The introduction Durkheim’s model of group behavior While speaking about Durkheim’s model and its relation to Aboriginal suicides, one is to keep in mind that it is Durkheimian example of group behavior , which should be applied to Australian aboriginal society. First of all, it must be noted that Durkheim described funeral services as “the macro-process of a community reaffirming commitment and identity on the occasion of a member’s loss” (Lincoln, 2004, p. 20). According to Durkheim’s opinion, it was the so-called sociological big bang, which caused radical transformations of the cultural systems. Society was regarded as a significant element, which dominated all conduct. In other words, Durkheim pointed out that Australian aboriginal society was concentrated on its common beliefs, traditions, and ideals. Convulsive social changes, in their turn, caused great cultural shifts. Thus, Durkheim highlighted the importance of group mind. Taking into account the concept of collective consciousness a French sociologist clarified, one can conclude that Aboriginal suicides were mostly related to social chaos. The body Mills vs. Durkheim Generally, one is to keep in mind that sociologists are mostly interested in identifying the social issues, which impact on people’s decision to commit suicide, rather than in particular reasons of the self-inflicted ruin. Durkheim, for instance, was concerned about the interdependence between social forces and suicide. He was mostly interested in studying suicide rates and investigated the relationship between suicide and social and economic changes. Mills was deeply interested in the ways societies were organized and governed. The fundamentals of his theory include public issues and private troubles. Generally, it is necessary to state that Mills would not accept Durkheim’s viewpoint, as a French sociologist had never regarded suicide as an individual-level process. In other words, the theory Mills developed was also based on cause-and-effect relations between suicide and personal troubles; while Durkheim was of the opinion that “collective properties and processes were not reducible to individual ones” (Lincoln, 2004, p. 21). Mills believed that there were personal problems, which could lead to suicide; however, it is necessary to point out that personal troubles can be also considered as societal problems, as in most cases, a person’s emotional state depends upon public issues. For this reason, it becomes obvious that personal troubles as well as social issues are closely interdependent. “The death caused in Australian Aboriginal suicide is caused by a lack of insight, coping skills, and community support because the communities themselves are in such a state of social chaos” (“Aboriginal Suicide is Among the Highest Rates in the World, Why?” 2010, para. 8). This paragraph proves the relationship Mills highlighted in his theory. Thus, “the isolation, poverty, social problems and inadequate social support systems” are recognized to be the so-called public or social issues, which cause personal troubles teenagers are involved into (“Aboriginal Suicide is Among the Highest Rates in the World, Why?” 2010). In other words, there is a certain interdependenc