Youth and Suicide in American Cinema: Context, Causes, and Consequences

by Alessandra Seggi

Overview

This book explores the depiction of suicide in American youth films from 1900 to 2019. Anchored in Sociology, this multidisciplinary study investigates the causes and consequences of suicide and uncovers the socio-cultural context for the development of youth, film, and suicide. While such cinematic portrayals seem to privilege external explanations of suicide versus internal or psychological ones, overall they are neither rich nor sensitive. Most are simplistic, limited or at the very least unbalanced. At times, they are flatly controversial. In light of this overall problematic depiction of suicide, this book offers a proactive approach to empower young audiences—a media literacy strategy to embrace while watching these films. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783031086861
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan
Publication date:	10/27/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	15 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Alessandra Seggi is a Fulbright scholar and an award-winning artist. At Temple University, USA, her research and teaching focus on the intersection of the social sciences and media. She is currently working on an innovative project combining drawings with rhymes and traditional texts to illustrate the key dynamics of social life.

“For a list of recent conference and event appearances, please visit alessandraseggi.com/related-events/”

Table of Contents

Part I: Theory, Context&Terms of Reference: Youth, Film, Suicide&Media Literacy.- 1. Theory: Theoretical Bricolage .- 2. Context: It’s Complicated .- 3. Terms of Reference.- 3.1 Terms of Reference. After Childhood: Teenagehood, Puberty, Adolescence&Youth.- 3.2 Terms of Reference. Film.- 3.3 Terms of Reference. Suicide.- 3.4 Terms of Reference. Self-harm.- 3.5 Terms of Reference. Media Literacy.- Part II: Youth&Suicide in American Cinema.- 4. Rationale&Scope: Film Selection&Sampling.- 4.1 Scope&Criteria for Movie Selection.- 4.2 Details about Film Selection.- 4.3 The Importance of Studying the Representation of Suicide in Youth Films.- 5. Films Depicting Youth&Suicide: Part I.- 6. Films Depicting Youth&Suicide: Part II .- 7. Dilemmas&Dichotomies About Suicide and Youth in Film.- 8. A Foil&a Game Changer: Archie's Final Project.- 8.1 Discussions of Form.- 8.2 Discussions of Content.-  8.3 The Bigger Picture: The Teen Condition&the Human Condition.- 9. A Conundrum, Evolving: 13 Reasons Why.- Part III: A Proactive Approach: Media Literacy Strategy.- 10. Tools of the Trade: Media Influence, Media Guidelines&Media Literacy.- 11. A Proactive Approach: A Media Literacy Strategy With Critical Questions for Engaged Audiences.- 11.1 Suicide in Film: Critical Questions for Engaged Audiences.- 11.2 Questions in Brief.- 11.3 Questions in Depth.- 12. Media Literacy Strategy in Action: Application of Media Literacy Questions to Sample Films .- 12.1 Archie’s Final Project: Allure Versus Accuracy in Its Promotional Material.- 12.2 13 ReasonsWhy.- 12.3 Other Films.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Seggi’s interdisciplinary evaluation of this serious topic is a necessary addition to the research on youth and their sensitive roles in American culture. Taking perspectives from the fields of film studies, media literacy, sociology, psychology, and public health, the analysis is both precise and proactive, offering an insightful accounting of trends and influences related to teen suicide while building an effective model for understanding youth media and empowering this vulnerable population. The book is thus essential as both a unique intellectual resource and a pedagogical tool that will serve teachers and students alike.” (Timothy Shary Author of Generation Multiplex: The Image of Youth in Contemporary American Cinema Co-editor of ReFocus: The Films of John Hughes)

“Located at the intersection of sociology, media studies, and psychology, Alessandra Seggi’s Youth and Suicide in American Cinema: Context, Causes, and Consequences offers a methodologically rigorous, theoretically rich, and comprehensive analysis of suicide in films about youth. It is an important contribution to the growing literature about representations of adolescence in cinema.” (Robert C. Bulman Professor, Sociology Saint Mary’s College of California Author of Hollywood Goes to High School: Cinema, Schools, and American Culture)

Editorial Reviews

The book is written as an act of service for all unfortified youth, reading like a voice that cuts through static to say, ‘I’m here, I’m listening.’ To take things up a level, this book is not just a helpful tool for youth but also for anyone who has been affected by suicide. …” (Kate Brennan, Fulbright Chronicles, Vol. 2 (4), 2024)

From the Publisher