Paper short abstract:

Ethnographic and clinical research amongst Sinhalese Buddhists in Madampe Division, northwest Sri Lanka, suggests patterns of suicidal behaviour reflect the kinship structure. In particular, acts of suicidal behaviour arise in response to the breaking of core kinship rights, duties, and obligations, or as a challenge to inflexibility or contradictions within the system. In either case, the morality of “shame” (lajja) is closely associated with both the causes and social functions of suicidal behaviour, as are relationships within the smallest atom of Sinhalese kinship: the household and its nuclear unit (ge). Developing upon traditions within the social anthropology of suicide, this paper will analyse how such conditions give rise to particular kinds of suicidal behaviour, and provide them with an institutional framework and moral legitimacy. A central concern will be how suicidal behaviour functions to expunge the self of shame while causing shame for others.

Paper long abstract:

Ethnographic research amongst Sinhalese Buddhists in Madampe Division, northwest Sri Lanka, suggests patterns of suicidal behaviour reflect the kinship structure. Acts of suicidal behaviour (suicide threats, self-harm, and self-inflicted death) arise in response to the breaking of core kinship rights, duties, and obligations, or as a challenge to inflexibility or contradictions within the system. The morality of "shame" (lajja) is closely associated with both the causes and functions of suicidal behaviour, as are relationships within the household and its nuclear unit (ge). A central concern of the paper will be how suicidal behaviour functions to expunge the self of shame while causing shame for others. The relationship of suicide to blame and shame is two-fold, existing as both an "aim" and a "response." As an aim, suicidal behaviour causes shame for those whose actions are deemed to have brought an injury that led to suicide. As a response, suicidal behaviour provides an escape from shame and a means by which shame can be challenged. This places acts of suicidal behaviour at the heart of social relationships. Suicidal behaviour is intended either to quell a problem, in which case it is best described as a "pacifying act," or as part of an escalating "arms race," in the sense that it stands as a "stronger" retaliation relative to an earlier injury. In some cases this manifests in "mutually assured destruction," as one individual uses a more lethal act of self-harm or suicide attempt to over-shadow the same in another.