Connecting wounds: non-suicidal self-injury in the context of social relations

Self-harm is a significant contemporary expression of personal distress and social estrangement, and is an issue of major social concern. The evidence for this is its increasing prevalence and its recognition in the DSM 5 (2013) as a distinct category of mental disorder in need of further study. 

This project examines the topic of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in social context, using sociological methods and perspectives. The aim is to develop knowledge in this area by providing insight into how social relationships shape, and are shaped by, the practices and experiences of NSSI. The project’s vital innovation will be to research not only those who do or have self-injured, but also those who have or have held close relationships with people who self-injure.