Citation

Chachoua K. Int. Rev. Sociol. (London) 2010; 20(2): 301-319.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/03906701.2010.487672

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

According to a popular and widespread belief, suicide is a rare phenomenon, if not absent at all, in Muslim societies. It is considered as a sociologically irrelevant because of the cognitive power and efficacy of religion. This idea is reinforced by the upheaval of suicide bombings and terrorism, the clamour of which conceals the phenomenon of civil suicide. This article will explore civil suicide through interviews held in Algeria, in which suicide is described as a more feminine, young and rural phenomena. These three dimensions are marginal in social science studies on 'Islamic' suicide, which are mainly centred on a Durkheimian analysis - that is to say an analysis which considers suicide as an essentially urban and male phenomenon, far from gender issues and conformed to dominant regimes of discourse. © 2010 University of Rome 'La Sapienza'.

Language: fr

Keywords

Gender; Suicide; Islam; Sexuality; Algeria