Understanding Suicide: A Sociological Autopsy [Hardcover]

Sociologists have debated suicide since the early days of the discipline. This book assesses that body of work and breaks new ground through a qualitatively-driven, mixed method 'sociological autopsy' ofone hundredsuicides that explores what can be known about suicidal lives.List of Tables and Figures Acknowledgements 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 Bibliography Index

'This work is a major contribution to the study of suicide, still one of the core topics in sociology. Introducing a novel methodology and an innovative approach to suicidal motivation, it will become a landmark study in the field'.

- Professor Anthony Giddens, former Director of the LSE, UK and Fellow of King's College, Cambridge, UK

'a wonderful example of what sociology can achieve: Being methodologically innovative and rigorous, theoretically rich and challenging, as well as maintaining direct relevance and utility to policy-makers and practitioners working in suicide prevention' - Network Magazine

'a much needed and important work for advanced students in the field.' - CHOICE

'Through a clever analysis of 100 suicide case files, the authors uncover a variety of neglected social and economic strains which contribute to suicide, such as indebtedness and stressful relationships at work. Their convincing analysis signals a need for researchers and clinicians to look for clusters of both sociological and psychiatric morbidity in order to obtain a better understanding of the complexities of suicide events. This combination of a 'psychological autopsy' with a 'sociological autopsy' will provide the knowledge base necessary for more effective programs for suicide prevention.'

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