Suicide in Guyana: a Parsonsian corrective to Durkheim’s theory of suicide

Abstract

By means of a Guyana case study, this paper sets out to make the point that Durkheim's theory of suicide requires a theoretical extension to be able to account for suicide in Guyana. Data on suicide in Guyana goes against the Durkheimian hypotheses in every way possible. Suicide occurs predominantly among the group with the highest levels of social, political, and religious solidarity. When Durkheim's theory is extended, however, by integrating into his macrosociological framework the microsociological processes of deviance advanced by Parsons, his theory becomes adequate in accounting for what would otherwise be perceived as an anomaly. RÉSUMÉAu moyen d'une étude de cas conduite au Guyana, cet article vise à souligner que la théorie de Durkheim sur le suicide exige une extension théorique pour pouvoir expliquer le suicide dans ce pays. Les données sur le suicide au Guyana vont à l'encontre, de toutes les manières possibles, des hypothèses durkheimiennes. Le suicide se produit principalement dans le groupe de population où les niveaux de solidarité sociale, politique et religieuse sont les plus élevés. Cependant, lorsque la théorie de Durkheim est étendue, au moyen de l'intégration des processus de déviance proposés par Parsons dans son cadre macrosociologique, elle est dès lors appropriée pour expliquer ce qui autrement serait perçu comme une anomalie. ARTICLE HISTORY

3rd Symposium on Occupational Safety and Health Proceedings Book

“…As an investigation question of this systematic review, the suicide, uncovered ways of investigation for the prevention of suicide, taking into account two basic types: suicide and selfinflicted injury; this second as the main cause of suicide, World Health Organization (WHO, 2014) data, are more than 804,000 cases worldwide and 25% more self-inflicted injuries. In the words of the General Director of the World Health Organization, this level of suicide in any country is sufficient to classify suicide as a public health problem and to investigate its causes and consequences (Edwards, 2016). If people expect to live in a democratically governed society rather than imperial subjects, they must know where to apply moral and political influence (Worrell, 2015).…”

“…Durkheim argues in his famous work, Suicide that variations in the suicide rate in any country are related to the level of social integration and social regulation in the country. To further highlight more his theory, he outlines a typology of suicide that differentiates four types of suicide: selfish, altruistic, anomic, and fatalistic suicides (Edwards, 2016). When individuals do not feel integrated into society, they may commit selfish suicide (Ritz e Goodman, 2004).…”

Dutch spirits, East Indians, and Hindu deities in Guyana: Contests over land

“…When not appeased, they possess and otherwise attack people, disturbing their lives. Tricky, deceitful, and malevolent, these spirits can sexually assault people in their dreams; cause sickness, mental confusion, and compulsive desires (such as heavy drinking and hypersexuality); and precipitate suicide, contributing to Guyana having one of the highest per capita suicide rates in the world (see Edwards 2016).…”

“…When not appeased, they possess and otherwise attack people, disturbing their lives. Tricky, deceitful, and malevolent, these spirits can sexually assault people in their dreams; cause sickness, mental confusion, and compulsive desires (such as heavy drinking and hypersexuality); and precipitate suicide, contributing to Guyana having one of the highest per capita suicide rates in the world (see Edwards 2016). As an always-emergent form of authority grounded in violence, the imposition of forceful relations-which are not restricted to the boundaries of state institutions-and acts performed and designed to generate commitments, mutual rights, arbitrations, and loyalties (Hansen and Stepputat 2006;Ram 2012;Thomas 2019), sovereignty is premised on variably negotiable bonds between humans and nonhumans (Mello 2021;Singh 2015).…”

Espíritos, história e colonialismo na Guiana

“…A Guiana tem uma das maiores taxas per capita de suicídios do mundo. Para um balanço recente, ver Edwards (2016). Em outro lugar, analisei um caso de suicídio precipitado por espíritos holandeses (Mello, 2021).…”