Repertoires of Action

The previous two chapters have both shown how the contents of suicide files are shaped by the broader social context in which the suicide occurs. Our focus in this chapter shifts as we begin to use the contents of the files to explore the lived experiences of suicidal individuals and the circumstances in which suicides take place. Ultimately we hope to be able to say something about causality though, in so doing, we will retain our interest in meaning and motivation. Following the likes of Cavan (1965 [1928]) and Douglas (1967) we take the view that the interpretive or subjective dimension is crucial to explaining suicidal behaviour. What Blumer (1956, 1969) describes as a ‘stimulus-response’ model of causation is, we argue, of limited value in the study of suicide, not least because of the importance of the interpretive dimension and the complexity of the circumstances in which such action typically occurs. Advocating a more subtle psychosocial approach, we use the idea of ‘repertoires of action’, to argue that individual suicidal events can best be understood by the changing relationship people have to their perception of their situation, the perception they have of themselves and the perception they have of what people like them — in their situation — might reasonably do. Drawing on fairly detailed accounts taken from the sociological autopsy study our analysis begins to explore the relationship between the individual, the circumstances they perceive themselves to be in and the suicidal act. These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

Action (physics) · Physics · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Mental Health via Writing · Suicide and Self-Harm Studies

• Understanding suicide clusters through exploring self-harm

  Open Access•A Johns, Ann John et al.•Social Science & Medicine•2022

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