Understanding suicide : a sociological autopsy / Ben Fincham ... [and others].

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Fincham, Benjamin.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Suicide--Sociological aspects.

Suicide.

Physical Description:

vii, 203 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire ; New York : Palgrave Macmillan, 2011.

Summary:

Suicide has an important place in thehistory of sociology, because of Durkheim's famous study and the debates that have followed since it was published more than a century ago.The.sociological study of suicide remains a powerful illustration of competing paradigms.The bold aim of this book is To make a new contribution to this classic sociological debate. The authors highlight the importance of qualitatively-driven, mixed methods sociological research on individual suicides, coining the term 'sociological autopsy' to describe their Esrc-funded study of 100 suicide case files.They illustrate how qualitative and quantitative data can be combined; and navigate the dual paradigms of objectivism and contructionism, examining what can be known about suicidal lives and also taking a critical stance on the knowledge itself. Substantive themes developed in the book include the gendered character of suicidal behaviour, the role of the life-course and the importance of social bonds, especially intimate relationships. Book jacket.

Contents:

Introduction

The sociology of suicide

a critical appreciation

What is a sociological autopsy?

Suicide case files as sites of identity creation

Suicide notes as social documents

Repertoires of action

When things fall apart

suicide and the life-course

Lessons for prevention.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780230580923

0230580920

OCLC:

712780843