of material culture.

In addition to his work on exchange, Mauss wrote on the body and social life in The Techniques of the Body (Les Techniques du Corps, 1934). This study analyzes how bodily practices are learned, standardized, and transmitted across cultures, illustrating how social forms shape everyday physical behavior.

Mauss contributed to L’Année sociologique, the influential French sociological journal co-founded by Durkheim, and his ideas influenced later anthropologists and social theorists, including those in structuralism, who extended his inquiries into exchange, ritual, and social cohesion.

Selected works: Essai sur le don (The Gift) 1925; Les Techniques du Corps (The Techniques of the Body) 1934.