Discursive Practices in Suicide Reporting

Abstract

In this ground-breaking chapter Luce explains that journalists in the UK use five descriptive categories to stigmatize the issue of suicide: reaction to death by those left behind; reason for death; description of deceased; infantilization; and suicide and Internet usage. The author explains how journalists use frames of ‘why?’ and childhood to try and re-stabilize a society when suicide occurs. She explains that stigmatizing suicide is the only way in which a society can point out acceptable and non-acceptable ways in which to die. In our society, suicide is not acceptable.