Medicine and its Objects is delighted to present:
Sanja Miklin
Comparative Human Development PhD Candidate
“What’s in a name, what’s in a death?: Ontology of ‘Suicide’ and the Semiotics of Suicide Deaths”
Discussant: Alexandra Brewer, Sociology
Wednesday, April 10, 4:30-6pm
ROS329
***Snacks and refreshments will be provided***
I this chapter, engage closely with the processes through which suicide is designated and interpreted as a particular scientific object that comes to demand certain kinds of scientific attention. Specifically, I look at the literature on suicide, relevant measuring instruments, and technologies, as well as main theories of suicide to trace how the ontology of suicide is negotiated, and to understand the implications these processes have on developing research. I pay special attention to the developments over the past few years that might be indicative of a ‘scientific crisis.’ Onto this, I superimpose a semiotic analysis, as I argue that at the center of efforts to determine what ‘suicide’ is, there are competing assumptions about what a suicide death signifies. In this, I highlight a kind of ‘semiotic dissonance’ that contributes to disagreements within the suicide research community.
To receive a copy of the paper, or if you have any questions or require assistance to attend, email Stephanie Palazzo, spalazzo@uchicago.edu.
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